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Salud General
Vitaminas D: diferencias y funciones
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La vitamina D conocida como la "vitamina del sol", está entre los pocos nutrientes que han capturado la atención de todos y parte de la financiación en investigación en los últimos 10 años.
Existen estudios que continúan demostrando su eficacia para promover unos niveles normales de azúcar en sangre, además de ayudar a mejorar el sistema inmune y el estado de ánimo. La obtención de vitamina D se ha convertido en un problema para las personas de todo el mundo y aproximadamente la mitad sufre deficiencia de vitamina D. La vitamina D se da en dos formas diferentes que en muchas ocasiones producen confusión así que vamos a ver sus diferencias.
Tipos de vitamina D
Hay dos formas de vitamina D: la vitamina D2 y la vitamina D3. Ambas ofrecen beneficios, pero sólo una se absorbe y utiliza mejor por el cuerpo humano. Examinemos ambas.
Formas biológicamente disponibles
Vitamina D2 también conocida como ergocalciferol: algunas plantas producen la vitamina D2 en respuesta a la radiación UV. Las setas son un ejemplo, y muchos fabricantes de alimentos aprovechan esto irradiando setas para aumentar el contenido de nutrientes.
Vitamina D3 también conocida como colecalciferol: es la forma biológicamente más activa de vitamina D que se encuentra en los seres humanos y animales. Cuando la luz del sol baña la piel, convierte el colesterol en una forma activa de vitamina D3. Esta forma está involucrada en una multitud de procesos biológicos y es crucial para promover la absorción de calcio en los huesos.
La mayoría de los estudios que comparan, y siguen comparando, los efectos de la vitamina D2 y D3, coincidenen que la vitamina D3 es muy superior para el cuerpo humano. La investigación en los últimos diez años ha producido una cantidad abrumadora de evidenciade que la vitamina D3 se absorbe y utiliza mejor que la D2. La suplementación con vitamina D3 también se ha demostrado que mantiene los niveles séricos de vitamina D a largo plazo, especialmente en los meses de invierno cuando la luz solar es escasa.
Fuentes de vitamina D
Sólo hay unas pocas fuentes de vitamina D, echemos un vistazo a las diferentes opciones disponibles que podemos encontrar.
Luz solar
Exponer la piel a la luz del sol todos los días puede proporcionar una fuente indirecta de vitamina D. Mientras que la luz solar en sí no contiene vitamina D, promueve la síntesis de la vitamina dentro del cuerpo. La exposición saludable a la luz solar de los rayos UV es el método ideal y más natural para asegurar niveles adecuados de vitamina D. Desafortunadamente, la mayoría de la gente está encerrada todo el día, ya sea en la escuela, en casa o en el trabajo. Incluso en verano, muchas personas tienen dificultades para recibir una exposición regular al sol.
Alimentos
Existen algunos alimentos que contienen vitamina D de forma natural. La variedad y la accesibilidad a los alimentos ricos en vitamina D son a menudo los dos obstáculos más comunes que impiden a algunas personas recibir suficiente cantidad de esta vitamina. Los alimentos con vitamina D de origen natural incluyen:
Pescados grasos como el arenque, la sardina, la caballa y el bacalao.
Huevos
Verdura de hoja verde
Aceite de hígado de bacalao
Suplementos
Los suplementos de vitamina D son a menudo la fuente preferida por muchas personas, ya que debido al ritmo de vida que llevamos no es fácil beneficiarse de la luz solar todo lo que nuestro cuerpo necesita, son muchos los que trabajan en recintos cerrados, como oficinas o fábricas, lo cual hace difícil la síntesis de vitamina D a través del sol.
Función de la vitamina D
La vitamina D es uno de los muchos nutrientes que nuestro cuerpo necesita para mantenerse saludable. Entre las principales funciones de la vitamina D encontramos:
Absorción del calcio - La vitamina D, junto con el calcio, ayuda a mantener los huesos fuertes y saludables.
Bloquear la liberación de la hormona paratiroidea - Esta hormona reabsorbe el tejido óseo, lo que hace que los huesos sean delgados y quebradizos.
La vitamina D también puede desempeñar un papel en la función muscular y el sistema inmunológico. El sistema inmunológico es el sistema de defensa de tu cuerpo. Ayuda a protegerlo contra las infecciones y otras enfermedades.
Quién debe tomar vitamina D
Debido a que la vitamina D se encuentra sólo en unos pocos alimentos, puede ser difícil obtener suficiente de forma natural. Por lo tanto, todos, incluyendo mujeres embarazadas y lactantes, deberían considerar tomar suplementos diarios que contengan vitamina D.
A finales de marzo/abril hasta finales de septiembre, la mayoría de las personas a partir de los cinco años de edad, probablemente obtendrán suficiente vitamina D de la luz solar cuando estén al aire libre. Así que puede optar por no tomar un suplemento de vitamina D durante los meses de más luz.
Sin embargo, algunos grupos de personas no reciben suficiente vitamina D de la luz solar porque tienen muy poca o ninguna exposición al sol. Por eso el Departamento de Salud recomienda que las personas tomen un suplemento diario, durante todo el año, cuando se dan estos casos:
Aquellos que no pasan tiempo al aire libre, ya sea por trabajo o por sufrir algún tipo de lesión que les impida moverse.
Aquellas personas que usan ropa que cubre la mayor parte de su piel cuando está al aire libre.
Aquellas personas con piel oscura, el hecho de tener piel oscura indica que la persona está preparada para pasar mayor tiempo bajo la luz solar, por lo tanto también necesitarán más tiempo que las personas de piel clara para poder sintetizar la misma cantidad de vitamina D.
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In the UK, men on average die four to six years earlier than women. They also have a life expectancy of 79.1 years, are significantly less likely to attend routine health screenings, are more likely to delay seeking medical attention for concerning symptoms, and face higher rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and suicide.
The dietary patterns, movement habits, sleep, stress management, and relationship with healthcare that men establish can have a profound influence on health outcomes across the lifespan.
Cardiovascular Health
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of premature death in men in the UK, and men develop it on average ten years earlier than women. The protective effect of oestrogen that delays cardiovascular disease in premenopausal women does not apply to men, meaning that risk accumulates from earlier in adulthood.
The key modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease include:
high blood pressure
elevated LDL cholesterol
high triglycerides,
insulin resistance,
smoking
excess visceral adiposity
physical inactivity
chronic stress
poor sleep
alcohol use and diet quality
Most of these can be influenced by nutrition and lifestyle, meaning that the everyday choices men make have a significant and compounding effect on their long-term cardiovascular risk.
Dietary patterns most strongly associated with reduced cardiovascular risk include:
Mediterranean diet
diets rich in vegetables and fruit
wholegrains
legumes
olive oil
nuts
oily fish
Focus should fall on predominantly whole food dietary patterns that are balanced, high in fibre and low in saturated fats.
Specific nutrients with the strongest cardiovascular evidence include omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce triglycerides and inflammation, soluble fibre from oats, barley, chia seeds, legumes, certain vegetables and fruit, which reduces LDL cholesterol, potassium from vegetables and fruit, which supports healthy blood pressure, and extra virgin olive oil for its anti-inflammatory properties.
In the UK, men are encouraged to have regular blood pressure and cholesterol screenings from their forties onward, and earlier for those with a family history of cardiovascular disease. Many men have elevated cardiovascular risk markers like LDL cholesterol for years before any symptoms arise, making regular monitoring genuinely important rather than optional.
Type 2 Diabetes and Metabolic Health
Men are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes than women at equivalent body weights, partly due to the tendency of men to accumulate visceral fat (fat around the internal organs) rather than subcutaneous fat (fat beneath the skin).
Visceral adiposity is metabolically active and drives insulin resistance, inflammation, and cardiovascular risk in ways that subcutaneous fat does not to the same degree.
Type 2 diabetes is largely preventable and in its early stages often reversible through dietary and lifestyle change. The evidence for dietary approaches to improving insulin sensitivity and metabolic health consistently points toward reducing refined carbohydrate and added sugar intake, increasing dietary fibre, eating regular meals with adequate protein, fibre and fat to moderate blood glucose response, and regular physical activity.
Waist circumference is a more informative marker of metabolic risk than body weight or BMI alone. A waist circumference above 94cm in men is associated with increased metabolic risk, and above 102cm with substantially elevated risk.
This is worth knowing not as a point of shame, but as a practical piece of health information that is easy to measure and track.
Dietary quality improvements, increased physical activity, and better sleep can all improve insulin sensitivity and reduce visceral fat independently of changes in overall body weight.
Prostate Health
According to Cancer Research, 1 in 6 men in the UK will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. When detected early, it is one of the most survivable cancers and so regular screening is particularly important for men over 50 and men with a family history of prostate cancer or with Black African or Caribbean heritage.
In epidemiological research, those who consume diets rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that gives fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, pink grapefruit and watermelon their red pigment, has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer, though evidence is mixed.
Lycopene is significantly more bioavailable from cooked or processed tomatoes than raw, with tomato paste, passata, and canned tomatoes providing more absorbable lycopene than fresh tomatoes.
The overall dietary pattern matters more than any single nutrient. Higher vegetable, fruit and wholegrains intake, adequate zinc, and a predominantly whole food dietary pattern are associated with better prostate health outcomes. Diets high in processed meat and very high in saturated fat are associated with modestly increased risk in large prospective studies.
Testosterone and Hormonal Health
Testosterone levels in men decline gradually from the mid-thirties onward, with research suggesting an average decline of around 1 to 2% per year after age 40. This is a normal part of aging, but the trajectory and rate of decline are influenced by lifestyle factors, meaning that the choices men make in their thirties and forties meaningfully affect their hormonal health in their fifties and beyond.
Several nutritional and lifestyle factors are associated with better testosterone status. Adequate zinc intake is directly relevant: zinc is essential for testosterone synthesis, and deficiency is associated with reduced testosterone levels.
Good sources include shellfish, pumpkin seeds, and legumes. Adequate dietary fat intake, particularly from monounsaturated and saturated fat sources in moderate amounts, supports testosterone production, as testosterone is synthesised from cholesterol.
Vitamin D deficiency, which is widespread in the UK, is associated with lower testosterone levels so correcting any deficiency may improve testosterone status. Maintaining adequate vitamin D year-round through blood work to assess levels and supplementation when needed can therefore be relevant to hormonal health.
Chronic stress elevates cortisol, which directly suppresses testosterone production. This is one of several reasons why stress management is not separate from men's hormonal health but integral to it.
Sleep is equally relevant: testosterone is primarily produced during sleep, and research has found that even one week of sleeping five hours per night reduces testosterone levels by approximately 10 to 15% in young men, a reduction equivalent to ageing ten to fifteen years.
Sleep and Sleep Apnoea
Sleep affects testosterone, cardiovascular health, metabolic function, immune resilience, cognitive performance, emotional regulation, and physical recovery.
Sleep apnoea, a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, is significantly more common in men than in women, and is associated with fatigue, poor cognitive function, elevated cardiovascular risk, and reduced testosterone. It is frequently undiagnosed because the primary symptom is snoring combined with daytime sleepiness, which many men normalise. If you or your partner have noticed loud or irregular snoring combined with daytime fatigue, discussing this with a GP is worthwhile.
Seven to nine hours of quality sleep per night is the evidence-supported range for most adults. Consistent sleep and wake times, a cool dark bedroom, limiting alcohol, avoiding caffeine after midday, and managing stress are the most consistently evidence-supported sleep hygiene strategies.
Alcohol
Men in the UK drink more alcohol on average than women and are more likely to drink at hazardous or harmful levels. The NHS guidelines recommend no more than 14 units of alcohol per week spread across at least three days, with alcohol-free days each week.
Alcohol at higher intake levels is associated with liver disease, several cancers including colorectal and liver cancer, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, depression, cognitive decline, impaired sleep, reduced testosterone, and reduced fertility.
The relationship between alcohol and health is not linear, and while low-level drinking has historically been associated with some cardiovascular benefits, more recent research applying Mendelian randomisation methods suggests that even moderate drinking carries some increased risk.
This is not about prohibition. It is about honest awareness that alcohol is one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for serious health conditions in men, and that staying within recommended guidelines meaningfully reduces long-term risk.
Engaging With Healthcare
One of the most impactful things men can do for their long-term health is engage proactively with healthcare rather than reactively. This means attending NHS health checks when invited (available to those aged 40 to 74), discussing blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose screening with a GP, being aware of bowel cancer screening (offered to those over 60 in the UK), having conversations about prostate health from the mid-forties onward for those with risk factors, and not dismissing symptoms or delaying seeking help when something feels wrong.
Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 49 afd is highly treatable when caught early. Regular self-examination and prompt reporting of any lumps or changes to a GP are important habits. Skin cancer rates are higher in men partly due to lower rates of sun protection, and regular skin checks for changing moles or lesions are worthwhile.
Mental Health
Men are less likely to seek help for depression and anxiety, less likely to discuss emotional difficulties with friends or family, and more likely to manage distress through avoidance, alcohol, or other external coping strategies rather than directly addressing the underlying issue. These patterns can have devastating consequences when unaddressed, and they are deeply connected to social norms around masculinity that equate emotional expression with weakness.
The most important message regarding men's mental health is to reach out. To your GP, to a therapist, to a trusted friend, to a helpline and to engage in psychological therapies like CBT and ACT for mental health support.
Closing Thoughts
Men's health is shaped by the accumulation of daily choices across decades: what is eaten, how much movement happens, how sleep is prioritised, how stress is managed, how much alcohol is consumed, and whether medical or mental health care is sought when needed.
None of these are binary or all-or-nothing. Small, consistent improvements in multiple areas compound meaningfully over time.
This article is for educational purposes only and does not replace the advice of a qualified healthcare or nutrition professional. If you're experiencing persistent or severe symptoms, please consult your healthcare provider.
Sources:
https://www.nmcd-journal.com/article/S0939-4753(23)00385-X/fulltexthttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6906176/https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11958419/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0960076021000716?via%3Dihubhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8743653/https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2949789225000881https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9566.13257
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