Like so many others, Farid is a bit fed up with the dark days and all that rain. He has hardly been outside in recent months. Our doctor wants to know why it is important to get enough sunlight and when to start taking (extra) vitamin D. “I often feel a bit lethargic, I often have headaches and I sleep poorly, are these Signs that I have a vitamin D deficiency?”
In the months of November to March, the sun is too weak in the Netherlands. Even if you are outside during those months, your skin cannot produce vitamin D. This must therefore be done in the other months – from April to October. The advice is to be outside for at least 15 to 30 minutes a day, so that your skin can produce vitamin D and also create enough reserves to last through those other dark months, explains GP Marnix van der Leest.
Take a supplement
But, the GP also says, there are many groups of people for whom that one half hour outdoors is not enough. “For pregnant women, children up to 4 years old, the elderly, people with tanned skin and people who – for whatever reason – do not go outside much, it is necessary to take extra vitamin D. You can partly get vitamin D from your diet. but that is often not enough and it is still advisable to take a supplement.”
According to the doctor, vitamin D is necessary for the growth of strong bones and teeth and the functioning of your muscles. There also seems to be an influence on the immune system. In addition, low vitamin D also appears to be related to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and, for example, colon cancer. It is not certain whether Farid’s complaints are related to a vitamin D deficiency. “Symptoms of a serious deficiency include osteoporosis and painful bones. Very often a link is also made with fatigue, but surprisingly, no conclusive scientific evidence has yet been found for this.”
Too much vitamin D
Not only a deficiency, but also an excess of vitamin D occurs. In that case, problems such as kidney stones and calcium deposits around the organs and tissues may occur. “But that chance is not great,” says Van der Leest.
And what if you apply a lot of sunscreen during the summer months, wouldn’t that also block the vitamin D? Van der Leest: “No, sunscreen does not block all radiation. KWF advises people who apply a lot of sunscreen to be outside for longer than those 15 to 30 minutes every day, to ensure that you produce enough vitamin D. And remember: even if the sun doesn’t shine, you still produce vitamin D during those months. It’s not about sunbathing, but about being outside.”
Rubriek: Asking for a friend
In this weekly column Asking for a friend we submit reader questions about health to one of our experts. Do you also have a pressing health question for a GP, midwife, dietitian, psychologist, dermatologist or other health expert? Then email it to [email protected] and who knows, you might see the answer appear here.
2024-02-29 15:43:04
#Farid #rarely #start #vitamin
