Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms - Why Take Vitamin D?
Most of us are not getting enough vitamin D. As much as I don't like it, sometimes we need supplements.
I prefer whole foods for nutrients, and I don't like the idea of managing our bodies on a micronutrient level - there's so much more to us than vitamin D!
(If you want to learn more about incorporating whole foods and making your diet healthier, check out the free 7 Secrets For Shaping Up Your Healthy Eating Habits I put together for you.)
But I also like being healthy, and there are some serious health consequences to not having enough of certain nutrients. Without vitamin D, you won't absorb and use calcium properly, and the lack of both calcium and vitamin D will weaken the structure of your bones. Researchers are also starting to link vitamin D deficiency with all kinds of health problems and diseases.
If you think I'm talking about just a vegetarian or vegan diet plan being deficient in vitamin D, I'm not - meat eaters should be just as concerned here. The results of a 2009 study showed that the majority of both vegetarians (59%) and meat-eaters (64%) do not have sufficient blood levels of vitamin D.
Diet contributed less than half the RDA for vitamin D of 400IU in this study, whether it included meat or was a vegetarian or vegan diet plan. With lots of respected health and nutrition experts now recommending a lot more than that (1000-2000IU, or even more), you can see that we all have a big gap to fill in and should be conscious of what the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are.
Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency:
muscle weakness
pain in ribs, spine, legs
muscle cramps
rickets, insomnia
nearsightedness
malformation of bones
Since these aren't the most specific symptoms, getting a blood test done to see your actual levels is a good idea.
If you take a D supplement (which I think it a great idea, and I have a recommendation for you here: recommended supplements), this is one vitamin that can build up in your body and cause issues if you take too much. You'll also want to be aware of the symptoms that happen with too much vitamin D.
Symptoms of Vitamin D Toxicity:
frequent urination
loss of appetite
nausea and vomiting
tiredness or drowsiness
dizziness
calcium deposits in soft tissues
I prefer whole foods for nutrients, and I don't like the idea of managing our bodies on a micronutrient level - there's so much more to us than vitamin D!
(If you want to learn more about incorporating whole foods and making your diet healthier, check out the free 7 Secrets For Shaping Up Your Healthy Eating Habits I put together for you.)
But I also like being healthy, and there are some serious health consequences to not having enough of certain nutrients. Without vitamin D, you won't absorb and use calcium properly, and the lack of both calcium and vitamin D will weaken the structure of your bones. Researchers are also starting to link vitamin D deficiency with all kinds of health problems and diseases.
If you think I'm talking about just a vegetarian or vegan diet plan being deficient in vitamin D, I'm not - meat eaters should be just as concerned here. The results of a 2009 study showed that the majority of both vegetarians (59%) and meat-eaters (64%) do not have sufficient blood levels of vitamin D.
Diet contributed less than half the RDA for vitamin D of 400IU in this study, whether it included meat or was a vegetarian or vegan diet plan. With lots of respected health and nutrition experts now recommending a lot more than that (1000-2000IU, or even more), you can see that we all have a big gap to fill in and should be conscious of what the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are.
Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency:
muscle weakness
pain in ribs, spine, legs
muscle cramps
rickets, insomnia
nearsightedness
malformation of bones
Since these aren't the most specific symptoms, getting a blood test done to see your actual levels is a good idea.
If you take a D supplement (which I think it a great idea, and I have a recommendation for you here: recommended supplements), this is one vitamin that can build up in your body and cause issues if you take too much. You'll also want to be aware of the symptoms that happen with too much vitamin D.
Symptoms of Vitamin D Toxicity:
frequent urination
loss of appetite
nausea and vomiting
tiredness or drowsiness
dizziness
calcium deposits in soft tissues
Source...