Strength and Health Through Synergy

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamin D deficiency symptoms have become an extremely hot topic of late in both conventional and alternative medicine and awareness is definitely on the rise. A recent study found that over 80 percent of Americans have Vitamin D deficiency symptoms and are Vitamin D deficient.

“80% of Americans are Vitamin D Deficient!”

In the past Vitamin D deficiency symptoms and Vitamin D deficiency have been associated primarily with rickets and osteomalacia. Rickets is a disease that affects children, in which the bone tissue doesn’t properly mineralize, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. Osteomalacia, is a bone-thinning disorder that occurs exclusively in adults and is characterized by proximal muscle weakness and bone fragility. But increasingly, research is starting to reveal the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of health problems like: low energy levels, heart disease, stroke, cancer, depression, and the immune system. Insufficient levels of Vitamin D may be joining smoking, obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure as a cause for early death, according to a recent Johns Hopkins study.

Medical school students

In the world of specialized medicine many of today’s physicians receive little or no training in medical school for this problem. Your physician may not be in the routine of testing for Vitamin D deficiency or, if they are conducting tests, they may not be familiar with the proper treatment. Practitioners from both conventional and alternative medicine are starting to see more and more cases of Vitamin D deficiency.  Leading researchers estimate that Vitamin D deficiency affects over 80 percent of the people living in the United States. 

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamin D deficiency may be characterized by any or a combination of the following symptoms:

• Low energy and fatigue

• Joint pain and/or swelling

• Muscle aches, pains and/or spasms

• Chronic pain

• Uncontrolled weight gain

• High blood pressure

• Poor concentration and memory

• Headaches

• Bone pain

• Symptoms of depression and mood swings

• Sleep irregularities.

• Weakness

• Kidney problems

• Bowel problems – constipation, diarrhea, or both

For many people, the symptoms are subtle and can worsen over time. Even without visible symptoms, too little Vitamin D can pose health risks .

Health Risks Related to Vitamin D Deficiency

Low blood levels of vitamin D have been associated with the following:

• Heart disease

• Cancer

• Diabetes

• Fibromyalgia

• Arthritis – tendinitis, bursitis, gout

• Obesity

• Parkinson’s disease

• Alzheimer’s disease

• Osteoporosis

• Osteomalacia

• Autoimmune diseases

• Gum disease and tooth loss

• Increased risk of falls and fractures as you become older.

Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency

Limited exposure to sunlight

• Limited exposure to sunlight – The body makes Vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight. People in today’s urban digital lifestyle seldom get enough sun exposure.

• Recommended levels are not consumed over a period of time – This can occur if you are a vegetarian (most natural sources of Vitamin D are animal-based) or if you are allergic to eggs and/or dairy products.

• Obesity - People with a body mass index of 30 or greater often have low blood levels of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is extracted from the blood by fat cells, altering its release into the circulation.

• Age – As individuals age, they require a greater supply of Vitamin D. The daily intake that was adequate at the age of 25 may be far less than adequate at the age of 50, leading to deficiency symptoms.

• Dark skin – Some studies show that older adults with darker skin are at high risk of Vitamin D deficiency. The pigment melanin reduces the skin’s ability to make Vitamin D in response to sunlight exposure.

• Kidneys - As people age their kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form, thus increasing their risk of vitamin D deficiency.

• Digestive system – Certain medical problems, including Chron’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease, can affect your intestine’s ability to absorb Vitamin D from the food you eat.

Michael Holick M.D. had the following to say about Vitamin D Deficiency in a recent Men’s Health Magazine article:

“I think this is a major unrecognized epidemic in the United States. It affects children and adults of all ages, all races, and both sexes. It’s very significant.”

Dr. Holick is a researcher at the Boston University medical center and is the most high-profile member of the vitamin D research community. To get a FREE copy of an EXCLUSIVE interview with Dr. Holick click on the link below.

Click here for FREE Interview

Recommended reading: Vitamin D supplements 

To view related articles on Vitamin D deficiency symptoms click on the links below:

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in Children

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms and Heart Disease

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in Moods

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in Men

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in Menopausal Women

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in Women Over 50