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Vitamin D deficiency is often the result of sitting too much and not getting enough fresh air. Preparations can help, but they are not the only solution.
Munich – Especially in winter, many people long for a few warming rays of sunshine. As a rule, these not only have a positive effect on the mood, but are also important for physical health. Because many people suffer from a vitamin D deficiency during the cold season. To counteract this, appropriate preparations can help – but other factors are important.
Vitamin D deficiency often affects people who don’t spend enough time outside
Exhaustion and tiredness as well as severe joint pain or depressive moods can be symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency. When affected patients are asked by their doctors if they lead a sedentary lifestyle, spend little time outdoors, and may not have a balanced diet, they often agree. Because these complaints are often self-inflicted. “Who in the dark season […] “If you don’t go outside often enough, you can temporarily have too little vitamin D in your body,” explains Heike Sander, the regional manager of the Barmer Replacement Fund for Lower Saxony and Bremen.
A healthy and balanced diet can often help counteract a vitamin D deficiency. It can be found particularly in cod liver oil, fatty sea fish such as mackerel or salmon and offal such as liver and kidney. In addition, this sunshine vitamin is also contained in edible mushrooms and eggs. However, it is almost impossible to meet the need for vitamins through diet alone.
This is what you can do if you have a vitamin D deficiency:
- Between March and October you should expose your face, hands and arms to the sun uncovered and without sunscreen two to three times a week. Be careful not to get sunburned.
- Another way to improve your vitamin D status is to take supplements German Society for Nutrition recommends this if an improvement in vitamin D status cannot be achieved either through self-synthesis or through diet.
- Always consult a doctor when taking any preparations to avoid an overdose of vitamin D.
- Shop for foods that contain significant amounts of vitamin D. These include, for example, fatty sea fish, certain offal and edible mushrooms as well as eggs.
Source: Robert Koch Institute (RKI)
If there are concerns about possible vitamin D deficiency after the winter months, a blood test is necessary. The Robert Koch Institute states that vitamin D status is determined by measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D, also known as 25(OH)D, in blood serum. The decision as to whether additional vitamin D supplements are needed and, if so, in what dosage and frequency should be discussed with a doctor. Only five vitamin D preparations were convincing at Ökotest.
According to the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), numerous people suffer from a vitamin D deficiency
According to a study by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), which took place between 2003 and 2006, the vitamin D supply in Germany is inadequate for many people. Around 12.5 percent of children and adolescents and 15.2 percent of adults are affected. However, the RKI points out that these values are only snapshots and do not necessarily indicate a serious long-term deficiency. An important factor that RKI emphasizes that the vitamin D supply is subject to “strong seasonal fluctuations” is exposed.
Does vitamin D require a prescription?
That depends on the dosage level. According to consumer advocates, high-dose vitamin D preparations can be prescribed to treat illnesses for which they are approved at the expense of the health insurance company. Prescription vitamin D preparations may only be prescribed for the treatment of rickets, osteomalacia or hypoparathyeroidism and for one-time use in the initial treatment of a vitamin D deficiency at the expense of statutory health insurance (GKV).
If over-the-counter preparations are medically necessary, appropriate and sufficient for the treatment of a vitamin D deficiency, these should be prescribed primarily at the patient’s expense. For dietary supplements, however, are loud German Pharmacist Newspaper (DAZ) no maximum quantity set.
Source: consumer advice center, Klartext nutritional supplements/DAZ
According to the Robert Koch Institute, 30.2% of adults in Germany suffer from a vitamin D deficiency. People over the age of 65 are particularly affected, with women accounting for 32.9 percent and men accounting for 26.6 percent. In addition, in relation to the total population, women are affected more often at 29.7 percent than men at 30.8 percent. (sthe)
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