6 tell-tale signs of vitamin D deficiency that you might be unaware of

Vitamin D deficiency is an issue that most people don’t even know they have., vitamin D is very necessary for our health. So much so, that a vitamin D deficiency can cause depression and puts us at risk for cancer.

Vitamin D, unlike other vitamins, is like a hormone and every single cell in the body has a receptor for it.

The primary source of vitamin D is the sun, and although there is this myth that you should not go in the sun. To some extent, this is true because excess sun exposure can lead to skin damage.

However, on the other hand, no sun exposure can also lead to vitamin D deficiency. For you to truly know that you may be deficient, you would need to go for a medical test to find out.

Still, there are some tell-tale symptoms and here are 7 of them:

1. Mood swing
If you are feeling blue from quite some time now, without any particular reason, it can be a sign of Vitamin D deficiency. Sunlight plays a major role in uplifting our mood. It is basically linked with the drop in the levels of the hormone serotonin in your brain. Exposure to bright light like sunlight increases the amount of serotonin that makes you feel happy. Sunlight is even recommended for people suffering from depression.

2. Weight gain
Vitamin D does not only help to keep your bones and teeth healthy but it also provides nitric oxide to our body. Nitric oxide is an important nutrient, which prevents us from binge eating and boosts your metabolism. Two major studies published in the Journals Diabetes and Nature indicates that failing to get enough Vitamin D may contribute to weight gain.

3. Hair fall
There can be different possible causes for your hair fall and the most common one is Vitamin D deficiency. The nutrient helps in the growth of hair by stimulating the hair follicles. So, when our body does not get enough of this nutrient, our hair quality gets affected. Vitamin D deficiency is also linked with other hair related issues.

4. Slow recovery of the wound
Studies suggest slow healing of wound can be a sign of Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D produces compounds that help in forming new skin as part of the healing process. This nutrient is also essential in controlling inflammation and fighting infection.

5. Joint pain
Calcium is an important mineral that keeps our bones healthy and strong. But for the absorption of calcium, our body requires Vitamin D. Back and joint pain can be a sign of Vitamin D deficiency. This problem is quite common among adults, especially during winters when people prefer to stay indoors due to cold weather.

6. Sleeplessness
Having trouble sleeping peacefully at night, also means that you need to spend more time in natural light. We spend a major part of our day indoors, in artificial light, which can have a negative impact on your quality sleep. As per the National Sleep Foundation, spending too much time in artificial light can disturb your circadian rhythm and you may have difficulty in falling asleep at night. To prevent this bask in the Sun regularly.