Last updated on March 20th, 2023 at 09:08 am
There’s increasing evidence to suggest that low levels of vitamin D (deficiency of Vitamin D ) may play a role in thyroid disorders. For instance, research has suggested a possible link between vitamin D deficiency and autoimmune thyroid disorders, the most common cause of hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).
People with hypothyroidism who took extra vitamin D supplements for 12 weeks had improvements in blood levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone.
What is Vitamin D?
The body can make its own vitamin D from sunlight. However, adequate vitamin D can also be obtained from supplements and a small amount comes from a few foods. Vitamin D has to be changed by the body a number of times before it can be used. V
Importance of Vitamin D for overall health
Recommended daily intake of Vitamin D
Some of the functions of the body that vitamin D has been linked with include:
- Immune system
- Muscle function
- Healthy heart and circulation
- Brain development
The following table provides a rough range for low, normal, and high vitamin D levels for the average adult in nmol/ml and ng/ml.
| Level | Blood test result |
| Low | 30 nmol/l or 12 ng/ml or below |
| Adequate | 50 nmol/l or 20 ng/ml or above |
| High | 125 nmol/l or 50 ng/ml or above |
Research studies linking vitamin D deficiency and hypothyroidism
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones).
- Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases.
- Obesity is one risk factor for vitamin D deficiency
- Vitamin D deficiency may manifest in a variety of ways, including fatigue, back pain, hair loss, poor wound healing, and symptoms of depression.
Vitamin D: Sources
Diet is an issue too. Very few foods are natural sources of vitamin D, and although a variety of common foods are fortified with D, they provide relatively small amounts.
Some of the better food sources of vitamin D include:
Cod liver oil (1 tablespoon): 1,360 IU
Swordfish (3 ounces, cooked): 566 IU
Salmon (3 ounces, cooked): 447 IU
Tuna fish (3 ounces water-packed): 154 IU
Orange juice, fortified (1 cup): 137 IU
Nonfat milk, fortified (1 cup): 115 to 124 IU
Yogurt, fortified (6 ounces): 80 IU
Sardines (2 pieces, drained): 46 IU
Beef liver (3 ounces, cooked): 42 IU
Egg (1 large): 41 IU
Egg (1 large): 41 IU
Does vitamin D or its deficiency have a role in the development of thyroid diseases?
Some, but not all, observational studies have found low blood levels of vitamin D in patients with hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) as well as hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid) due to Gravesʼ disease.
It is not clear from these studies if low vitamin D is a cause, a consequence of an innocent bystander in the development of these common thyroid conditions.
It is possible that low vitamin D may permit the under-performing immune system to facilitate the progression of thyroid disease.
Thyroid stimulating hormone – Thyroid nodule symptoms
Equally, it is also possible that people with thyroid diseases may have altered health or lifestyle that leads to a low vitamin D state. For example, patients with an over-active thyroid due to Gravesʼ disease may increase the breakdown of vitamin D into inactive products, whereas those with an underactive thyroid may spend less time outdoors due to tiredness and thus have reduced sun exposure.
Only properly conducted scientific trials will be able to answer this question in a definitive manner.
Should everyone be taking vitamin D supplements?
- Most people’s skin will produce vitamin D in the summer but around a fifth of the population will still be deficient during this period.
- The situation is likely to be worse over winter.
- As it is not routinely possible to identify these individuals without everyone having a blood test, Public Health England recommends everyone over 1 year old should take a low dose of vitamin D (10 mcg or 400IU), particularly in the winter months.
- The current advice during the Covid-19 pandemic is for people to consider taking a daily supplement every day and to eat foods rich in vitamin D. This advice has been given to promote good bone and muscle health, especially for people spending more time indoors than normal.
- The advice to take vitamin D supplements is not given to prevent nor treat Covid-19 as a rapid review undertaken by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) found no evidence to support claims of this.
People found to have vitamin D deficiency may also be prescribed higher therapeutic doses following the appropriate testing and clinical management.
Recommendations for Deficiency Of Vitamin D
Much more research needs to be done before specific guidelines for using vitamin D to prevent or treat thyroid disease are established by the medical community. However, given the growing understanding of how important vitamin D is to overall health, it’s worth making sure you’re getting enough of it.
You might even want to talk to your doctor about testing you for a deficiency, especially if you have a thyroid condition or are at risk for one.
Sources & Credits:
https://www.btf-thyroid.org/vitamin-d-and-thyroid-disease
https://www.verywellhealth.com/why-is-vitamin-d-so-important-to-thyroid-patients-3232755
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms#symptoms
Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency can be subtle but may include fatigue, mood changes, and muscle weakness. Regular sunlight, fortified foods, and supplements can help increase your levels. Thanks for sharing.
I was skeptical at first, but yoga has transformed my life with arthritis
Thyroid health is closely linked to our overall well-being, and addressing any potential vitamin deficiencies can play a crucial role in maintaining optimal thyroid function
O.K
Learning about the link between thyroid health and vitamin deficiency is eye-opening! It’s so important to take a holistic approach to our well-being and pay attention to these vital connections.