Vitamin D plays an important role in maintaining health, so its deficiency leads to many serious consequences. What does the body need for this vitamin? How should it be taken?
According to Dr. Alexander Myasnikov, the body needs vitamin D,
1- To enhance bone health, as one of its tasks is to prevent osteoporosis. It is also necessary for proper absorption of calcium, which in turn ensures strong bones and teeth.
2 - For the muscles. According to statistics, a deficiency of this vitamin leads to the appearance of muscle pain and an increased risk of various diseases.
3 - For general health, vitamin D plays the role of strengthening the skeleton as well as the role of a hormone that affects the level of functioning of various body systems, starting with the brain and ending with cell membranes.
Myasnikov advises pregnant women, young children, the elderly, vegetarians, people who suffer from kidney problems and fat absorption, and those suffering from osteochondrosis and other diseases to take vitamin D.
According to him, vitamin D must be obtained from natural sources - sunlight, food - some types of fish and milk. If this vitamin is lacking in foods and lack of sunlight, it can be obtained from special nutritional supplements - vitamin D capsules.
The doctor stresses the necessity of taking vitamin D according to the doctor’s instructions or the instructions attached by the producing company.
How does sugar mess with our brains?
A study conducted by the Max Planck Institute for Metabolic Research in Cologne found that foods high in sugar can alter brain chemistry over time.
The brain constantly reshapes and renews itself through a process called neuroplasticity, and this process can bring about a change in the reward system, as repeated activation of the reward pathway, through drugs or eating a lot of sweetened foods, adapts the brain to repeated stimulation, which leads to A kind of tolerance.
In the case of sweet foods, we need to eat more of them to get the rewarding feeling, a classic feature of addiction.
The researchers said this could make our brains addicted to sweet foods, so we prefer them to wholesome whole foods, such as proteins and vegetables.
But the effects of sugar do not stop there. This can damage our brains in several ways, according to nutritionist Lauren Johnson Reynolds.
“While the brain relies on glucose as its primary source of energy, excessive consumption of added sugars, especially in the form of refined sugars, can lead to many negative consequences,” Reynolds told The Sun.
Depression and anxiety
Sugary foods make us feel good. Although a piece of chocolate, for example, may make us feel happy momentarily, eating too much sugar can actually have a very negative impact on our mental health in the long term.
“There is evidence to suggest a link between high sugar intake and an increased risk of depression and anxiety,” Reynolds explains.
This is especially the case for men, as one study in the United Kingdom found that males who consume more than 40g of sugar per day are 23% more likely to develop depression than men who do not.
Experts still do not fully understand why this condition occurs due to sugar. Some believe this may be due to the fact that sugar can cause inflammation in the body.
Inflammation is a normal part of the body's response to infection and injury, according to the NHS. It causes swelling and can help the body deal with invading germs
When inflammation occurs, when it is not needed, it can be harmful and cause chronic pain, which is known to cause depression and anxiety.
Problems with memory and learning
Sweet foods can affect our ability to absorb and retain information.
“Eating large amounts of sugar may impair cognitive function and memory, leading to difficulties concentrating and learning,” Reynolds says.
One 2012 study suggested that sugar may block our memory receptors.
Research shows that rats on high-sugar diets were less able to remember whether they had previously seen objects in certain locations.
A separate study showed that daily consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages during the teenage years is associated with poorer learning during adulthood.
The researchers in this American study indicate that the inability to learn effectively is due to changes in the gut bacteria responsible for supplying the body with essential nutrients.
Dementia
Adding just more than two teaspoons of sugar to your tea or coffee daily can increase your risk of dementia.
In fact, consuming a lot of sugar in any form, including fruit juice, cake and chocolate, makes people 54% more likely to develop this condition, a US study found.
Reynolds added: “Excessive sugar intake has been linked to chronic inflammation, which may negatively impact brain health. Inflammation in the brain is thought to play a role in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease.”
Dementia is a general term that refers to a group of diseases that cause the loss of the ability to remember, think, or make decisions, to the extent that it interferes with a person’s daily life.