I bet you already know the risks involved in having a vitamin D deficiency. However I bet you don’t know the early warning signs proving that your vitamin D levels are getting seriously low. Known as the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D is quintessential in keeping you functioning.
Let’s say you’re a big calcium consumer. Milk, yoghurt and the works seem to find their way into your every meal – you are probably even sipping a cup of coffee right now! But did you know that if you’re deficient in vitamin D, your body cannot use calcium from your diet?
Because of this, vitamin D is essential for strong bones. And if you have ever broken a bone, you probably know the importance of having strong bones! There are also a host of other health problems caused by a vitamin D deficiency including:
- Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
- Cognitive impairment in older adults
- Severe asthma in children
- Cancer
Vitamin D can also help prevent and treat several diseases. Web MD lists these as type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.
What are the chances I have a vitamin D deficiency?
You might just be suffering from a vitamin D deficiency. The warning signs – especially the early ones, are subtle and easy to miss. But if you do not pick up on these early, it might be too late.
Your mood drops
Have you ever had a really bad day only to realise all you needed was some time outside in the sunshine to make it all better? It’s not just the fresh air that can do you a world of good – it is the vitamin d you recieve from being in direct sunlight!
And since vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin, being deficient in it may cause your mood to drop. In 2006, scientists evaluated the effects of vitamin D on the mental health of 80 elderly patients and found those with the lowest levels of vitamin D were 11 times more prone to be depressed than those who received healthy doses.
Your bones ache
If your bones ache, most people start freaking out believing they have fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue syndrome. But the problem might actually be their vitamin levels according to Dr Holick.
“Many of these symptoms are classic signs of vitamin D deficiency osteomalacia, which is different from the vitamin D deficiency that causes osteoporosis in adults.What’s happening is that the vitamin D deficiency causes a defect in putting calcium into the collagen matrix into your skeleton. As a result, you have throbbing, aching bone pain.”
Your head is sweaty
A sweaty head can be more than an embarrassment – it can be a subtle sign that your vitamin D is a little on the sad side. In fact, this is one of the first and classic signs that you have a deficiency.
Your muscles are weak
If you’re having more trouble getting around, it may be a sign you need more vitamin D. When muscle weakness and sore bones marry, the result is painful movement.
If you’re having any of these symptoms, please visit your local GP for a diagnosis.
