Do you get aches and pains in the winter? Did you know that it’s one of the most common low vitamin D symptoms?
Vitamin D deficiency is very common but not many people are aware of the problems this causes.
Low Vitamin D Symptoms
Because vitamin D is essential for strong bones, the biggest problem caused by its deficiency are bone problems. In children this can lead to rickets, and consequently deformed bones. The adult version of rickets is the condition osteomalacia.
Osteomalacia causes soft bones. This causes bone pain (and sometimes muscle weakness too), and can be the cause of peoples ‘aches and pains’.
But vitamin D isn’t just important for proper bone formation. Its deficiency is also associated with:
- cardiovascular disease – e.g. high blood pressure and heart disease
- cancer
- depression
It’s really important for your all round health.
The Main Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency
The most common cause of deficiency is lack of sunshine, because most of our vitamin D comes from exposure of the skin to sun. Many people spend a lot time indoors. When they do go out they cover up and put on sun screen, because of the fear about sun cancer.
People living in northern latitudes, like the UK and North America, don’t get the type of sun rays needed for vitamin D during the winter. In these areas it’s common to get deficient in the winter months. As a doctor I know that people complain of more pain in the winter – some of this is due to low vitamin D symptoms.
Obesity is a significant cause of deficiency. This is because vitamin D is fat soluble and it moves from the blood into the fat cells and tends to stay there. If you’ve got too much fat in your system, too much vitamin d gets sucked in, leaving not enough for the rest of you.
Sources of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin. Sun is good for your health. But that said it is definitely NOT good to get so much in one go that causes burning.
Vitamin D produced by the sun can be stored in the body, so in northern latitudes it’s important to make the most of this in the summer.
It’s difficult to get your full quota of vitamin D from your diet. But good sources include oil fish and egg yolks. It is also added to some fortified cereals and milk.
Vitamin D is the only supplement I currently take, since I live in the UK. I only take it in the winter months. I take 1,000iu daily.
Vitamin D is needed for all round health and it’s so easy to become deficient. I enjoy the sun much more since learning more about it. I also take care not to become deficient over the winter, through my diet and a supplement.
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Uber Health to you
Dr Julie