Wednesday 22/October/2025 – 02:25 PM
The majority of people suffer from vitamin D deficiency for various reasons, the most important of which is the body’s lack of production of this important vitamin, and the necessity of introducing it through food or medications periodically and continuously. Also, people who are less exposed to the sun have increased chances of Vitamin D deficiency. Through Cairo 24, we learn about vitamin D deficiency, in terms of its signs and how to treat it without medications, especially while ignoring a type of vegetable that contains a high percentage of vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency is common among people who lack proper nutrition and adequate exposure to the sun, and this deficiency affects the functions of the body as a whole, given the importance of the vitamin and the specific nature of its absorption.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in the body are general health problems that some may ignore, and which may develop in some cases to a serious degree, and they are as follows:
- Constant exhaustion and fatigue: Feeling exhausted and extremely tired for no apparent reason is one of the most prominent signs of vitamin D deficiency, as the deficiency affects energy levels in the body and causes a feeling of lethargy and laziness even after getting enough sleep.
- Bone and muscle pain: People with a deficiency suffer from Vitamin D Chronic pain in the bones and joints, especially in the back, legs and ribs, in addition to weakness and muscle pain that may affect the ability to carry out normal daily activities.
- Weak immunity and frequent disease: Vitamin D plays an important role in strengthening the immune system, and its deficiency makes the body more susceptible to frequent colds, influenza, and respiratory infections, and also delays the healing process and recovery from diseases.
- Depression and mood swings: Scientific studies have shown a close relationship between vitamin D deficiency and depression and mood disorders, as those suffering from its deficiency feel sad, anxious, and have a low mood, especially during the winter when exposure to sunlight decreases.
- Slow wound healing: If wounds take a long time to heal, this may be an indication of a vitamin D deficiency, as this vitamin plays a vital role in the process of rebuilding tissues and fighting infection and inflammation at wound sites.
- Hair loss: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with severe hair loss, especially in women, and severe deficiency may lead to alopecia areata, which is an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss in the form of circular patches.
The most serious symptoms of vitamin D deficiency
In addition to the above, it is more dangerous Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency It appears when its levels reach a severe decrease, and the general condition of the condition weakens, causing the previous symptoms to develop into more serious symptoms, which are as follows:
- Osteoporosis: Chronic vitamin D deficiency leads to poor absorption of calcium, causing osteoporosis and increasing the risk of fractures, especially in the elderly. This appears in the form of severe bone pain and easy exposure to fractures, even from minor injuries.
- Rickets in children: Children with severe vitamin D deficiency suffer from rickets, which is characterized by weak and softened bones and skeletal deformities such as bowed legs, delayed growth and walking, and weakness in the body’s muscles.
- Increased risk of chronic diseases: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of many chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, and autoimmune diseases.
- Dental problems: Vitamin D deficiency affects the health of teeth and gums, and increases the risk of tooth decay, gum infections, and weak and broken teeth.
Causes of vitamin D deficiency
The causes of vitamin D deficiency are varied, and there are some groups that are more susceptible to it, including: the elderly, people with dark skin, people who live in areas with less sunlight, people who spend most of their time at home, people with obesity, and people who have problems absorbing fat.
Not eating foods rich in vitamin D leads to its deficiency in the body, especially when following a strict vegetarian diet or avoiding dairy products, fatty fish, and eggs, as these foods are considered among the few natural sources of vitamin D.
Some diseases and health conditions also affect the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D from food, such as digestive system diseases such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac disease, chronic liver and kidney disease, and cystic fibrosis, in addition to obesity surgeries that reduce the size of the stomach and affect the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
The skin’s ability to produce vitamin D decreases with age, and the kidneys’ efficiency in converting vitamin D into its active form decreases, making older people more susceptible to deficiency.
Some medications interfere with the body’s ability to absorb or use vitamin D, such as epilepsy medications, corticosteroids, weight-loss medications that reduce fat absorption, and antifungals.
The body’s needs for vitamin D increase during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and not meeting these increased needs may lead to a deficiency in the mother and child.
Treatment of vitamin D deficiency
Regarding treating vitamin D deficiency, Dr. Magdy Nazih, clinical nutrition consultant, revealed the importance of obtaining the daily requirement of vitamin D and magnesium from their natural sources, stressing that the body needs 400 micrograms of vitamin D daily, which is equivalent to about 2,000 international units.
He explained in television statements that although it is possible to obtain a compensatory injection of 300,000 international units taken once a month and stored in the liver, this is not a substitute for obtaining the vitamin from its natural sources.
Dr. Nazih stressed the necessity of modifying one’s lifestyle to obtain vitamin D naturally, stressing that a person needs to wake up at sunrise and be exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays, which are at their best when the sun makes a sharp angle with the surface of the Earth, one to an hour and a half after sunrise, pointing out that waking up as late as eleven o’clock in the afternoon makes a person miss the opportunity to benefit from these important rays.
He explained that the ideal angle for the sun’s rays returns before sunset, but dust and exhaust cause the rays to be refracted, which reduces their effectiveness. Therefore, morning exposure to the sun remains the most secure, stressing that humans need to live with nature by waking up with the sun and sleeping with it, which is a very important point for maintaining public health.
Regarding nutrition, Dr. Nazih stressed that there is no food to which a categorical “no” can be said, explaining that vitamin D is found in fat and fatty materials, and is only absorbed in the presence of fat. He criticized the habit of removing fat from meat or using skim milk, and said that some children who reject meat because of its appearance are advised to eat it in the form of kofta, but while maintaining a percentage of the fatty substance in it.
He warned against removing milk fat completely, explaining that one of the important fatty acids responsible for the integrity of the cell wall and one of the body’s supports against tumors, which is a fatty acid called “Sil Fifteen”, is found only in milk fat. He stressed that the problem is not in the food itself, but in the amount of it consumed, saying: “The Creator did not do anything wrong. The important thing is that we do not do anything in excess.”
Regarding magnesium, Dr. Nazih explained that obtaining it is easy by eating a bunch of minerals found in green leafy vegetables, especially arugula, leeks, and parsley, stressing the importance of eating green salad that contains five colors of green leafy vegetables in generous quantities, pointing out that the ratio of sodium to calcium in leeks matches the same ratio of sodium to other minerals in human bones, which makes them similar to bones. In its composition.
Since leeks are not always available in the markets, Dr. Nazih advised growing them in the kitchen or on roofs and balconies, stressing that this ensures obtaining a safe organic product that is not grown on sewage or exposed to pesticides.
