The D-factor: how to check if your body is running low on vitamin D

Your body can make vitamin D from cholesterol when your skin is exposed to sunlight. But most of us just don’t get enough sun exposure in the day for our body to produce enough of this sunshine vitamin. As a result, many adults are living with a vitamin D deficiency without even getting to know about it.

According to estimates, nearly 1 billion people globally have low blood levels of vitamin D. But some people are at a higher risk of being deficient. This includes:

• People with dark skin
• Those aged over 50 years
• Being obese or overweight
• Eating a diet lacking in fish or dairy
• People with kidney or liver disease

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The warning signs indicating low vitamin D levels are generally subtle. Here’s a handy guide to some symptoms worth keeping in mind.

Bone and back pain

A regulator of calcium and phosphate in the body, vitamin D is essential to maintaining good bone health. Lack of vitamin D can lead to low bone mineral density. This is why bone pain and lower back pain can be common signals of inadequate levels of the vitamin.

Muscle weakness or cramps

A study in the Western Journal of Medicine found that muscle weakness is common in people with low vitamin D levels but thankfully, weakness or pain in the muscles could be reversed by improving intake. Additionally, a deficiency can also increase instances of muscle cramping.

Fatigue or tiredness

More than 77 per cent of people with low vitamin D levels reported feeling fatigued or constantly tired in a study published in the North American Journal of Medical Sciences. Some research has also shown that increasing your intake could reduce the severity of fatigue.

Mood changes

Research has shown that a depressive mood may be a sign of vitamin D deficiency. A study in the Journal of Affective Disorders linked late-life depression with the deficiency. Other studies including one in the journal Nutrients found that giving vitamin D to people with low levels of depression, especially seasonal depression, resulted in positive outcomes.

If you notice these symptoms in your body then a blood test for vitamin D might be in order!

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