Role of Vitamin D Supplements in Adults: Everything You Need Know

Vitamin D, or the sunshine vitamin, is an important component for the body. This fat-soluble vitamin is naturally produced by your body when exposed to sunlight or by consumption of Vitamin D rich foods. But, at times when the natural process is disturbed, and the body fails to produce a sufficient amount of Vitamin D it might lead to osteomalacia in adults. And doctors recommend Vitamin D supplementsfor adults to overcome the deficiency.Hereunder, we will discuss everything related to Vitamin D and its supplements, its role in the body, benefits, the effect of vitamin D deficiency, what is the recommended dosage, and much more.

What does Vitamin D deficiency lead to?

A lack of vitamin D in the body leads to several types of problems. The most common of all are bone deformities like rickets, bone pain, and soft bones like Osteomalacia, fragile bones like Osteoporosis, etc. in adults.

What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency in adults?  

The symptoms of lack of Vitamin D in adults are:

• Tiredness
• Body aches and pains especially in bone and muscles
• Feeling of sickness
• Impaired wound healing
• Hair loss
• Difficulty doing daily jobs like climbing stairs, getting up from the chair, brisk walking, etc.
• Getting fractures in legs, pelvis, and hips

The doctors perform a simple blood test to establish a Vitamin D deficiency. In case of a deficiency, your doctor will suggest Vitamin D supplements. In the case of severe deficiency, high-dose Vitamin D tablets are usually recommended.

How to ensure sufficient Vitamin D in the body?

There are certain sources to procure Vitamin D. Some of them include:

• Sunlight: Exposing the body to direct sunlight enhances the level of Vitamin D in the body.
• Food: Vitamin D is also found in some food items such as fish like salmon and sardines, red meat and liver, egg, breakfast cereals, oranges, yogurt, fortified milk, etc.
• Vitamin D supplements: This is the most effective of all. Adults who are suffering from Vitamin D deficiency should consume supplements to ensure adequate levels of this fat-soluble vitamin in the body. Let us discuss more it.

Vitamin D Supplements

Vitamin D is essential for the body. It is recommended, especially for adults, to get themselves tested for early detection of Vitamin D deficiency. They must consume Vitamin D supplements in case of a deficiency. Vitamin D supplements are safe to be consumed for children and adults. ZIM Labs is a drug delivery solution provider that aims to improve the condition of patients by offering technology-driven quality drug solutions. ZIM Labs is a prominent name that supplies innovative and differentiated pharmaceutical products, that are safe and effective to consume.

How much Vitamin D is imperative for the body?

Newborn babies of less than one year need around eight to ten micrograms of Vitamin D per day, while children more than one-year-old and adults need at least ten micrograms of Vitamin D per day.In winters and autumn, it becomes even more essential to consume Vitamin D supplements as the sun is not strong enough to fulfill the requirements of Vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D supplements are also available in most pharmacies and supermarket stores as vitamin drops.As per the Department of UK Health and Social Care:

• The breastfed babies of less than one year of age can be given a daily Vitamin D supplement of 8.5 to 10 micrograms.
• Formula-fed babies must not consume Vitamin D supplements, as infant formula contains adequate amounts of Vitamin D.
• Children between one to five years must be given a daily supplement of 10 micrograms of Vitamin D.

Benefits of Vitamin D supplements in Adults

Vitamin D supplements for adults not only help the body absorb calcium and phosphorus, key minerals for bone health, but also prevents many serious diseases such as cancers. If you experience symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency, then you must start including it in the daily routine.Vitamin D supplements have many important functions, such as:

• Absorption of calcium and phosphorus.
• Facilitates the working of the immune system.
• Helps in growth and development of bones.
• Keeps teeth and muscles healthy.
• Provides improved resistance against certain diseases.
• It helps to regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate we have in the body.
• As per 2006 research, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Vitamin D supplements for adults are also known to reduce the risk of many diseases, including multiple sclerosis.
• As per a 2008 report in a reputed journal, it also helps to fight heart disease.
• Helps to lessen the chances of developing the flu.
• Supports brain and nervous system health.
• Regulates optimum insulin levels in the body and also supports diabetes management.
• Supports lung function.
• Supports cardiovascular health.
• Influences the expression of genes, which is linked to cancer development.
• Regulates the mood and fights depression. People suffering from depression must consume Vitamin D supplements.
• Helps you lose weight. This has been proven by a study published online by Cambridge University Press in 2008. As per the study, people taking daily Vitamin D supplements were able to lose more weight as compared to others who were not consuming the same.
• The parathyroid glands balance the calcium in the blood. If you have sufficient absorption of the calcium in the body, you will have sufficient amounts of Vitamin D. The parathyroid glands are responsible for keeping calcium in the normal range.

Who should take Vitamin D supplements?

Though Vitamin D supplements are advised for everyone, it becomes imperative for adults who:

• Reside in an area that has a high level of air pollution.
• Spend more time indoors.
• Live in an apartment that receive less sunlight.
• Are dark-skinned. People with darker skin have higher levels of melanin that reduces the skin's ability to produce Vitamin D from sunlight.

These factors contribute to the deficiency of Vitamin D in the body.

Wrapping up

The Vitamin D Council is a group of scientists that establishes the awareness and importance of vitamin D and how vitamin D supplements for adults are helpful in treating and preventing the diseases such as autism, cancer, chronic pain, autoimmune disease, depression, diabetes, heart disease, high BP or blood pressure, regular flu, neuromuscular diseases, osteoporosis, etc. However, there are no definitive clinical trials.Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to many critical diseases such as breast cancer, heart disease, colon cancer, prostate cancer, anxiety and depression, weight gain, and many others. But the people with higher levels of Vitamin D are known to have a lower risk of these diseases. So, do consider taking Vitamin D supplements and enjoy a healthy life.To remain healthy and fit is the ultimate goal, and we at ZIM Labs are constantly making efforts to provide you with profitable and affordable products. The intent is to provide a healthy solution to our customers to live a longer, healthier, and happier life.

About ZIM Laboratories

ZIM Labs is an innovative drug delivery solution provider focusing on improving patient convenience and adherence to drug intake. We offer a range of technology-based drug delivery solutions and non-infringing proprietary manufacturing processes for the production and supply of innovative and differentiated generic pharmaceutical products to our customers globally. At ZIM Labs we provide our customers a comprehensive range of value-added solid dosage differentiated generic products in semi-finished and finished categories/formulations. These include granules, pellets (sustained, modified, extended-release), taste-masked powders, suspensions, tablets, capsules, and recently developed Oral Thin Films (OTF).