Page 22 - Seniors Today June2020

anti-epileptics)
•people who cover or veil their skin for
religious or cultural reasons
•dark-skinned people
•pregnant women
•postmenopausal women
Vitamin D levels are seasonal and fall in the
winter and early spring when people are less
likely to be outdoors.

How do you know what your vitamin D
level is?
Choose accommodation with few or no stairs, to minimise Vitamin D levels can be measured through
the risk of falling
a simple blood test.
such as diabetes, cancer and infection. These Vitamin D levels are classified into ranges.
are currently areas of intense research. The Australian and New Zealand Bone and
Mineral Society, the Endocrine Society of
Vitamin D deficiency Australia and Osteoporosis Australia (2005)
Vitamin D deficiency is a common condition state that adult serum 25-OHD levels show:
in Australia, affecting a large number of
women. LEVEL OF RANGE
The body’s main source of vitamin D comes VITAMIN D (IN NMOL/L –
from the skin being exposed to UV radiation DEFICIENCY A MEASURE OF
in sunlight. When sunlight hits the skin, THE MOLECU-
it reacts with a cholesterol-like substance LAR CHEMIS-
and produces vitamin D. The amount of TRY)
sun exposure needed depends on your skin
colour, where you live and the time of year. Mild 25-50
Even though Australia has one of the Moderate 12.5-25
highest UV radiation levels in the world and Severe Less than 12.5
is well known for its abundance of sunshine,
research has found many people are
deficient in vitamin D because of the amount
of time they spend indoors.
Those at most risk of having a vitamin D
deficiency include:
•older people and people living in care
(such as hospitals or rehabilitation) –
particularly those who stay indoors or
cannot walk and have limited exposure to
the sunlight
•people with gastrointestinal disease Get your doctor’s advice on whether you should take a
•people taking certain medications (e.g. vitamin D supplement

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