Time to soak up the sun? 8 signs of low vitamin D

The human body is complex, and sometimes it can feel like a puzzle when something feels odd. Feeling constantly worn out or catching every little virus that’s going around? It might be as simple as needing more rest, or it could point to something like a vitamin deficiency.

Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” vitamin D plays a crucial role in keeping your body healthy, from supporting your immune system to strengthening your bones.

Despite its importance, vitamin D deficiency is surprisingly common and most of the time, you may not even realize you are deficient.

So what are the signs of low vitamin D and how can you boost your levels?

Why is vitamin D so important?

Vitamin D plays an important role in the overall health of your entire body — especially helping boost your immune system to fight infections.

Vitamin D also plays a role in:

• Helping regulate mood and reduce depression
• Improving muscle strength
• Keeping our energy levels normal
• Reducing the risk of falls in older people

Our main source of vitamin D is sunlight, as it is produced when your skin is exposed to the UV rays of the sun.

Vitamin D can also be absorbed through our diet. Vitamin D-rich foods include cod liver oil, swordfish, salmon and tuna, but it’s often added to foods we eat on a daily basis, such as:

• Dairy and plant milks fortified with vitamin D
• Egg yolk - Fatty fish, such as salmon
• Fortified cereals
• Orange juice
• Portobello mushrooms
• Yogurt

Many milk products have extra vitamin D added to them, even non-lactose alternatives like almond milk.

What is vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency occurs when your body has inadequate amounts of vitamin D. Vitamin D is essential for maintaining bone health and supporting your immune system. When your vitamin D levels are low, there is an increased risk of bone pain, bone fractures, muscle pain and muscle weakness.

What causes low levels of vitamin D?

One of the main causes of vitamin D deficiency is lack of exposure to sunlight.

If you’re concerned about signs of low vitamin D, certain factors in your lifestyle or environment could be putting you at risk. Here’s what to look out for:

• Amount of melanin in your skin: Higher levels of melanin in the skin reduce its ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight, meaning you may need more time outdoors for the same benefit.
• Living in an area with high pollution: Pollution can block UVB rays, which are essential for your body to produce vitamin D from sunlight.
• Living in a city with tall buildings: Tall buildings can block direct sunlight, decreasing your skin’s ability to absorb vitamin D.
• Spending most of your time indoors: If you're inside during daylight hours, your skin has limited exposure to natural sunlight.
• Using sunscreen regularly: While sunscreen is essential for protecting your skin, it can also decrease the amount of vitamin D your skin absorbs.

Many different medical conditions can also contribute to vitamin D deficiency. These conditions can include:

• Obesity
• Kidney disease

Other conditions or factors may affect the absorption of vitamins in the gut, such as:

• Celiac disease
• Crohn’s
• Cystic fibrosis
• Weight loss surgery

Many people may have low vitamin D levels even without these conditions. There are many medications that can also affect vitamin D levels, including:

• Antacids or reflux medications
• Antiseizure medications
• Cholesterol-lowering medications
• Steroids

What are the 8 signs of low vitamin D?

If you’re dealing with vitamin D deficiency, your body might be giving you subtle (or not so subtle) signs. Here’s what to look for:

1. Bone pain and lower back pain

People of all ages can have worsening bone health with low vitamin D levels, especially lower back pains. My older patients often blame their age for the majority of their joint pains, when there may be more factors involved. Although vitamin D may not be the only source of your discomfort, it may be making your joint pains worse.

2. Fatigue

There are many different things in your life that can contribute to your energy levels, like your sleep habits, diet, exercise habits, mood and medical conditions. If you are struggling with fatigue, especially if there is not an obvious source — like an illness or poor sleep habits — you may want to have your vitamin levels checked. Many people can slowly lose vitamin levels over time without realizing it and blame their fatigue on the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

3. Muscle aches and cramps

Vitamin D receptors have been linked to pain-sensing receptors in the body. Low levels of vitamin D can also lead to more muscle aches, cramps and even muscle weakness. Vitamin D supplements have been shown to reduce the risk of falls by helping with muscle strength.

4. Bones loss and osteoporosis

Vitamin D is useful in building healthy bones with the addition of other substances like calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D and calcium help keep bones strong and healthy. Weak bone density can lead to osteoporosis, causing fragile bones and increasing the risk of bone fractures over time, especially for men over age 70 and women over age 50.

5. Mood changes and depression

Similar to fatigue, there are many different factors that affect our day-to-day mood. For anyone experiencing persistently “down” or depressed moods, I recommend you talk to your doctor to ensure there are no health conditions or vitamin deficiencies contributing to the way you’re feeling. As with joint pains, vitamin D deficiency may not be the main cause of your depression, but it may be making it worse.

6. More frequent illnesses and suppressed immune system

Vitamin D plays an important role in helping boost your immune system. Along with other supplements like zinc and vitamin C, having a healthy vitamin D level can help fight off infections like upper respiratory infections, colds, viruses and bronchitis.

7. Prolonged healing

Apart from helping fight off infections, vitamin D also helps your body heal wounds. This is partially due to the fact that it helps prevent wound infection, but it also helps in various ways in the healing process. It is important for anyone with a chronic wound like a foot or leg ulcer to be sure they are getting enough vitamin D.

8. Hair loss

Hair loss can be a sign of low vitamin D levels. as hair follicles may not be receiving the necessary nutrients for proper growth and function. It’s important to note that vitamin D is not the only factor that can cause hair loss, but it could be a contributor.

How are signs of low levels of vitamin D treated?

If you have signs of low vitamin D, it’s important to address them as soon as possible to help improve your overall health and well-being. A combination of dietary changes, sun exposure and possible supplementation may be the answer. Regular screening and monitoring of vitamin D levels with your healthcare provider can help you make sure you are getting the right amount and avoid any deficiency.

Ways to boost your levels of vitamin D

If you are looking to boost your vitamin D levels naturally, besides increasing vitamin D in your diet, consider spending small amounts of time — around 15 to 20 minutes per day — in the sun several days per week. But please, be careful and avoid getting a sunburn.

You may also want to take a vitamin D supplement. The amount of vitamin D a person needs varies by age, health conditions, medicine intake and weight. Because vitamin D is stored in the body’s fat (known as a “fat soluble” vitamin), it is possible to get too much vitamin D, which can be harmful. I recommend having your vitamin D levels checked before starting any vitamin D supplement greater than 1,000 IU daily to ensure it is healthy to add this into your regimen.

In general, vitamin D has been shown to play a much more crucial role in our health than we previously knew. We already know that vitamin D has been shown to reduce or improve even significant health conditions like heart disease, diabetes and even certain cancers, such as prostate, colon and breast cancer. There are still many studies being done to determine connections between vitamin D and other health conditions.

If you are experiencing concerning symptoms, talk to your primary care doctor to determine the next step for your health.