Have you been feeling low lately?

Daytime fatigue?

Back pain?

Constant coughing?

Bone pain and loss?

When was the last time you worked on your tan? A little sun never hurts anyone and if you have been experiencing these symptoms, then you my friend are in dire need of some beach time!

So, what’s the cause behind these symptoms?

Lack of Vitamin D!

One of the most common problems caused by vitamin D deficiency is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It’s a lung disease that has two forms:

  1. Chronic Bronchitis: Long-term, constant coughing with mucus
  2. Emphysema: Slow deterioration of the lungs

People with COPD usually have both conditions.

Symptoms

  • Cough with mucus
  • Frequent respiratory infections
  • Fatigue
  • Wheezing
  • Shortness of breath, which worsens with activity
  • Depression
  • Impaired wound healing
  • Hair loss

Risk Factors

  • Smoking
  • Fumes or gases in workplaces
  • Cooking in an area with insufficient ventilation
  • Exposure to secondhand air pollution and smoke

How Vitamin D Helps With Preventing COPD

We have already established that lack of vitamin D causes COPD, but what about bone loss? Well, vitamin D is quite essential for the absorption and distribution of calcium. When your body is low on vitamin D, less calcium is absorbed and your bones start to deteriorate. This is what causes osteoporosis and osteomalacia. Vitamin D also plays a huge role in the maintenance of the immune system. Without this, your body becomes vulnerable to common illnesses such as cold and the flu. Your body needs the vitamin to fight infections and destroy harmful cells that may cause further health problems.

Vitamin D has two vital roles, which are “boosting immune responses so that respiratory viruses don’t trigger COPD attacks and dampening inflammatory responses, which limits damage to your lung’s architecture.”

Vitamin D is known as the “Sunshine Vitamin.” The body manufactures this vitamin when it is exposed to sunlight. You can also get it through the following food items:

  • Salmon
  • Egg yolk
  • Sardines
  • Shrimp
  • Orange juice (fortified)
  • Cereal (fortified)
  • Milk (fortified)
  • Yogurt (fortified)

According to a study published in the journal of Annals of International Medicine, vitamin D can alleviate the symptoms on COPD.

182 patients having a history of COPD took part in the study, where the COPD symptoms ranged from moderate to severe.

The participants were divided into groups. Some were given 100,000 IU of vitamin D, and others a placebo. The supplementation was given every four weeks for one year. It was revealed that the exacerbation level varied from patient to patient. Patients who were on the moderate side of COPD experienced no changed in their symptoms, even with a high dose. However, patients with severe COPD saw a change in their symptoms.

The study concluded that vitamin D helps lower the severity of COPD in cases where the problem has progressed.

Based on this, we can safely assume that people with COPD need vitamin D supplements in high amounts. It’s time to have a look at your diet and come up with a new plan to give your body what it needs to stay healthy and whole.