12 Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient that, along with other vitamins and minerals, helps regulate the function of your body’s major systems.
You obtain it naturally when you expose your skin to the sun’s rays, although it can also be found in certain foods and supplements.
It is known for being essential for the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, two minerals that keep your bones and teeth strong.
Among other things, vitamin D is essential for your muscles, brain, heart, and other organs whose good function guarantees a high quality of life.
The problem is that not every gets enough of this nutrient, which can trigger certain symptoms and health problems that tend to become worse when you don’t address the deficiency in time.
For that reason, it’s important to know how to identify a vitamin D deficiency and take the necessary measures to improve its absorption every day.
Find out how!
The Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency
1. Muscle and bone weakness
This is because it triggers an imbalance in magnesium levels, which is another fundamental mineral for keeping them strong and healthy.
Also read: Natural remedies for muscle cramps
2. Depression
Low levels of this essential nutrient are associated with a tendency to suffer from irritability, depression, and sudden mood swings.
Vitamin D is involved in the secretion of wellness hormones, so a deficiency can affect your mental health.
3. Inflammation and pain
Low levels can increase your risk of suffering from these problems, making it difficult to fight chronic pain.
4. Dental issues
As we already indicated, a lack of vitamin D hinders your absorption and use of calcium in your teeth, increasing your risk of infections and tooth decay or loss.
This, in addition to problems with inflammation, can lead to symptoms like redness, irritation, and bleeding of the gums.
4. High blood pressure
Although this cardiovascular disorder is caused by multiple factors, a lack of vitamin D can contribute to complications.
5. Fatigue
Poor absorption of vitamin D can influence your physical and mental performance, creating a strong sense of fatigue.
Often a person might feel drowsy and unable to carry out the normal day to day tasks they usually perform.
6. Increase in weight
Reduced levels can complicate metabolic activity, making it difficult to maintain a healthy weight.
7. Asthma
A deficiency in vitamin D is related to trouble treating asthma, because it is related to poor lung function.
Adequate absorption helps control problems with asthma because it blocks the proteins that generate inflammation in the lung tissues.
8. High cholesterol
Among the many functions of this vitamin in your body is its relationship with the removal of bad cholesterol (LDL) from your bloodstream.
A person who doesn’t maintain adequate levels of vitamin D is more at risk for having problems with high cholesterol.
9. Colds and the flu
When you have low levels of vitamin D, it affects the production of antibodies by your immune system, making you more likely to suffer from colds and the flu.
Because you don’t have enough, your respiratory passages and tissues tend to become irritated more easily.
Visit this article: Relieves coughs and colds with an infusion of thyme, lemon and honey
10. Intestinal problems
Issues with fat absorption can be linked to a vitamin D deficiency, which in turn influences the development of intestinal problems.
It’s essential to improve your vitamin D absorption if you have the following:
- A sensitivity to gluten (celiac or non-celiac)
- Crohn’s disease
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Excessive sweating
With low absorption of this nutrient, hormonal changes can occur that cause symptoms like excessive sweating.
It’s common for a person suffering from insufficient vitamin D to experience excess sweating, particularly on the head.
Have you noticed any of these symptoms? If you suspect you have a deficiency in this nutrient, try to increase the consumption of foods that contain it and also get a little bit more sun exposure.
Keep in mind that you should always use caution when sunbathing, as the sun’s rays can have harmful effects after extended and unprotected exposure.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Lee JS., Kim JW., Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in postmenopausal high and low energy fracture patient. Arch Osteoporos, 2018. 13 (1): 109.
- Umar M., Sastry KS., Ali FA., Al Khulaifi M., et al., Vitamin D and the pathophysiology of inflammatory skin diseases. Skin Pharmacol Physiol, 2018. 31 (2): 74-86.
- Zdrenghea MT., Makrinioti H., Bagacean C., Bush A., et al. Vitamin D modulation of innate immune response to respiratory viral infections. Rev Med Virol, 2017.
