How To Deal With A Vitamin D3 Deficiency

By Kreena Desai Updated July 03, 2018

Let me just start off by stating that 65% to 70% of Indians have a Vitamin D3 deficiency. Now, that’s a huge number! Whether we blame it on our lack of exposure to sunlight or our dietary habits, we really can’t ignore the fact that it’s a major health issue.

So how do you prevent a Vitamin D3 deficiency? Well, the thing about the ‘sunshine vitamin’ is, it can be produced naturally in the skin if you are exposed to sunlight. This vitamin helps in the absorption of calcium, so lack of Vitamin D could leave your bones weak and brittle.

Here’s how a good amount of Vitamin D3 can benefit you:

It helps regulate the calcium in the body
It strengthens the immune system
It helps in the development of bones
It helps maintain muscle strength
It keeps your heart, brain and immune function healthy
It helps prevent osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and infections such as tuberculosis

That’s a lot right?

Having a 400–800 IU or 10 to 20 micrograms of Vitamin D3 daily is recommended to make sure you are in good health. So, if you are wondering how you can up your intake of Vitamin D3, here are 5 major sources:

1. Sunlight

Sunlight is literally the chief source of Vitamin D3. No, you don’t need to stand outdoors at noon while the sweat is melting your makeup off. The best time to absorb sunlight is early in the morning around 7 am or mid-evening around 4 pm.

2. Salmon

Apart from the million health benefits of salmon, this fatty fish is a great source of Vitamin D3. Try and include a serving of salmon in your weekly meal plan to maintain a healthy level of Vitamin D3 in your body.

3. Mushrooms

Another brilliant source of Vitamin D3 is shitake mushrooms. They are very low in calories and can be consumed daily. So if you love mushrooms, you are good to go!

4. Cod liver oil

Take a cod liver oil capsule to ease the pain in your joints. It comes from the liver of the cod fish, and is a great source of Vitamin D3.

5. Supplements

If you are not able to to get enough Vitamin D3 from sunlight or your diet, ask your doctor to prescribe a supplement for you. These over-the-counter supplements come in the form of gel capsules, liquid or powder. Depending on the dosage prescribed, you might have to take these daily or weekly.

ALSO READ: 7 Superfoods For Smooth And Healthy Skin

Kreena Desai

Hauterfly's Content Writer and Video Producer, Kreena is a sucker for all things DIY. In love with nail art, beauty, fashion, textiles, and all things creative under the sun, she follows the mantra: Why buy, when you can DIY?!

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