7 signs of vitamin D deficiency. Do you have these symptoms?

Vitamin D deficiencies are widespread around the world and are even taking on pandemic proportions. Vitamin D is referred to as the sunshine vitamin because it is the sunlight reaching our skin that should be the main source of its synthesis. However, who of us has the opportunity to expose our skin to the sun at midday? During this time we are usually at work, school, or doing household chores, and when we do go outside for a while, our clothes cover much of our skin. The average diet is also not rich in this vitamin. This makes it so that even the majority of the population may not have optimal levels of vitamin D in their blood. Find out if this problem affects you too.

• Vitamin D deficiency - should you be afraid of it?
• Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency
• Possible effects of vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency - should you be afraid of it?

Fear is generally not a good advisor, but it is important to educate yourself in this area and implement proper prevention. Usually, vitamin D deficiency can be easily dealt with by implementing supplementation with this vitamin in doses selected based on the results of a test of its level in the blood.

Although blood tests for vitamin D3 levels are readily available to everyone and awareness of their existence continues to grow, there are still many people who are unaware of the need for regular testing and are still D3 deficient. A significant portion of the population doesn't even know they are deficient, although they struggle with ailments that depend on vitamin D. And there are many such ailments, because vitamin D3 even acts as a hormone, affecting almost all tissues in our bodies.

Severe vitamin D3 deficiency, that is, levels below 30 nmol/L or 12 ng/ml, covers as much as:

• 5.9% of the US population
• 7.4% of the Canadian population
• 13% of the European population

Moderate vitamin D3 deficiency, i.e. blood levels below 50 nmol/L or 20 ng/ml has:

• 24% of the US population
• 37% of the Canadian population
• 40% of the European public

As a reminder, the desired level should be above 75 nmol/L or 30 ng/ml. In the laboratory, a vitamin D3 test is seen as a determination of the level of vitamin 25(OH)D3, and usually costs in the range of PLN 60-100. Without a doubt, it's worth it to get this test done once in a while and check if you're sure your vitamin D status is in order. This is an excellent investment in the future, since treatment of chronic diseases that are associated with deficiencies can be much more expensive.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency

Unfortunately, the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are nonspecific and can gradually build up over a lifetime. The systemic effects of vitamin D mean that deficiency symptoms can also affect the entire body.

These 7 afflictions are the most common symptoms of vitamin D deficiency:

1. worsened mood
2. increased feelings of fatigue
3. muscle pain and weakness
4. frequent infections
5. hypertension
6. glycemic disturbances
7. sleep problems

If you notice these in yourself, of course, this does not necessarily indicate a vitamin D deficiency, but it is a clear indication that it is worth going to the laboratory for a detailed diagnosis. Perhaps by introducing supplementation you can easily get rid of many ailments that have been making your life miserable until now.

Possible effects of vitamin D deficiency

When a profound deficiency persists over time, the effects can be dramatic. There is a reason why vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to increased mortality from a variety of causes.

In adults, vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of:

• common cancers,
• autoimmune diseases,
• hypertension,
• infectious diseases,
• osteopenia,
• osteoporosis,
• bone fractures.

Vitamin D3 deficiency in children can result in bone rickets or slowed growth. Fortunately, in children, especially newborns, the health service places great emphasis on supplementing this vitamin, so as long as parents do not ignore medical advice, the vast majority of toddlers should be adequately saturated with the vitamin.

The bigger problem is in adults, who have to monitor their own condition and decide whether to go for a checkup or include preventive supplementation. For prophylaxis in adults, the current recommendation is to take 2,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily throughout the year. The suggested dose may be higher if a blood test reveals a profound deficiency.

Remember to take care of yourself and get regular checkups.

Sources:

• Holick, M. F., & Chen, T. C. (2008). Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 87(4), 1080S-1086S. doi:10.1093/ajcn/87.4.1080s

• Karin Amrein et al. "Vitamin D deficiency 2.0: an update on the current status worldwide" Eur J Clin Nutr. 2020; 74(11): 1498-1513. doi: 10.1038/s41430-020-0558-y