Most of us know that vitamin D builds strong, healthy bones and teeth, and some of us know that it has other health benefits, from protecting against serious diseases to supporting our health. immune system. But does vitamin D also give you energy?
Until the point, vitamin D plays a role in reducing fatigue and increasing energy levels. This is because it helps the function of the mitochondria within the cells of the body, which is responsible for creating energy.
Here, we delve into the research on vitamin D and energy, and talk to the experts to explain how it all works.
What is vitamin D?
Vitamin D (sometimes called calciferol) is a vitamin that we get from exposure to sunlight, certain foods, and supplements. It allows the body to absorb calcium and phosphorus from the food that passes through the intestine, helping to build strong, healthy bones and teeth. If we don’t get enough vitamin D, our bones can become brittle, weak, and misshapen.
There are several other health benefits of vitamin D:
- Supports a strong and healthy immune system by fighting bacteria and viruses.
- Regulates heart function and lowers blood pressure
- It can reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and multiple sclerosis
There is also evidence that low vitamin D levels may contribute to low mood, according to a review in the Depression and anxiety (opens in a new tab) daily. However, we need more research to establish the exact link.
Does vitamin D affect your energy levels?
The evidence suggests yes. According to the cleveland clinic (opens in a new tab)Some of the main symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in adults are fatigue, muscle weakness, and low mood, all of which can make us feel depressed and exhausted.
A double-blind trial in the Medicine (opens in a new tab) journal compared the results of two groups that experienced fatigue and vitamin D deficiency. One group received vitamin D supplements, while the other received a placebo. The researchers found that the group that received vitamin D experienced significant improvements in energy levels in just four weeks.
Dietitian Rahaf Al Bochi, spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (opens in a new tab), also tells Live Science that vitamin D deficiency is associated with low energy levels. “Vitamin D has been shown in research to help the function of mitochondria within the body’s cells, which is responsible for creating energy,” she says.
Al Bochi is a registered nutritionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She practices through an intuitive eating approach and specializes in the Mediterranean eating pattern. She is a member of the Academy’s Nutrition Entrepreneurs dietary practice group and is a graduate of Ryerson University.
This research was published in endocrine summaries (opens in a new tab) and found that vitamin D supplementation in deficient adults improved muscle function by recharging mitochondria, the batteries our cells need to function. All patients in the study reported an improvement in energy levels after taking a fixed dose of vitamin D for 10 to 12 weeks.
Where do you get vitamin D?
“Your body can make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight,” says Al Bochi. In fact, most people get their vitamin D this way in the summer, according to the National Institutes of Health (opens in a new tab)and it doesn’t take much exposure for your body to start making it.
However the skin foundation (opens in a new tab) warns that even brief, limited exposure is more than enough time to cause DNA damage that leads to genetic mutations, increasing your lifetime risk of skin cancer.
Older people and people with brown or black skin are less likely to benefit from sun exposure because their skin is less able to produce vitamin D from sunlight. And only some people want to expose their arms, legs and face in public.
Although it is challenging to get all the vitamin D you need from food alone, certain foods are naturally high in vitamin D. These include: fortified foods and beverages such as milk or breakfast cereals, oily fish such as salmon, mackerel , sardines, tuna and fish liver oils, egg yolks, cheese and some mushrooms.
“A vitamin D supplement may be needed, especially during the winter months when exposure to sunlight is limited,” adds Al Bochi.
The NIH recommends getting 400 international units (IU) per day for children up to one year of age, 600 IU for people ages one to 70, and 800 IU for people age 70 and older.
If you’re not sure how much vitamin D to take, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian for advice. Too much vitamin D can cause calcium to build up in the blood, leading to nausea, vomiting, and weakness. It can even lead to a potentially serious condition called hypervitaminosis D.
