9 Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms You Should Look Out For
It’s estimated that about 31% of the population in the United States is at risk for a vitamin deficiency. 40% of people living in low-income homes are at risk while 37% of women are also at risk.
The biggest difference in risk exists in those who take vitamin supplements versus those who don’t. Individuals who don’t take any type of vitamin supplements have a 40% chance of developing a deficiency while only 14% of those who take multivitamin supplements have a risk.
Many vitamin D deficiency symptoms indicate that you need to supplement with vitamins. Keep reading to learn more about the common signs of vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms
1. If You’re Always Sick or Get a Lot of Infections
A deficiency in vitamin D can have a serious impact on your immune system so it’s important to pay attention to the symptoms that indicate you’re lacking it. One of the most obvious signs is if you start getting sick more than you have in the past.
Vitamin D maintains a strong immune system but if you’re not getting enough of it, your immune system won’t function properly and protect you from infections and other illnesses like the flu. So if you find yourself getting sick all year round you might want to figure out if you’re not getting enough vitamin D.
2. Fatigue Is a Common Sign
The proper dose of vitamin D will help energize you and keep you productive during your long days. If, however, you’re constantly feeling fatigued, this could be a sign of a deficiency. If you’re feeling muscle weakness as well, insufficient vitamin D is the most likely culprit.
If the tiredness you’re feeling is linked to a vitamin deficiency, resting won’t make you feel better. Making sure you’re getting the proper dosage of vitamin D will resolve your symptoms in time.
3. A Lot of Joint Pain
Vitamin D is incredibly important for the health of your bones. A deficiency can, therefore, lead to a lot of pain in your joints, muscles, and in your bones as well.
You can also start experiencing pain in other parts of your body, most commonly in your lower back. The pain can be so severe that it can keep you from living the life you want to live. Finding out if you’re suffering from a deficiency is the first step in alleviating your back pain.
4. Changes in Mood
A deficiency in vitamin D3 can have an impact on your physical health and on your mental health as well. Everyone has some bad days from time to time but if you’re feeling an ongoing depression, out of the blue, it could be a lack of vitamin D.
Vitamin D, aside from all the other functions it has, also regulates some of your brain chemicals that control mood. An imbalance can certainly lead to some changes in mood. Taking a supplement can help with your feelings of depression and anxiety due to deficiency.
5. When Cuts and Scratches Aren’t Healing Like They Used to
Vitamin D plays a role in controlling inflammation, which helps you heal quickly. When you’re lacking in the vitamin, healing can take longer than usual.
Vitamin D also helps promote new skin growth, something needed for the healing of cuts and scratches. So when these wounds aren’t healing as quickly as before, it’s important to find out if it’s due to a deficiency.
6. A Broken Bone Can Be an Indication
We’ve already discussed the vitamin D benefits regarding bone health. This vitamin keeps your bones strong by helping to absorb the calcium in your body.
A deficiency can increase bone loss which can lead to more fractures. While a fracture doesn’t necessarily indicate a lack of vitamin D, it’d still be a good idea for your doctor to check your levels to make sure. This is especially important for older individuals.
7. If You’ve Noticed You’re Losing Hair
Hair loss can be a symptom of many serious conditions and one of them includes a vitamin D deficiency. Especially when the hair loss is more severe, low levels of vitamin D can be a cause.
The most common way to identify severe hair loss is to pay attention to how much gets left in your hairbrush, and how much stays in the shower drain, and you should be especially concerned if you’ve developed bald spots. There are many vitamin D foods you can eat to help increase your levels of vitamin D and improve the health of your hair.
You can also think about taking some supplements to help. Vitamins can help with anything from hair loss to sleep.
What are SugarBearHair vitamins? These are the exact vitamins you need to supplement your diet for improved health.
8. Increased Perspiration
Another, lesser-known symptom of a vitamin D deficiency is excess sweating. This doesn’t include the sweat you get from a workout’ excessive sweating occurs when you sweat without much physical activity.
Since vitamin D helps regulate the production of sweat, too much sweat indicates that you don’t have the necessary vitamin D for regulation.
9. Stomach Problems
Feeling bloated, stomaches, and constipation can all be a result of a deficiency of vitamin D. This vitamin helps your body absorb fat and not being able to do so because of a lack can lead to many of these stomach problems.
Spending some time in the sun, eating more vitamin D-rich foods, or taking supplements can resolve your vitamin D issue and the problems with your stomach.
Now You Know Some of the Common Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms
There are many types of vitamin D deficiency symptoms you may be experiencing without even knowing the cause. The list above includes some of the most common signs. Check out some of our other blog posts to learn more.
