Vitamin D and its role in Immune Health, Vitamin D has gone from something that you would find in a multivitamin complex to being a stand alone hero in the vitamin lineup. Especially recently, where immune health is so important to us all. Lots of studies and research has been undertaken confirming that Vitamin D is involved in the activation of the T cells of the immune system. T cells focus on specific foreign particles and circulate until they encounter their specific antigen. For this reason, T cells play a crucial role in immunity to foreign substances, such as infectious diseases. The functionality of our T cells decreases with age, making us more susceptible to illness.
How to ensure you’re getting a sufficient amount.
Our main source of Vitamin D is actually the sun! This makes supplementation important, especially in the winter months, between October and March when we have less exposure to the sun. Or even throughout the year if you are rarely outdoors, usually wear clothing or sun cream to cover up your skin in the sunshine. Recent studies have found that if you have darker skin you may also not get enough Vitamin D from the sun.
Make sure you’re getting enough, sources of Vitamin D
- Sunshine
- Mushrooms
- Eggs
- Cheese
- Cereals (fortified)
- Liver
- Oily fish
- Food supplements
Signs of Deficiency
Here are some of the symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency, if you’re not getting adequate amounts from the sun, your diet or supplementation:
- Frequent illness
- Muscle weakness
- Cramps
- Bone pain
- Tiredness