These Symptoms Could Mean You Are Lacking in Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that is
crucial for our health. The vitamin has powerful effects on several
systems throughout our body. It boosts immunity, prompts cell growth,
keeps the bones robust and the skin healthy, and even helps create new
hair follicles. We primarily absorb vitamin D through sun exposure but
it can also be taken through dietary supplements and by eating certain
foods, like fatty fish. That being said, getting enough of this vitamin
is difficult from food products alone. Fortunately, a variety of vitamin
D supplements can help you in that regard.
Today, vitamin D deficiency has become very
common across all age groups. It's estimated that about 1 billion
people worldwide have low levels of the vitamin in their blood.
Some of the common risk factors for vitamin D deficiency are:
* Staying mostly indoors.
* Not eating enough fish or dairy.
* Being overweight or obese.
* Living in a region where there is little sun year-round.
* Being elderly.
* Using sunscreen regularly when going out.
Getting sufficient vitamin D isn’t always easy during the fall and
winter months and since these seasons are right around the corner, it
would be prudent to ensure you have enough of it. The curious thing is
that most people don’t even realize that they are lacking vitamin D in
their bodies since the symptoms are generally quite subtle. Be warned,
though, that insufficient vitamin D can have a substantial negative
effect on your quality of life.
Hence, today we will look at some of the
most important signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency that you
should be aware of.
1. Fatigue and tiredness
Feeling regularly tired in your hectic life can be a result of numerous
factors and a vitamin D deficiency may be one of them. Various case
studies have revealed that very low blood levels can cause fatigue and
severely impede the quality of one’s life. Another observational study
in female nurses demonstrated a clear connection between low vitamin D
levels and self-reported fatigue.
In a few reported cases, people who complained of chronic daytime
fatigue and headaches were found to have a vitamin D blood level of only
5.9 ng/ml. Anything under 20 ng/ml is usually considered deficient.
Taking vitamin D supplements usually helps improve energy levels. Hence,
if you find yourself being regularly tired and fatigued, it would be a
good idea to see a doctor and get your vitamin D levels checked.
2. Getting sick or infected regularly
Do you find yourself being constantly sick or infected with some viral
illness? This may well be due to a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D plays
a crucial role in keeping our immune system strong to enable it to
fight off viruses and bacteria that cause illness. It also collaborates
with the cells that are responsible for fighting infection. Thus, low
vitamin D levels may be a contributing factor in you often getting sick.
Some observational studies have shown a connection between deficiency
and respiratory tract infections like colds, bronchitis, and pneumonia.
Another study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition and Food
Research states that vitamin D has a direct connection to how your
immune system reacts to different infections and viruses.
3. Back pain
Many of us experience bouts of back pain from time to time and that’s
quite common. However, if back pain, particularly lower back pain, has
become a regular feature of your life then it may be a warning sign of
low vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D helps in maintaining bone health by improving our body's
absorption of calcium. Several studies over the years have found a link
between a deficiency and chronic lower back pain. A 2008 study published
in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society revealed that lower
concentrations of vitamin D were connected to significant back pain in
women.
Researchers have now observed that people with vitamin D deficiency are
more likely to have back pain, including severe back pain, along with
bone pain in their legs, ribs, or joints.
4. Muscle pain or weakness
According to the Cleveland Clinic, you are not getting adequate vitamin D
if your muscles regularly feel weaker or are cramping more than usual.
Studies have found a link between chronic pain and low blood levels of
vitamin D. This may be because of the interaction between the vitamin
and pain-sensing nerve cells.
Furthermore, muscle pain or weakness for kids who are vitamin D
deficient is a real matter of concern as low levels can lead to rickets -
the softening and weakening of bones – which can be pretty painful and
dangerous, especially for children.
5. Hair loss
t is not uncommon for us to lose hair as we
age. However, research shows that a lack of vitamin D in your body can
lead to hair loss. Vitamin D plays a role in stimulating new and old
hair follicles and when you don’t have enough of it, new hair growth can
be hindered.
Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to alopecia, the skin
condition that causes hair to fall out in small patches. Another study
published in the journal Skin Pharmacology and Physiology revealed that
women with hair loss had lower levels of vitamin D.
6. Slow-healing wounds
Slow-healing or impaired wounds may be a
sign that your vitamin D levels are too low. Research has shown that the
important vitamin increases the production of compounds that are vital
in the formation of new skin for the wound-healing process. Furthermore,
a 2011 study published in the Journal of Dental Research proved that
vitamin D levels are important to post-surgical healing. It has also
been noted that vitamin D plays a part in controlling inflammation and
fighting infection for proper healing.
7. Bone loss and discomfort
Vitamin D plays a major role in calcium
absorption and bone metabolism. Hence, low bone density might be a sign
of vitamin D deficiency, and getting sufficient vitamin D is essential
for preserving bone mass as you get older.
Additionally, a study published in the journal American Family Physician
states that any aches and painful tenderness in your bones could be
directly related to a lack of vitamin D in the body. Take special note
if you feel pain or uneasiness when you put pressure over your
breastbone or shinbone areas, experts warn.