Vitamin-D Deficiency in the Canary Islands – also on Fuerteventura?
It is hard to believe, but an amazing number of people in the Canarian Islands suffer from vitamin D deficiency...
The "sun" vitamin D ensures the health of bones, teeth and hair, and also supports the immune system. The human body can produce it itself from cholesterol - provided it gets enough sun. In the central European latitudes there is little of this, especially in winter, and on top of that most people spend their time indoors at this time of year. A vitamin D deficiency is therefore inevitable. Now, one should think that in the Canarian Islands it looks different, as this region has the most sun hours of Spain. Nevertheless, this deficiency symptom is also a big problem here today – also on Fuerteventura – , as people either do not go out in the sun or only go out with considerable protection. Experts attribute the high number of local osteoporosis diseases to this behaviour.
On the other hand, there could be a connection between vitamin D deficiency and winter depression, as the sun's vitamin plays a central role in the production of serotonin and dopamine.
The indications for a vitamin D deficiency are manifold: hair loss, fatigue, concentration problems, growth and sleep disorders, nervousness, headaches, reduced muscle tension and strength as well as cardiac arrhythmia up to epileptic seizures can be symptoms of a deficiency symptom.
The best - and here in the Canary Islands also the simplest - therapy against these symptoms: Bathe 20% of your body surface unprotected in the sun every day, for example hands, forearms and face. Depending on your skin type, for Fuerteventura 5 to 15 minutes are sufficient for the production of sufficient vitamin D.
(Edited from article by Heike Bludau)
Michel Robeers