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A sports nutrition expert & weight management specialist, Kejal Shah has years of experience in the industry. She is also the ambassador for Fit India.
We commonly get lost in an alphabet soup when we attempt to separate the many vitamin functions from one another. The majority of vitamins are divided into subcategories, making it considerably difficult to keep a track of them. One such vitamin is Vitamin D.
So many of us refer to Vitamin D as the “Sunshine Vitamin.” It is unique for, in contrast to other vitamins, it is not present in the majority of foods. Vitamin D is produced by the human body in response to sun exposure. It comes in two forms: Vitamin D2, which is present in foods created from plants, and Vitamin D3, present in foods made from animals.
Vitamin D boosts the development of your kid’s bones and also promotes healthy growth, development, and well-being. Besides that, Vitamin D also has a positive effect on your kid’s mood. Children who spend enough time outdoors, exposed to the sun, are happier and less irritable as compared to the ones who usually stay indoors. Apart from clinical treatments, this Vitamin also helps kids overcome depression.
Six reasons why kids need Vitamin D
1. Strong Bones
Two essential nutrients for higher bone density, stronger teeth, and a healthy skeletal system are calcium and phosphorus. However, the body cannot absorb calcium and phosphorus without Vitamin D3. Lack of calcium and phosphorus in children can cause rickets, a dangerous condition in which the bones grow brittle and the legs seem bent.
2. Increased immunity
In the body, Vitamin D functions similar to a hormone to control cellular activity, support the development of immunity, and promote disease resistance. Vitamin D offers defence against respiratory and influenza viruses. And that Covid-19 is still a threat, Vitamin D becomes even more crucial.
3. Brain Development
The neuroprotectant glutathione, the most significant antioxidant in the brain, is stimulated by Vitamin D, a neurosteroid, which is also responsible for brain development and maturation. (GSH). Additionally, it controls the hormones that produce melatonin and are involved in the establishment of regular sleep patterns and the human circadian rhythm, an internal process that regulates the sleep–wake cycle. It repeats roughly every 24 hours.
Vitamin D insufficiency is linked to illnesses like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, sleep difficulties, autoimmune disorders, infectious/inflammatory diseases, and mood disorders like treatment-resistant depression.
4. Mental Health
Low levels of Vitamin D show in several mental health disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) schizophrenia, autism, anxiety and depression.
5. Vitamin D and muscle
According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked with muscle pain and proximal muscle weakness. Not just that, those with Vitamin D deficiency have reported heaviness in legs and intense fatigue, apart from encountering problems in climbing stairs and mobility. Therefore, it becomes crucial to maintain an optimum level of Vitamin D among kids.
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6. Low Vitamin D and migraine
Another survey of children concluded that kids with migraine reported very low Vitamin D levels. “Vitamin D, because of its immune modulation, nerve stabilizing, and antithrombotic effects may decrease the incidence of migraine,” says a study published by National Institutes of Health. This makes it all the more important for you to ensure that your kid gets enough Vitamin D for their proper growth and development.
Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency
Unexpectedly, Vitamin D insufficiency is rather widespread. Low Vitamin D levels might have difficult-to-identify symptoms that frequently resemble those of other illnesses or deficiencies. Low levels of Vitamin D may also contribute to diseases, including mental health issues and other illnesses, as already mentioned above.
The following signs of Vitamin D deficiency in children may be present:
- Developing slowly
- Lethargy
- Irritability
- Bone alterations
- Fractures
Sources of Vitamin D
The skin absorbs between 50 and 90% of the Vitamin D obtained from sunlight. Researchers advise 20 minutes of daily sunshine with more than 40% of the skin exposed to prevent deficiencies. Of course, this is more difficult the further you are from the equator.
Vitamin D can also be obtained from food. Vitamin D-rich foods include:
- Salmon, tuna, swordfish, and sardines are examples of fatty fish.
- Dairy or nut milk products with added Vitamin D
- Egg yolk
- Cereals and foods enriched with Vitamin D
Conclusion
Due to its contribution to the formation of robust bones and healthy teeth, Vitamin D has also traditionally been referred to as the “Bone Vitamin”. Vitamin D3 has greater advantages for the developing body, and it’s crucial for kids to have adequate levels of Vitamin D in their systems.
Vitamin D aids in the body’s utilisation of calcium and phosphorus, two elements essential for the development of healthy bones and teeth in children. According to studies, having a stronger immune system, developing the brain, gaining healthy weight, and having better mental health may also assist lower the risk of bone diseases.
And while sunlight is a powerful source of Vitamin D, when your child is covered in clothes or sunscreen, their bodies are unable to produce Vitamin D3. There are limited food sources of Vitamin D, so make sure your child is having a well-balanced diet along with at least 20 minutes of sun exposure daily.
Infectious diseases, including otitis media, urinary tract infection, pneumonia, influenza, and other acute respiratory infections, with high occurrence in childhood, have a number of studies demonstrating decreased incidence among kids with high Vitamin D levels.
Studies have also found that enough Vitamin D can promote motor development among kids. Motor development has been divided into gross and fine motor skills. Among the gross motor development are things involving the movement of large muscles that help with walking and crawling etc. Fine motor skills include things like holding a pencil or a spoon etc.
You should consider having your child’s Vitamin D levels tested and discuss with your doctor how to improve their Vitamin D intake to a healthy level.
The views expressed are that of the expert alone.
