AMMAN —
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is
responsible for healthy bone maintenance and growth, among other things.
اضافة اعلان
Vitamin D is found naturally in select foods and dietary supplements. What is
truly unique about this vitamin, is that it is one of the few nutrients that the
human body can produce on its own.
Ultraviolet rays from the sun hit the skin,
causing a chain reaction that ultimately results in the production of vitamin
D.
In the early days of the COVID-19 epidemic,
Jordan was one of the first countries to take proactive and aggressive measures
to prevent the spread of the virus. This included multiple full lockdowns,
confining citizens to their homes. As a result, many people spent less time
outside.
Jordan News sat down with Dr Rami Salameh at
his private clinic in the Abdali Hospital at the Abdali Boulevard. Dr Rami is a
consultant in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism for the American Board of
Endocrinology, as well as a specialist in internal medicine, certified by the
American Board of Internal Medicine. In our interview, he stated that he has
personally seen an increase in vitamin D deficiency cases at his clinic and
went on to say that it is logically expected to see an increase, as Jordanian
citizens have reduced sun exposure due to the quarantine.
Fallout of Vitamin D Deficiency
According to the Cleveland Clinic, vitamin D deficiency
is associated with various bone conditions including rickets in children and
osteomalacia in adults, osteoporosis, and fractures. There are also links to heart
disease and high blood pressure, diabetes, infections and immune system
disorders, certain types of cancer such as colon, prostate and breast cancers,
and multiple sclerosis.
Furthermore, there have been recent studies linking
COVID-19 infection rates and severity of symptoms to vitamin D deficiency. One
such study titled, “Does Vitamin D Deficiency Increase the Severity of
COVID-19?” outlines the potential mechanisms that link COVID-19 and vitamin D. Although
no conclusive evidence has been provided yet, the studies do suggest that COVID-19
patients suspected of having vitamin D deficiency must be observed closely.
Sources of Vitamin D
Safe Sunlight Exposure
Vitamin D is one of the few nutrients that the
body can produce on its own. That being said, there are a few things to keep in
mind regarding sun exposure for the purposes of boosting vitamin D levels. For
starters, the particular ray of sun needed to produce vitamin D cannot
penetrate glass, which means that even if you sit by a window at home or at
work, your body will not be producing vitamin D.
The National Institutes of Health recommends
approximately 5-30 minutes of sun exposure between 10am and 4pm, minimally
twice a week, without sunscreen. The amount of sun exposure varies between
individuals and is heavily dependent on skin color, where fairer complexion requires
less time and darker complexion requires more.
Balanced Diet
Certain foods that can be integrated into our
diet, contain sources of vitamin D. According to the National Health Service in
the UK, sources include:
Oily Fish (e.g. salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel)
Red Meats
Liver
Egg Yolk
Fortified Foods (e.g., Certain breakfast cereals and milks)
Supplements
Some people, especially the elderly, have
difficulty getting vitamin D from either source, in which case, supplements are
a viable solution. In the UK, 400IU of vitamin D is recommended daily for the
general population and 600IU is recommended in the US.
Exceeding the upper
limit of daily vitamin D can lead to complications. For this reason, it is
strongly advised that you speak with your doctor or pharmacist before starting
a supplements regimen.
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