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5 Ways to Tell if You Have Vitamin D Deficiency

You pay careful attention to your healthy lifestyle, ensuring you get enough sleep, exercise, and nutrients. Making healthy choices has become a way of life for you. But, you might be missing out on one pretty important thing, something that might contribute to an increased risk of high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as other chronic health problems.

According to Dr. Michael Holick, author of The Vitamin D Solution, and a professor of medicine, physiology, and biophysics, at Boston University Medical Centre, reported in his book that about a billion people around the world are not getting enough vitamin D.

Determining whether or not you are getting enough vitamin D requires only a simple blood test, which is typically covered by insurance or Medicaid. Carole Beggarly, director of GrassrootsHealth, a nonprofit organization which is dedicated to raising awareness about vitamin D deficiency and how to improve it, stated, “It’s helpful to be thorough and see where you’re at so you know how much to supplement.” If your blood test comes back with low numbers, you should ask your doctor about whether or not you should be supplementing.

Here are five signs that you might have a vitamin D deficiency:

1. Broken bones

After you turn 30, you slowly start to stop building up bone mass. This can lead to a decrease in vitamin D, and increase your risk of developing osteoporosis. Even though many foods are fortified with vitamin D, which helped to nearly completely eliminate the bone weakening condition of rickets, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently reported that it is nearly impossible to get enough vitamin D through a typical diet, and that supplements and sun exposure are required.

2. Constant pain

People with vitamin D deficiencies typically experience bone and joint pain, which is called osteomalacia. For those with diagnoses of fibromyalgia or arthritis, these conditions can also often be improved by getting enough vitamin D. Remember, you can recover more quickly from working out when you have enough vitamin D!

3. Depression

Being low on vitamin D can affect your mood and your hormones, even the neurotransmitters in your brain, like serotonin. Imbalances in these chemicals can lead to depression.

4. Unexplained weakness

Not having enough vitamin D can lead to problems with muscle strength. It won’t matter how much you lift weights, it will be difficult to get stronger when you are low on this nutrient. You will also be more tired when you are low on vitamin D. Increase your power and your energy by making sure you are getting enough each day. Fortunately, this problem is reversible within a few months once you start getting enough vitamin D.

5. Excessive sweating

When you are low on vitamin D, you will notice that you are sweaty without increasing your physical activity. If you find yourself glistening without working out, you should see your doctor and have your vitamin D levels tested.

These are only a few signs that you might be deficient in vitamin D. If you are demonstrating any of these symptoms, be sure to check with your doctor to find out if you need more vitamin D.

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