During the summer it is easier to get enough vitamin D during the day, also known as the "sunshine vitamin." But when winter comes, the daylight hours are shorter and the walks become darker. You may be wondering whether to add supplements or foods with this mineral.
Currently we are more afraid of the contagion of coronavirus, so you may have investigated to increase your intake of vitamin D in the winter months to keep you healthier.
What is vitamin D?
This type is a vitamin and a fat-soluble hormone that performs many functions in the body. You may know it for its regulation in bone structure, and while strong bones are important for athletes, vitamin D is also necessary for calcium absorption and the function of fast-twitch muscle fibers . It also modulates more than 2,000 genes involved in cell growth, immune function, and protein synthesis.
If you are looking for foods with large doses of this mineral, you can consume:
- Fatty fish, such as salmon
- Rainbow trout
- Fortified milk
- Fortified cereal
- Eggs with yolks
- Raw white mushrooms exposed to UV light
- Dairy products like yogurt and cheese.
- Fortified orange juice
How much vitamin D do you need?
The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 600 IU / day for children and adults up to 70 years of age. However, many experts question whether this amount is adequate, especially for functions other than bone health and athletic performance.
Between 1,500 and 2,000 IU a day is recommended for people who do not get adequate sun exposure without protection, which equates to five (for those with fair or light skin) to 30 (for those with dark skin) minutes of sunlight at noon on arms, legs and back two or three times a week without sunscreen.
We know that sunbathing in the winter months can be difficult, especially in the northern half of Spain, because there is less sunlight and people wear various clothes to keep warm. It's also not that you need to increase IUs in the winter, but rather you should recognize that it will be difficult to get adequate vitamin D from sunlight alone.
Athletes who do not get regular sun exposure should have an established plan for supplemental vitamin D or a combination of dietary and supplemental vitamin D. Consuming foods fortified with vitamin D or a common multivitamin alone is probably not enough to maintain a sufficient level of vitamin D.
Who is at risk for vitamin D deficiency?
Although eating foods rich in vitamin D is probably not enough, this vitamin can also be synthesized in the skin after exposure to sunlight. But in the winter months, people tend to spend less time outdoors and wear more clothing, making proper exposure difficult.
Some are also at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency, including older people, people with dark complexions (due to the pigment melanin), and athletes who train and compete indoors.
It is advisable to test your vitamin D levels during the summer or early fall to find out if you are deficient, even when you can get more sun exposure, in order to plan for the winter months. It is important to have good habits throughout the year, not just take excessive care of ourselves in winter to avoid falling ill.
What are the risks of having a deficit?
Although there does not appear to be a universal consensus for vitamin D deficiency, low vitamin D levels may be related to an increased risk of acute disease, inflammatory injuries, stress fractures, muscle pain and weakness, and suboptimal muscle performance .
In addition to bone and skeletal health, vitamin D helps regulate inflammation in the immune system and affects hormones , so it has the potential to influence mood. The former is important to keep us healthy when doing hard workouts, and the latter can affect motivation and excitement for the sport.
And yes, low vitamin D levels will affect your workouts. Deficiencies can affect lung function, VO2 max. and they can even affect the maintenance of fast-twitch muscle fibers.
Can you help prevent coronavirus?
As this vitamin plays a vital role in our immune and respiratory systems, its connection to COVID-19 has also been studied. Some studies have shown a correlation between vitamin D insufficiency and the more severe symptoms of COVID-19, suggesting that vitamin D may be a prudent recommendation to reduce the severity of COVID-19 .
There was a study of 200 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 found that more than 80 percent were diagnosed with a deficiency of this mineral.
Although science does not assure a direct relationship in prevention, it does emphasize that it can protect against the complications of COVID-19. However, more studies need to be done in larger populations before any conclusions can be drawn.
