Vitamin D is not just any other vitamin, but it is one of the MOST important nutrient that ensures a strong immune system to fight against infection and to an extent, act as a natural remedy to prevent or control depression.
At present, the pandemic has restricted most of our visits to general physicians and to the hospitals for general checkups, and most of us are also staying indoors, away from sunlight that is essential for Vitamin D synthesis in the skin. So under this condition, how can you identify a Vitamin D deficiency?
Nutritionist Avni Kaul (a.k.a India’s popular nutritionist and weight loss dietician) shares, “Commonly symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can be subtle or even non-existent in the early stages. But if we take the subtle symptoms seriously and consult with a doctor over phone or chat, immediately, we may correctly identify and treat the issue. There are some of the common symptoms that can tell you if someone has its deficiency or not, and here are those,”.
Muscle Weakness
One of the early signs of Vitamin D deficiency is muscle weakness and that can express as body fatigue. If you’re experiencing a more general fatigue and muscle weakness lately then it’s time to consult a doctor.
Bone or Joint Pain
As an adult our bones are no longer growing, rather new bone tissue constantly replaces the old. Vitamin D deficiency interferes with that replacement, leading to the softening of bones known as osteomalacia (or “adult rickets”), which causes pain and increases the osteoporosis. Thus in the early stages of vitamin d deficiency, a person may experience bone or joint pain.
Respiratory Problems
According to WHO study on Vitamin D Deficiency and pneumonia in Children, (https://www.who.int/elena/titles/vitamind_pneumonia_children/en/), and this is especially true in children. Hence someone suffering from frequent respiratory problems could be an indication of vitamin D deficiency and he/she should immediately be consulted with a medical health expert.
Sweaty head
You will notice that sometimes pediatric ask new mothers if newborn’s heads were sweating more than normal. Yes, sweaty head is a very early sign of vitamin D deficient both in infants and in adults. So, if you find your forehead sweating in situations that wouldn’t normally cause you to perspire, then it could be the early sign of vitamin D deficiency and that means you must talk to a healthcare professional, immediately.
5. Depression
Vitamin D is also referred to as the sunshine vitamin since it is activated in our body (skin) by sunlight. In fact, this essential nutrient even supports our brain’s proper functioning. Vitamin D helps our brains produce dopamine and serotonin, a chemical that contributes to wellbeing and happiness.
According to the science journal Chemical Neuroanatomy published in 2005 ((https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0891061804001176) vitamin D receptors in the brain are located in the same region that is linked with depression and the study suggest a strong link between depression and mood swings with vitamin d deficiency.
Hence if you are lately feeling sad without any reason or frequently experiencing mood swings or if you are a depression patient and experiencing frequent depression episodes, then it’s the time you must consult your doctor and check for vitamin d deficiency.
If you are wondering how to increase the Vitamin D level in your body, you can refer to our previous blog post http://www.avnikaul.com/blog/2020/05/30/how-to-boost-vitamin-d-when-you-are-stuck-indoors-by-nutritionist-avni-kaul-delhi/, where Nutritionist Avni Kaul has shares important daily diets that help body to gain Vitamin D and help you boost your immune system during pandemic times.
Special Online Diet Program, Designed for Home Quarantine
Do anxiety, boredom, and stress from home isolation are causing you sleeplessness, fluctuations in blood pressure and sugar levels, frequent indigestions? Are you worried about your immunity level and weight gain due to the homestay and due to the absence of morning walks and Gym?
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