Winter is upon us and the opportunity to bask in the sun for our Vitamin D is just about gone for the season. Did you know that over one billion people around the globe suffer from vitamin D deficiency. A 2011 study reports that 41.6% of American adults have low vitamin D levels. Actually, age, race, weight and dietary habits are the major players when it comes to vitamin D deficiency.
Here are 5 subtle signs to watch for:
Consistent Tiredness
Vitamin D deficiency is often ignored as a potential reason for consistent fatigue. A series of studies have shown that a low vitamin D level is likely to cause debilitating fatigue. A case in point was a woman who constantly complained about chronic morning fatigue and headaches. It turned out she suffered from a severely low vitamin D in the blood (below 5.9 ng/ml), as the normal level should stand at 20ng/ml. After taking vitamin D supplements, her symptoms dissipated. Another study involving female nurses showed a strong relationship between vitamin D deficiency and self-reported fatigue. Around 86% of participants had low vitamin levels.
Susceptibility to Infections
Vitamin D reinforces bacteria-fighting mechanisms and keeps your immune system strong. Therefore, if you fall sick quite often, especially with winter ailments, like cold or flu, you may be deficient in this vitamin. Studies reveal a correlation between low vitamin D levels and respiratory tract infections, including bronchitis, colds and pneumonia. Other research shows that taking high-dose vitamin D supplements every day minimizes the risk of respiratory tract infections. A study found that patients with chronic lung disorder, who were extremely deficient in vitamin D, showed an improvement after consuming a high dose vitamin D supplement for a whole year.
Hair Loss
Hair loss, especially in women, is linked to vitamin D deficiency. Yet, other issues, such as alopecia areata, can result in severe hair loss from the head and other body areas. This disease is related to rickets due to the lack of vitamin D level in the blood. Bear in mind that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of alopecia areata and is associated with more severe hair loss in people who already struggle with it. Hair loss was treated in a young boy with a defect in the vitamin D receptor thanks to the application of the synthetic form of the vitamin.
Muscle Ache
Muscle pain may occur in children and adults alike due to low vitamin D levels. A study reported that 71% of people grappling with chronic pain were found deficient. In fact, vitamin D receptors can be found in pain-sensing nerve cells (called nociceptors). A rat experiment discovered that vitamin D deficiency triggered discomfort and aches, arising from the stimulation of nociceptors in muscles. Several studies revealed that high-dose vitamin D supplements relieve aches in deficient people. Another study, which involved 120 children suffering from vitamin D deficiency and having growing pains, showed that a single dose of the vitamin alleviated the pain by 57%.
Depression
Feeling
depressed may be an underlying symptom of vitamin D deficiency. Researchers
found a strong relationship between low levels of vitamin D and depression,
chiefly in older adults. Besides, 65% of observational studies linked
depression to low blood levels. Yet, scientific experiments failed to find a
correlation, either due to low doses of vitamin D in controlled studies, or
because studies did not last enough to notice the effect of vitamin D
supplements on the mood, researchers argue.
Other controlled studies reveal that taking vitamin D supplements soothes
depression in people who are deficient, including seasonal depression that
takes place during frigid months.
