Vitamin D deficiency could be avoided by eating salmon, a health website revealed.
Just 100 grams of the tasty fish contains almost double a daily requirement of the essential vitamin, Healthline stated.
“Salmon is a popular fatty fish and also a great source of vitamin D,” said the US-based health website online.
However, dispensing advice about which salmon to eat, they said sticking to the wild-caught version may be the better option.
“This might not seem important,” continued Healthline, “but it can make a big difference.
“Some studies have found farmed salmon contains only about 25 per cent of the vitamin D in wild salmon.”
The pink-fleshed fish contains an estimated 17mcg of vitamin D, whereas humans only need around 10mcg a day according to the NHS.
The healthcare provider warned taking too much of this important vitamin over long periods could cause “too much calcium to build up in the body”.
“This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart,” they continued online.
“If you choose to take vitamin D supplements, 10mcg a day will be enough for most people.
“Don’t take more than 100mcg of vitamin D a day as it could be harmful. This applies to adults, including pregnant breastfeeding women and the elderly, and children aged 11 – 17 years.”
Vitamin D has an important role in regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body.
This helps keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
Other ways to avoid a vitamin D deficiency include standing in sunlight, as the body can make the vitamin itself.
“From about late March/early April to the end of September, most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from sunlight,” said the NHS.
“But between October and early March we don’t get enough vitamin D from sunlight.”
Symptoms you aren’t getting enough vitamin D include a general feeling of tiredness according to Patient.info.
Vague aches and pains, or an overwhelming feeling of not being well could also be signs of a vitamin D deficiency.
“Many people have no symptoms, or may complain of only vague ones such as tiredness or general aches,” it added.
“Because symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are often very nonspecific or vague, the problem is often missed.
“The diagnosis is more easily reached in severe deficiencies with some of the classical [typical] symptoms and bone deformities.”