5 Vitamin D deficiency symptoms

culled from:pulse.ng

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is only produced when the body comes in contact with sunlight, however, it could also be produced naturally in a few foods including some fish, fish liver oils, and egg yolks and in fortified dairy and grain products, here is how to know if you are unfortunately lacking Vitamin D.

1. Stress Fractures- This is the only true symptom of vitamin D deficiency, says Adrian Gombart, PhD, an associate professor in the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University at Corvallis who studies vitamin D extensively. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium (the building blocks of bones) from food, so "if you have less than 20 micrograms per milliliter of vitamin D in your blood, you don't have enough Vitamin D to transport calcium into your bones."
2. Moodiness- This is another symptom of Vitamin D deficiency. According to fitness magazine, Vitamin D regulates the conversion of the amino acid tryptophan into serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter that regulates mood. So, feeling low could simply be a symptom of a vitamin D deficiency.
3. Unability to exercise- Fitness magazine says that Vitamin D is needed for muscle fibers to develop and grow, which explains why a meta-analysis published in the Health & Fitness Journal suggests that a vitamin D deficiency may affect muscle function and fitness levels.
4. Weight gain- According to a Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise study, insufficient vitamin D levels could make you hold on to more fat, so, you can now blame lack of Vitamin D for your weight gain.
5. Inadequate exposure to sun- While it is necessary to protect your body from the harmful effects of the sun, your body still needs the sun in order to produce Vitamin D. However, there is no need to choose between skin health and bone health, so simply talk to your doctor about a supplement.

Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis, so, be sure to visit the doctor if you have one or more of the symptoms mentioned above.