Vitamin D: Fatigue, weak muscles, mood swings are warning signs you're running low on it in winter

Fatigue and muscle weakness are big warning signs of vitamin D deficiency

Come colder months and lethargy clings to your limbs as you try to fight the persistent fog of fatigue. Your body feels tired and achy at all times. Pay attention to these signs and you might discover that you are deficient in Vitamin D. Understanding your body's subtle cues and taking precautions is vital for combating this deficiency and maintaining good health.

Vitamin D is an important vitamin that lifts your mood, ensures a good sleep and boosts your health. It works alongside other important minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphate to keep your bones strong. Therefore, an absence, or deficiency, of this vitamin can hamper your health. Study results even link vitamin D deficiency to serious health concerns such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune issues, and even depression. In young children, it may cause bone troubles known as rickets, while adults could battle osteoporosis, a condition weakening the bones.

Causes of vitamin D deficiency: During the colder months, there are fewer days of bright sunlight, which leads to a reduction in your main Vitamin D source. This major seasonal shift, alongside increased indoor periods, inadequate dietary intake, or specific medical conditions, heightens the chances of experiencing Vitamin D deficiency.

Here are 6 signs and symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency:

Dreary days, weary bones: Fatigue and muscle weakness are big warning signs of  vitamin D deficiency. Inadequate levels of this vitamin may lead to persistent tiredness and reduced muscle strength since plays a pivotal role in energy metabolism and muscle function .

Mood swings and depression: Low Vitamin D levels are linked to mood regulation. Studies suggest a connection between deficiency and mood disorders, including depression.

Weak immunity and frequent infections: Insufficient Vitamin D can threaten the immune system, increasing vulnerability to infections. A lack of this vitamin may involve weakening of  the body's defense against various illnesses and result in frequent infections.

Bone pain and osteoporosis: Vitamin D is vital for calcium absorption, which is important for bone health. Deficiency of vitamin D and calcium can cause bone pain and, in severe cases, contribute to osteoporosis or brittle bone conditions.

Delayed wound healing: Sometimes the healing of your wound can take longer than required. Insufficient Vitamin D levels may impede the body's ability to heal wounds effectively. This deficiency could delay the healing process for injuries or surgical wounds.

Excessive hair loss and thinning: Vitamin D plays an important role in the growth and development of hair follicles. Multiple studies have linked lower Vitamin D levels in the blood to common hair loss conditions like telogen effluvium, androgenetic alopecia, alopecia areata, and trichotillomania.

Lifestyle adjustments to maintain Vitamin D levels during winter: Prioritise sunlight exposure during peak daylight hours, include Vitamin D-rich foods like fatty fish and fortified dairy, take vitamin D supplements after consulting your doctor, exercise indoors near well-lit areas, cautiously utilise UV sources for Vitamin D production, wear skin-exposing clothing when possible, and monitor Vitamin D levels through blood tests, if required.