![\"14](\"http:\/\/www.tomgrimshaw.com\/tomsblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/14_Signs_Of_Vitamin_D_Deficiency-300x169.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Vitamin D regulates the expression of hundreds of genes and is integral to biological functions that affect every bodily system. As you\u2019ll see in this short video, vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency can trigger several generalized symptoms that you may have associated with other health conditions.<\/p>\n
It is also called the sunshine vitamin since your skin makes vitamin D when exposed to ultraviolet light from the sun.1 Vitamin D performs many functions within the body, including maintaining adequate levels of calcium and phosphate, essential for normal bone mineralization.2<\/p>\n
It helps reduce inflammation, which is necessary for the modulation of cell growth and immune function. Vitamin D also affects genes that help regulate cell differentiation and apoptosis.<\/p>\n
The main indicator of your vitamin D level is 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD). Data collected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2005-2006 showed a deficiency prevalence of 41.6% in the U.S. population.3 However, as I discuss later in this article, as many as 80% of people may be deficient in vitamin D.<\/p>\n
During cold and flu season, and the COVID-19 pandemic, it is essential to maintain healthy levels of vitamin D to help reduce your risk of viral and bacterial illness.5,<\/span><\/sup>6<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0A blood test is the best way to determine your vitamin D levels, but here are some symptoms that may indicate your levels are low.<\/p>\n 1.<\/span>Aching muscles \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Nearly half of all adults are affected by muscle pain.7<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Researchers believe most of those are deficient in vitamin D. Some studies have suggested that nerves have vitamin D receptors that affect the perception of pain. In one animal model, research demonstrated a vitamin D-deficient diet can induce deep muscle hypersensitivity that was not connected to low levels of calcium.8<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n 2.<\/span>Painful bones \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Vitamin D regulates the level of calcium in your body, necessary to protect bone health.9<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Vitamin D deficiency can cause your bones to soften, called osteomalacia. This may be a precursor to osteoporosis.<\/p>\n 3.<\/span>Fatigue \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0This is a common symptom of a variety of different health conditions, including sleep deprivation. Researchers have found that supplementing cancer patients suffering from fatigue can improve their symptoms.10<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n In one study11<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0using 174 adults with fatigue and stable medical conditions, the researchers found 77.2% were deficient in vitamin D. After normalizing their level, the fatigue symptoms improved significantly.<\/p>\n 4.<\/span>Reduced muscle performance \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Vitamin D deficiency is as common in athletes as in others. Vitamin D is crucial for muscle development, strength and performance. Older adults taking a vitamin D supplement have a reduced risk of falls and improved muscle performance.12<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n Correction through oral supplementation or sensible sun exposure may reduce symptoms of stress fractures, musculoskeletal pain and frequent illness. Vitamin D also has a direct effect on muscle performance. In one paper from the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, the author wrote:13<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n \u201cHigher serum levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced injury rates and improved sports performance. In a subset of the population, vitamin D appears to play a role in muscle strength, injury prevention, and sports performance.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n 5.<\/span>Brain health \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Vitamin D is also essential for your brain health. Symptoms of deficiency can include dementia caused by an increase of soluble and insoluble beta-amyloid, a factor in Alzheimer’s disease.14<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Research has also found an association with depression15<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0that may be associated with the function of vitamin D buffering higher levels of calcium in the brain.16<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n Vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women can increase the risk of autism and schizophrenic-like disorders in the baby.17<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0One study of people with fibromyalgia found a vitamin D deficiency was more common in those who had anxiety and depression.18<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Another looked at vitamin D deficiency in obese subjects and found a relationship between low levels of vitamin D and depression.19<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n 6.<\/span>Poor sleep \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0The mechanism linking vitamin D and poor sleep quality has not been identified. But research has found people with low levels of vitamin D have poor quality sleep and a higher risk of sleep disorders.20<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n 7.<\/span>Sweaty head \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Excessive sweating, especially on your head, or a change in your pattern of sweating, can indicate a vitamin D deficiency.21<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n 8.<\/span>Hair loss \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Vitamin D is crucial to the proliferation of keratinocytes and plays an important role in your hair cycle. The vitamin D receptor appears to play a role in the anagen phase of hair growth, leading researchers to conclude, “Treatments that upregulate the vitamin D receptor may be successful in treating hair disorders and are a potential area of further study.”22<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n 9.<\/span>Slow-healing wounds \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Chronic wounds are a major public health challenge.23<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0In the U.S. 2% of the population is affected by chronic wounds and it is estimated to account for 5.5% of the cost of health care in the U.K. NHS. Vitamin D promotes wound healing and the creation of cathelicidin, a peptide that fights wound infections.24<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n 10.<\/span>Dizziness \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Evidence from animal models suggests that vitamin D is critical in the development of the inner ear,25<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0which affects balance and coordination. Analysis of people with vestibular neuritis, characterized by vertigo, showed lower serum vitamin D levels than in people without vestibular neuritis.26<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n 11.<\/span>Heart problems \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Clinical studies have shown that vitamin D3 improves circulation and can help improve high blood pressure.27<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0In one study28<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0researchers discovered that vitamin D3 also has a significant effect on the endothelial cells that line your cardiovascular system. They found that it helped balance concentrations of nitric oxide and\u00a0peroxynitrite<\/a>, which improved endothelial function.<\/p>\n 12.<\/span>Excess weight \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0How vitamin D affects obesity has not been identified. However, data do show there is a high probability of deficiency in people who are obese.29<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n 13.<\/span>Recurring infections \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0There have been multiple epidemiological studies that show vitamin D deficiency can increase the risk of infection and raise the severity, particularly in\u00a0respiratory tract infections<\/a>.30<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0Multiple studies have demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency increases the potential risk for severe disease and mortality, especially in those who are critically ill.31<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n 14.<\/span>Reduced cognitive function \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0Data show that vitamin D deficiency increases your risk of dementia twofold32<\/span><\/sup>\u00a0and raises your risk of impaired cognitive function.33<\/span><\/sup><\/p>\n<\/div>\n https:\/\/articles.mercola.com\/sites\/articles\/archive\/2021\/03\/01\/14-signs-of-vitamin-d-deficiency.aspx<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Vitamin D regulates the expression of hundreds of genes and is integral to biological functions that affect every bodily system. As you\u2019ll see in this short video, vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency can trigger several generalized symptoms that you may have associated with other health conditions. It is also called the sunshine vitamin since your … <\/p>\n\n