Five Signs of a Vitamin D Deficiency

Most people get their vitamin D from fortified foods (milk, cereal, bread) and sun exposure. However, there are certain groups of people that may not get enough vitamin D, like those who don’t spend a lot of time out in the sun, people of color (POC), and older adults.

At Legacy Pain and Regenerative Medicine, our chiropractic physician, Dr. Trace Alexander, has advanced training in clinical nutrition. He understands the connection between diet and health and knows how a vitamin D deficiency can go unnoticed, unchecked, and untreated.

Are you getting enough vitamin D? Here, we want to share some of the signs of vitamin D deficiency.

1. Fatigue

Fatigue is a common symptom that may occur from any number of causes, including lack of high quality sleep and stress. Poor nutrition may also make you feel extremely tired. People with vitamin D deficiency also suffer from fatigue and extreme daytime sleepiness.

Lack of vitamin D affects muscle strength and immune function, which researchers theorize may play a role in the fatigue you feel when you’re vitamin D deficient. Restoring vitamin D levels to normal may ease fatigue symptoms.

2. Bone pain

Vitamin D supports bone health and strength. When you don’t get enough vitamin D, your bones get thin and soft. This leads to a condition called osteomalacia, or rickets in children. 

If you have bone pain, especially in the hips, you may have a vitamin D deficiency. Not getting enough vitamin D also puts you at greater risk of fractures. 

3. Muscle weakness 

You need vitamin D in order for your body to use calcium. In addition to building strong bones, calcium also regulates muscle contractions. Not having enough vitamin D affects blood calcium levels, impairing muscle function.

If your blood calcium levels get too low, (hypocalcemia) you may have muscle weakness, spasms, and cramps.

4. Low mood

There’s a strong correlation between clinical depression and low blood levels of vitamin D. You have vitamin D receptors in the brain that help regulate your mood. Researchers theorize that lack of vitamin D minimizes the actions of these receptors, leading to a low mood. 

If your mood is low or you’re feeling down and depressed, you need to have your vitamin D levels checked. 

5. Hair loss

Vitamin D also influences the hair growth cycle. People with low levels of vitamin D are more likely to experience hair loss. 

If you’re always tired, suffer from chronic pain, or notice changes in the look of your hair or skin, then you might want to take a look at your nutrition. A vitamin D deficiency may be the root cause of your symptoms or illness. 

We perform a nutrition assessment and run lab work to check vitamin D levels. If you’re deficient, we offer pharmaceutical-grade nutritional supplements and teach you how to incorporate more foods that contain vitamin D into your diet.

What you eat or don’t eat affects your overall health. Could your aches and pains be due to a vitamin D deficiency? Let us help you find the cause of your health issues. Give us a call at the location most convenient to you — we have offices in Plano and Addison, Texas — or click the “book online” button to schedule a consultation today.