Five ‘early’ signs of vitamin D deficiency – how to replenish levels

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Classed as a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D helps to absorb calcium and phosphorus from your diet. This power makes the vitamin essential for your bone and muscle health, with low levels putting you at risk of a slew of complications like bone deformities. Fortunately, an expert has shared the five “early” signs that could buy you some time to intervene.

Your body can synthesise vitamin D organically from the sunshine just by spending time outdoors with your skin bared, landing on the nutrient’s nickname as the “sunshine” vitamin.

As the sun can be a rare sight during the winter and autumn months in the UK, you need to look to other sources of vitamin D for a steady supply. 

Worryingly, many can fall deficient during this time, causing warning signs to creep up and signal it’s time to top up your levels.

From tiredness to hair loss, your body could raise a few red flags “early” according to Duncan Reid, Pharmacist at Pharmacy2U.

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He said: “It is common to have no symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency, but early signs can include:

• Fatigue and tiredness
• Bone and lower back pain
• Muscle aches and pain
• Regularly getting sick (for example with colds or flu)
• Hair loss.

“In the long term, vitamin D deficiency may lead to bone deformities. In children, it can cause rickets, and in adults, it can cause a similar condition called osteomalacia (soft bones).”

Because of the risks posed by the lack of the sunshine vitamin, you need to visit your GP if you experience these signs, the expert advised.

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“If you have any symptoms listed above and suspect you may have a vitamin D deficiency you may wish to visit your GP for a blood test to detect low levels,” Reid said.

Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to help top up the missing “sunshine” vitamin and minimise your risk of further health problems.

Reid’s “top tips” for replenishing vitamin D levels include taking supplements, introducing foods packed with vitamin D into your diet and getting more sunshine.

While the last tip might only be possible from about later March to the end of September, other tweaks can be used all year round.

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The NHS also advises taking a daily vitamin D supplement between October and early March in the UK.

“This is especially important if you live in a region that gets less sunlight or if you have darker skin as you may not gain enough vitamin D from direct sunlight alone,” the pharmacist said.

Adults need to take 10 micrograms of the sunshine nutrient during autumn and winter each day, the health service explains.

However, babies up to the age of one need 8.5 to 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day.

While this daily supplement is non-negotiable, you don’t want to overdo it either. Reid said: “It’s important to monitor your intake as taking too much vitamin D, over a long period of time, can cause a build-up of calcium in the body (hypercalcaemia) which can weaken the bones and cause damage to the kidneys and heart.

“Therefore, it’s important to not exceed 100 micrograms (4,000 International Units) of vitamin D daily except on the advice of a doctor.”

When it comes to foods packed with the essential nutrient, the following options are good choices:

• Oily fish (such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel)
• Red meat (such as steak, liver)
• Egg yolks
• Specially fortified foods (some breakfast cereals, spreads, oranges and mushrooms).

“It’s important to note that unlike other countries, cow’s milk, in the UK, is not fortified so is not a good source of vitamin D,” he added.

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