Vitamin D seems to help fight off viruses, especially COVID-19.
SUNLIGHT:A number of factors can play a role in vitamin D deficiencies in older adults. Because they spend the majority of their time indoors, older adults get minimal exposure to natural sunlight.
1.In aging adults, vitamin D deficiency is strongly linked to muscle weakness, which can manifest in different ways. In general, seniors tend to feel a heaviness in their legs and have difficulty standing up and climbing stairs.
2.Vitamin D is also necessary for aiding and regulating calcium absorption and keeps bones, muscles and teeth in excellent condition. The combination of weakened muscles and bones caused by low vitamin D levels has been associated with an increased risk of falls and fractures, which can be very dangerous and even fatal for the elderly.
3.Vitamin D is believed to help regulate immune function and the release of neurotransmitters in the brain that influence moods
4.Studies have shown that low vitamin D levels may be associated with mental health disorders like seasonal affective disorder (SAD), schizophrenia and depression. Seniors who feel depressed and tired all the time may actually suffer from vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency.
5.In addition, low vitamin D levels may contribute to cognitive decline and a person’s risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.
6.Weight Gain
Vitamin D appears to play an important role in regulating appetite and body weight as well. Research has shown that lower levels of vitamin D are associated with obesity, whereas increased vitamin D levels have been associated with reductions in body fat.
7.It’s believed that vitamin D controls the levels of leptin in the body—another hormone that inhibits hunger and reduces fat storage.
8.When a senior is deficient in vitamin D, these signals to the brain get disrupted and the body doesn’t know when to stop eating. This can make people overeat and gain weight.
9.Fatigue
Many older adults who are tired all the time may not realize that they could have a nutritional deficiency, so they ignore their symptoms. Low vitamin D levels may also cause widespread pain in areas like the shoulders, pelvis, ribcage and lower back, which can leave a senior feeling drained. Someone who has stiff joints and is constantly feeling fatigued might want to boost their vitamin D intake (especially if they do not go outside much or do not eat many fortified foods).
10.Digestive Issues
Studies have shown that low vitamin D levels may contribute to the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a condition characterized by chronic inflammation in the digestive tract. IBD is split into two main types: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. To make matters worse, bowel diseases can interfere with the way the intestines absorb dietary fat. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, GI conditions can cause nutritional deficiencies to worsen even further. #COVID19 #vitaminD #sunlight #oldage
