brain health - Science Nutrition Lab

Vitamin D Deficiency: Symptoms & Solutions

Vitamin D is crucial for immunity, hormone production, and bone health, among other areas.

Many people, however, are deficient in vitamin D. They don’t get enough vitamin D through sunlight or dietary sources, leading to various symptoms.

Today, we’re highlighting some of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency – and some of the best ways to solve vitamin D deficiency.

How Vitamin D Deficiency Works

Vitamin D is a crucial mineral for overall health and wellness. If you don’t get enough vitamin D daily, then you may develop vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D is unique because your skin produces vitamin D using sunlight. As sunlight hits your skin, it activates vitamin D production.

As you get older, your skin doesn’t convert sunlight into vitamin D as efficiently. People who have darker skin, and people over 50, are at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency than younger people and those with fair-color skin.

Why Vitamin D is Important

As Cleveland Clinic explains, vitamin D is linked to crucial effects throughout your body – from strong bones and calcium absorption to effective hormone production, among other benefits.

Here are some of the reasons you need to get your daily intake of vitamin D:

Keep Bones Strong: Vitamin D is crucial for strong bones. If you don’t get enough vitamin D, particularly when young, then you may develop conditions like rickets, leading to soft and weak bones. Adults, meanwhile, may develop a similar condition called osteomalacia, or a softening of the bones. Your body also needs vitamin D to assist calcium and phosphorus, which have more of a direct role in bone development.

Help with Calcium Absorption: Even if you’re getting enough calcium per day, your body may struggle to absorb calcium because of low vitamin D levels. You need vitamin D to help absorb calcium. Calcium is important for more than just bones: it assists with everything from nerve function to digestive health.

Immunity: Vitamin D plays a crucial role in immune function by supporting your immune system in various ways. Studies show people with low levels of vitamin D tend to have weaker immune systems than people with sufficient levels of vitamin D. Other studies have connected vitamin D deficiency to an increased risk of serious infections.

Hormone Production: Many hormones are linked to vitamin D. Many men who are deficient in testosterone, for example, also tend to be deficient in vitamin D. Studies show getting adequate vitamin D is linked to balanced, normal hormone levels. That’s why many people notice mood changes when vitamin D deficient: vitamin D deficiency impacts hormones, and hormones play a crucial role in mood.

Health Conditions Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency

We know vitamin D supports a range of benefits in the body – from bone health to hormone production to immunity. However, lack of vitamin D could also contribute to serious health conditions.

Studies show people with vitamin D deficiency tend to have a higher risk of developing health conditions like:

  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Diabetes
  • Infections
  • Immune system disorders
  • Balance issues, which could lead to falls in older adults
  • Certain types of cancer
  • Multiple sclerosis

Best Sources of Vitamin D

Fortunately, vitamin D deficiency is easy for most people to avoid. A small amount of sunlight per day, for example, can give you more than enough vitamin D. Or, some people take a vitamin D supplement or adjust their diet.

The best sources of vitamin D include:

Sun Exposure: Experts recommend getting 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure 3 to 5 days per week for optimal vitamin D levels.

Food Sources: Some of the best food sources of vitamin D include fish like salmon, herring, sardines, canned tuna, and cod liver oil. Egg yolks and mushrooms are also rich with vitamin D. Alternatively, some foods and beverages are fortified with vitamin D for health benefits – like cow’s milk, soy milk, orange juice, cereal, and oatmeal.

Vitamin D Supplements: If sunlight exposure isn’t an option (say, at far northern latitudes or during the winter), then vitamin D supplements are an effective replacement.

Avoid Getting Too Much Vitamin D

Some people get too little vitamin D, while others get too much vitamin D. Yes, you can get too much vitamin D, which could lead to symptoms of its own.

If you get too much vitamin D, then you could develop vitamin D toxicity. The main issue with vitamin D toxicity is hypercalcemia, or a buildup of calcium in your blood.

Symptoms of hypercalcemia include:

  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Weakness
  • Frequent urination
  • Increased risk of calcium stones in the kidneys

If you notice any of the symptoms above, then reduce your vitamin D intake or see a doctor.

Most experts recommend a daily value (DV) of 800 IU of vitamin D per day. However, some argue for much higher doses of vitamin D. Recommended doses also vary based on age and gender.

Final Word: Take a Science Nutrition Lab Blood Test to Compare Vitamin D to an Optimal Range

At Science Nutrition Lab, we specialize in a unique type of blood testing called Science Based Nutrition.

An ordinary lab compares your bloodwork to a random sampling of people who recently visited that lab.

With Science Based Nutrition, we compare your bloodwork to an optimal range based on your age, gender, and physiology. This can deliver more customized insights into your health and wellness.

Order a Science Nutrition Lab blood test and consultation today. Your blood changes before symptoms appear – and a single blood test can reveal crucial insight about vitamin D deficiency and other issues.

Top 7 Best Supplements for Mental Fog

Do you feel fuzzy, tired, or just “off”? It could be mental fog.

Millions of people deal with mental fog every day.

Fortunately, the right supplements can help. Some supplements support cognition and mental wellness. Others energize the brain, boost focus, or even enhance memory formation.

Keep reading to discover the top 7 best supplements for targeting mental fog and supporting your brain.

Caffeine, Coffee, and Green Tea

Caffeine, when used in moderation, is one of the best ingredients for mental fog. In fact, some see caffeine as the world’s most popular nootropic (brain boosting) ingredient.

Caffeine is a stimulant that interacts with pathways in your brain involved with focus, memory formation, and attention.

Drink a cup of green tea daily. Green tea contains ingredients like L-theanine that nullify the negative side effects of caffeine. L-theanine may also have its own brain boosting properties.

Coffee and tea are also rich with antioxidants to support your brain. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in your brain, which could help clear up brain fog.

The combination of antioxidants, L-theanine, and caffeine could be a winning combination against your brain fog.

Of course, many people struggle with brain fog even with caffeine. For many people, a cup of coffee (or even a pot of coffee) has little impact on brain fog. In fact, some people experience worse brain fog with caffeine.

Antioxidant-Rich Fruits and Vegetables

We mentioned antioxidants above. However, antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables could provide further defense against brain fog.

Fruits and vegetables are rich with natural antioxidants like anthocyanins that neutralize free radicals in your brain, helping with brain fog and mental wellness.

Vitamin C Supplements

Fruits and vegetables are also rich with vitamin C, one of nature’s best antioxidants. Vitamin C is known for its effects on immunity but it can also impact brain health.

In one 2019 study, researchers found people with higher levels of vitamin C in their blood tended to score better on memory, attention, response time, and concentration tests than people with low levels of vitamin C.

One of the best ways to raise vitamin C levels in the bloodstream is to eat more fruits and vegetables. Alternatively, you can take a multivitamin or a vitamin C supplement.

B Complex Supplements

Low B-vitamin levels are among the most common causes of mental fog.

B-complex vitamins are crucial for physical and cognitive energy. If you have chronically low energy levels, then you may not be getting enough B vitamins in your diet.

Some of the most common symptoms of B vitamin deficiency are also common symptoms of mental fog, including:

  • Memory issues
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Lack of focus or poor cognition

Consider taking a vitamin B12 supplement to help with brain fog. In one study, researchers found a vitamin B12 supplement enhanced cognition in 84% of participants and improved memory and attention in 78% participants. The study involved 202 people with cognitive issues, mental fog, and low B-vitamin levels.

Vitamin D Supplements (or Sunshine)

Have you been outside in the sun lately? If not, you could be at a higher risk of experiencing mental fog.

Your body starts to produce vitamin D when sunlight touches your skin. Approximately 10 to 20 minutes of sunlight exposure is enough to get your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamin D.

However, due to climate, latitude, and seasons, you may be unable to get your daily recommended sunlight exposure. In this situation, you may want to take a vitamin D supplement. A vitamin D supplement can deliver an equivalent dose of vitamin D to support cognition and overall health and wellness.

Multiple studies have linked vitamin D to cognition and mental fog. In this 2020 study, for example, researchers connected vitamin D deficiency to depression. Other studies have linked vitamin D to mental fog and other cognitive issues.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplements

Omega-3 fatty acids are well-recognized for their effects on brain health. Many experts recommend getting omega-3 fatty acids daily for brain health and cognition.

In one study, researchers took a group of 176 people with low levels of omega-3 fatty acids. These people took 1.16 grams of the omega-3 fatty acid DHA for six months. After six months, researchers observed significant improvements to episodic and working memory compared to a group that took a placebo.

Adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet is easy: eat more fatty fish. Or, buy a fish oil or krill oil supplement. Omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for memory, cognition, and overall brain health.

Magnesium Supplements

If you don’t get enough magnesium in your diet, then you could experience mental fog.

Some of the symptoms of low magnesium include:

  • Brain fog
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Worse responses to stress

The most common food sources of magnesium include green and leafy vegetables like spinach along with legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

Magnesium supplementation could be more important as you get older. In this study, researchers found a group of 2,466 adults over 60 performed better on cognitive function tests (including attention and memory tests) and had lower risk of cognitive impairment when they had higher magnesium levels compared to those with lower magnesium levels.

Other studies have connected magnesium to focus, attention, depression, and anxiety, among other cognitive conditions.

You can add more magnesium to your diet. Or, you can take a magnesium supplement.

Final Word

You don’t need to suffer with brain fog.

There are science-backed ways to target and relieve brain fog. The supplements listed above can support your body’s natural defense against brain fog, helping you support memory, cognition, focus, and more.

Take a Science Nutrition Lab at-home blood test today to discover your nutritional deficiencies – and discover the root cause of your brain fog.

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