Are you getting enough Vitamin D? 5 signs you may be deficient

Health

By Alexandra Klausner

Are you in the dark about your vitamin D levels? Experts are shedding light on whether or not you might be lacking an important vitamin when the days get shorter. 

Vitamin D is important for multiple bodily functions and is most responsible for helping the body absorb calcium, essential for strong and healthy bones, according to the National Institutes of Health. It also plays an important role in the immune system and the health of the body’s muscles and nerves.

The ways in which people get vitamin is from food, the sun, or supplements, according to Yale Medicine. However, 35% of Americans aren’t getting enough.

“More than one in four adults in the US are deficient in vitamin D,” Arielle “Dani” Lebovitz, a Franklin, Tennessee-based registered pediatric dietician, food education expert and founder of the Kid Food Explorers told The Post. 

“The body naturally converts sunlight to vitamin D in the body, however, people who use sunscreen, have higher melanin in their skin, spend most of their time indoors, live in an area without a lot of sunshine or cities with high amounts of pollution are less likely to meet their daily vitamin D needs and may benefit from a supplement,” Lebovitz explained. 

“Elderly, obese patients, nursing home residents, and hospitalized patients are at the greatest risk for vitamin D deficiency,” she added. 

Here are a few of the ways you can determine if your vitamin D levels may be too low: 

Getting sick frequently 

Vitamin D plays an integral part in balancing the immune system and can help prevent seasonal colds or the flu.

“If a person is constantly sick with every common cold and flu that passes through, they may be deficient in vitamin D, increasing their susceptibility to infection because vitamin D plays a vital role in the body’s immune function,” Lebovitz said. 

Body pain

Since vitamin D plays a role in bone, muscle and nerve health, pain can also be a warning sign someone isn’t getting enough. 

“Common signs of a vitamin D deficiency may include bone pain and muscle spasms,” Lebovitz explained.

A lack of vitamin D can also cause osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones, making them more likely to break. 

“Osteoporosis is most often associated with inadequate calcium intakes, but insufficient vitamin D intakes contribute to osteoporosis by reducing calcium absorption,” according to the National Institutes of Health. 

Poor oral health 

Vitamin D deficiency can cause “dental issues such as cavities, gingivitis, and periodontal disease,” Lebovitz said.

Oral health is linked to someone’s overall health and vitamin D’s impact on calcium and the modulation of the immune system helps prevent tooth decay and gum disease, according to Verywell Health.

Mental health issues and low energy 

“Another common symptom of vitamin D deficiency is fatigue and negative emotions related to depression,” Lebovitz said. 

A study from 2020 published in the National Library of Medicine found that supplementation with vitamin D reduced negative emotions and was most effective in people with low vitamin D levels or major depressive disorder. 

Problems losing weight

“Difficulty losing weight may also suggest a vitamin D deficiency,” Lebovitz said 

She explained that people with higher weight and fatty tissue are more likely to be deficient in the vitamin, citing a 2018 study published in the National Library of Medicine which found that obesity is linked to inflammation in the body. The researchers found that both weight loss and supplementing with vitamin D could help lower inflammation.

How to ace your vitamin D tests

In addition to being in the sun, Lebovitz said people can get vitamin D from their diet as well as from a supplement.

“Natural food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish such as trout, salmon, and tuna, UV-exposed mushrooms, egg yolks, and beef liver,” she explained. 

“Many foods are fortified with vitamin D such as dairy products, plant-based milk, breakfast cereals and orange juice,” she added. 

The amount of supplementation someone takes is dependent on whether they have a vitamin deficiency or not.

“The Endocrine Society suggests adults may need 37.5 to 50 mcg (1,500–2,000 IU)/day of supplemental vitamin D, and children and adolescents may need at least 25 mcg (1,000 IU)/day,” Lebovitz said.

“A safe dose for daily use for people age 4+ without signs of deficiency is 10mcg or 400 IU/day,” she explained.

London-based nutritionist Clarissa Lenherr told The Standard that there is such a thing as too much vitamin D.

While it’s safe to take the recommended amount for those without a deficiency, “vitamin D supplementation can be toxic or problematic at high levels, so you don’t want to take high doses of vitamin D without testing your blood,” she warned.

Lebovitz echoed her sentiments.

“Be sure to follow up with your primary care physician or your medical provider if you think you may be at risk for deficiency,” she said.