Fatigue can have many reasons and make everyday life extremely difficult. But how is vitamin D deficiency related to this?
Fatigue is part of life and prepares us for a hopefully restful sleep. It’s also normal to feel tired occasionally during the day. However, if the condition persists and everyday life becomes more difficult to cope with, an illness or a deficiency may be behind it. Can also be a lack of vitamin D lead to fatigue?
Vitamin D deficiency and fatigue: how are they related?
“Fatigue is a very unspecific sign,” the German Nutrition Society (DGE) tells us when asked. However, it could be an indication of an unbalanced diet and therefore an undersupply of certain nutrients. According to the DGE, if you suspect a vitamin D deficiency, you should have a blood test done if necessary.
According to the portal gesundheitsinformation.de, part of the German Health Literacy Network, a vitamin D deficiency can also be shown by fatigue. But it probably won’t be the only symptom. If there is a deficiency, “bone, joint or muscle pain” can also occur. Symptoms of weakness are also often associated with a vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D is also clearly linked to depression: patients being treated for depression often have too low levels Vitamin D levels in the blood. However, this does not necessarily mean that a vitamin D deficiency triggers depression; there are still no studies to make such a statement or provide scientifically based treatment recommendations. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: Vitamin D has a high protective function for the nerve cells in the brain. The sleep-wake rhythm is also influenced by vitamin D. If this is disturbed, you will feel tired and exhausted more often during the day.
Vitamin D can reduce fatigue, study shows
Researchers at the University Hospital of Zurich published a study in 2016 involving 120 people with low vitamin D levels. Like Albina Nowak, study leader and senior physician at the Clinic and Polyclinic for Internal Medicine USZ in a press release says all participants complained of fatigue and “medical and psychiatric causes” were ruled out. The study showed that the group that took vitamin D was significantly less tired than the placebo group. “In principle, if you have chronic fatigue, you should think of a vitamin D deficiency,” writes the senior doctor.
Which vitamins help with fatigue?
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) maintains a list of “health claims”. This refers to health-related statements that can even be used for advertising purposes because they are scientifically confirmed. There are a few Vitamins, where the statement “contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue” is permitted. However, vitamin D is not one of them. Here’s the overview:
- vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
- vitamin B3 (niacin)
- vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
- vitamin B9 (folic acid)
- vitamin B12 (cobalamins)
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Who should take vitamin D when tired?
There is a lot of discussion about vitamin D. Recommendations on daily requirements are published by scientific societies, but they sometimes differ internationally. The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, for example, gives a guideline value of 400 IU, the DGE recommends 800 IU. The Endocrine Society, in turn, states that adults may need 1500 to 2000 IU to keep blood levels above 30 ng/ml. How much sun you need to produce enough vitamin D is very individual. It also depends on clothing, latitude, weather and time of year and day.
According to the DGE, sunlight in Germany is only sufficient from March to October for the body to produce sufficient vitamin D. According to the RKI, in the winter months the body draws on the reserves in fat and muscle tissue, but if you don’t have enough of them, you can develop a deficiency. According to Albina Nowak, it makes sense to take 800 units of vitamin D in winter in this country.