Depok, September 27th 2023. One effort to maintain a healthy body is to meet the needs of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is an important substance needed by the body because it can help maintain the immune system. Vitamin D or also called calciferol is divided into two, namely ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3). Both types of vitamins are natural forms produced by the sun’s ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays.
Head of the Respirology and Critical Diseases Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine (FK) Universitas Indonesia (UI)— Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) Dr. dr. Gurmeet Singh, Sp.PD-KP, FINASIM., explained that vitamin D has many functions in the body, such as maintaining muscle and bone strength, immunity or endurance, antioxidants, maintaining heart health, reducing the incidence of diabetes, and preventing cancer cells. Apart from sunlight, sources of vitamin D can come from food, such as fish (salmon, tuna and sardines), egg yolks, red meat, cereals and milk (both cow’s milk and plant milk).
“Humans must maintain vitamin D levels in the body. People who cannot tolerate or consume foods, such as fish, milk and eggs, such as those who have lactose intolerance or follow a vegan diet, are at higher risk of experiencing deficiencies,” said Dr. Gurmeet in a webinar entitled “Common Education: Benefits of Vitamin D for Body Health” which was held online, on September 20th 2023.
Furthermore, Dr. Gurmeet said that there are conditions for people who are at high risk of experiencing vitamin D deficiency, namely people who are obese, people with a history of gastric surgery, and patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). If a person experiences prolonged vitamin D deficiency, it will result in rickets and osteomalacia. Rickets is a condition of soft bones and bone deformities in babies and children caused by failure of bone tissue to harden. Meanwhile osteomalacia is a condition of weak and soft bones in adults.
Generally, vitamin D levels are categorized into several groups, namely vitamin D deficiency or deficiency <12 ng/mL; potential vitamin D deficiency 12 ng/mL-20 ng/mL; normal 20 ng/mL-50 ng/mL; and excess vitamin D >50 ng/mL. Meanwhile, each person’s vitamin D needs vary depending on gender, age, pregnancy and breastfeeding conditions.
“Maintain vitamin D levels and always check vitamin D levels in the body. Check your vitamin D levels every six months or once a year, but in certain conditions or if you experience a deficiency, check your vitamin D levels every three months to ensure whether they have reached normal conditions or not. Examination of vitamin D levels can be done in large laboratories or hospitals,” said Dr. Gurmeet.
Through a webinar moderated by dr. I Putu Eka Krisnha W, M. Biomed, SpPD-KP, dr. Gurmeet also gave several tips that people can do to avoid vitamin D deficiency, namely consuming foods rich in vitamin D, consuming vitamin D supplements but need to first check the vitamin D levels in the blood before consuming supplements, exercising regularly (3 times a week), sunbathe in the sun for a maximum of 10-15 minutes between 8-11 AM, and regularly check vitamin D levels in your blood every 6 months.
