7 Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

Have you ever wondered why moms would stroll around the neighborhood while carrying their babies every morning? Well, a daily dose of vitamin D might be the answer.
 
Basking in the sun provides you with the bone-strengthening nutrient known as Vitamin D. However, this fat-soluble vitamin is also a crucial nutritive supplement for your locks. Get to know the importance of this hair vitamin and learn the different signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D is significant to various bodily functions. This vitamin boosts your body's calcium absorption. Calcium is an essential ally to promote bone growth and strength.
 
Your genes also require the assistance of vitamin D in amplifying cell growth. This vitamin regulates your protein-encoded genes responsible for cellular production.
 
Vitamin D also lowers the risk of having brittle bones, since calcium absorption for the bones is strengthened.
 
Your hair also benefits from vitamin D. Studies show that this sunshine vitamin can stimulate hair follicle growth.

The center of the solar system, known as the sun, is your number one source of this precious vitamin. Specifically, the ultraviolet rays from sunlight react with your skin, since every inch of your body has vitamin D receptors. According to a published study by the NCBI, exposure to UVR's radiation stirs the creation of 7-dehydrocholesterol in your skin. Later on, it becomes Vitamin D3. Once the receptors of various organs in the body react to this sun vitamin, the body’s biological functions become activated.
 

A hearty supply of vitamin D in your diet can go a long way for your health. According to NIH's Office of Dietary Supplements, fatty fishes like tuna, salmon, swordfish, and mackerel are packed with this nutrient. Cheese and milk are also excellent sources of Vitamin D. Other sources are eggs and beef.

Not all people are prone to experience the lack of this D-vitamin. However, certain factors can hamper Vitamin D absorption. You are apt to have this vitamin insufficiency if you are:

 
As your age increases, your body can produce the active form of vitamin D known as calcitriol. Low calcitriol levels can impede calcium absorption for your bones. Your digestive system may also experience a decline in absorbing calcium. Some proteins in your body experience faulty calcium transportation as you grow older.

 
People with darker skin tones have a higher chance of experiencing this vitamin deficiency because of melanin, the one responsible for giving your skin color. This pigment protects you from the sun's harmful UV rays. Thus, having dark skin makes it more difficult for your body to absorb the sunshine vitamin since your skin naturally protects you against it.

A daily dose of sunlight nourishes you with Vitamin D. Thus, staying indoors does not allow you to receive sunlight's vitamin gift. The ultraviolet rays can't pass through glass or opaque object like the walls and doors of your house.

 
We expose ourselves to sunlight for Vitamin D absorption. However, lathering sunscreen on your face may cause you irreparable damage instead. Too much UV rays on the skin can trigger skin cancer.

A person lacking vitamin D will experience unwanted physical changes. Here are seven symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency.
 

Studies show a correlation between vitamin D deficiency and daytime sleepiness and fatigue. This vitamin can increase your body's sleep-regulating substances like the prostaglandin. An imbalance of this sleep-inducing chemical can push your body into a dormant state. You may opt to have your Vitamin D levels checked if you've been feeling restless lately.

Vitamin C isn't your only weapon to ward off common infections. A published study from The BMJ focused on vitamin D's power to boost your immune system and prevent sickness. Other medical studies also associate this fat-soluble vitamin's boosting ability against acute respiratory illnesses. 
 
Therefore, if you're experiencing a common cold or flu, you may need to supplement yourself with vitamin D for faster healing time.
 

You need enough calcium to make your bones sturdy. A lack of vitamin D nourishment can lead to osteomalacia or the softening of the bones since calcium absorption gets hampered. Hence, you may experience aching bones in your body due to weaker and more brittle bones.

Vitamin D isn't restricted to bone strengthening. This nutrient also keeps your muscles and joints healthy. Therefore, a person who lacks vitamin D may begin to experience aching muscles and joints. This muscle-and-joint pain might affect your daily activities like walking, running, and climbing up the stairs. Weakened muscles and joints can also deteriorate your bone strength, thereby leading to fractures and injuries. 
 

Vitamin D affects your appetite. Research shows that weight gain can be linked to vitamin D deficiency. According to scientific studies, the D-vitamin can regulate the production of the hunger hormone leptin. This hunger inhibitor curbs your desire to eat and lessens fat storage in your body. Without enough vitamin D, you may experience overeating habits, thereby gaining more weight.

Wounds take forever to be restored, but with the help of certain nutrients such as vitamin D, healing becomes faster. Cathelicidin, your immune system's peptide against bacterial infections, needs the help of vitamin D for production. Therefore, slower wound healing can be a symptom of the inadequate sunshine vitamin.

Watch out when your strands begin to fall out. Your hair follicles might be thirsty for some sunshine vitamin. Vitamin D is essential in maintaining a healthy hair follicle growth; thereby, a lack of such vitamin can weaken your follicles and lose some strands.

Even if you have experienced many of the symptoms mentioned above, never assume being deficient with vitamin D. Consult your doctor to confirm these symptoms. On the other hand, other diagnosed illnesses can serve as signs of declining vitamin D levels. Check out seven common signs of Vitamin D deficiency.

Osteoporosis happens when your bones get so weak and brittle that even a slight movement can cause fractures. Bone tissue restoration becomes slower, thereby hampering new bone tissues in replacing the old ones.
 
You will experience recurring back pain and stooped posture if you are suffering from this bone condition.

Diabetes and vitamin D deficiency have scientific connections. Research reveals that low levels of vitamin D can hinder insulin secretion in the body. Your pancreas produces insulin-making beta cells. However, vitamin D deficiency can cause beta cells to malfunction, affecting your body's way of producing insulin. 

Many people must look out for this fatal illness. Hypertension is one of the top reasons why human mortality keeps increasing year by year. A 2017 study showed that blood pressure significantly increases because of a lack of vitamin D3. This claim is supported by previous research, which shows that people with higher vitamin D levels had at least a 30% chance of not getting hypertension. Other scientific studies also support vitamin D's protective ability against hypertension.
 

Vitamin D plays a significant role in cognitive performance since your brain has vitamin D receptors. One study showed that people with depression had deficient vitamin D levels in the body. Other investigations also presented evidence of how an excess vitamin D concentration can put you at risk for depression. However, there is still a dearth of data confirming the direct involvement of vitamin D with depression.

Beware of this ailment. In multiple sclerosis, your immune system strikes your nerve fibers' protective layers, causing miscommunication between the brain and your body. In the long run, MS can cause nerve deterioration.
 
A group of researchers from several universities in Canada, London, and the United States studied the link between sunshine vitamin deficiency and multiple sclerosis. According to their investigation, most MS patients live in places with little sunlight exposure. They also discovered that an abnormality in the gene variants affecting vitamin D levels makes a person more susceptible to MS. 

Studies show that severe vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among patients suffering from breast, colon, ovarian, and prostate cancers. According to in-depth investigations, a lack of vitamin D in the body increases tumor angiogenesis in the body by having blood vessels support the lifespan of the tumor. Getting adequate vitamin D concentration keeps the cancer cells from multiplying and proliferating.

Your hair is susceptible to alopecia areata because of low vitamin D levels in your body. This alopecia is an autoimmune disease which can give you patches on your scalp. Your immune system starts attacking your hair follicles, leading to their destruction. Studies show that most autoimmune diseases are linked to vitamin D deficiency.
 

 
Vitamin D deficiency is a prevailing condition that can affect any gender and age. The fastest way to receive vitamin D is to get good sunlight exposure. You must not bask under the scorching heat of the sun to avoid skin cancer. Enjoy doing outdoor activities to get your daily dose of the sunshine vitamin. Do not forget to include vitamin D-enriched foods in your everyday diet. Your healthy lifestyle can keep your body healthy as well as protect your strands against hair loss.

 
Your hair growth lies in your hands. Grab the opportunity of getting long and thick hair by using the best hair growth products. Revitalize those locks by using a vitamin-enriched hair growth shampoo and conditioner.