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Unusual symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can lurk unnoticed until serious health problems crop up. Even doctors frequently miss these 10 signs of very low levels.
Flu is sometimes referred to as “Vitamin D deficiency disease”. Now, COVID may be proving to be a similar virus according to researchers. Avoiding vitamin D deficiency symptoms by keeping blood levels of this fat-soluble vitamin optimal can be lifesaving especially for the immunocompromised and the elderly.
Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council and one of the most preeminent Vitamin D researchers in the world today, has identified that vitamin D helps produce the antimicrobial peptides that protect against viruses like the flu and coronaviruses.
This is why people are more prone to complications during seasons when Vitamin D producing sunshine is minimal or nonexistent at some latitudes, or people are too bundled up to get enough skin exposed in the first place.
Scientific research bolsters Dr. Cannell’s suggestion that vitamin D deficiency is why people get the flu. A study published in the journal Nature Immunology further explains how vitamin D protects us by properly activating T cells, an important part of the immune system:
When a T cell is exposed to a foreign pathogen, it extends a signaling device or ‘antenna’ known as a vitamin D receptor, with which it searches for vitamin D.
This means the T cell must have vitamin D or activation of the cell will cease. If the T cells cannot find enough vitamin D in the blood, they won’t even begin to mobilize.
This is troubling given that vitamin D levels were reported by the Archives of Internal Medicine in 2009 to have plummeted for every single age, race, and ethnic group in the United States over the past two decades.
Low Vitamin D Levels Can Lurk Unnoticed
Vitamin D deficiency is such that it can lurk unnoticed until it is too late and you are already sick. Another challenge is that it takes time, usually at least several weeks, to raise vitamin D levels. As a result, a few days of taking supplements is not going to cut it. This is true especially if you have a serious deficiency challenge to overcome or already have the flu.
Below are 10 signs that vitamin D is likely a problem and potentially a serious deficiency that needs to be addressed immediately. If any of these symptoms are an issue for you, a simple and inexpensive vitamin D blood spot test can be ordered online. It can be used in the privacy of your home to determine if your vitamin D levels are in the danger zone.
Best Foods to Address Deficiency
If low levels do indeed need to be addressed, the best whole food-based supplement to bring vitamin D levels into optimal range without the danger of overdosing is unheated, unprocessed cod liver oil (where to find).
Natural vitamin D drops from sheep wool are also a good idea temporarily if levels must be raised quickly.
Two other foods extremely high in Vitamin D include fish roe and lard from pastured animals.
Wild roe contains about 17,000 IU of Vitamin D per tablespoon and pastured lard (vetted source) has 10,000 IU per tablespoon according to tests conducted by the Weston A. Price Foundation. This is nearly as much as you would get during a day at the beach in a bathing suit.
I purchase my fish roe at gourmet stores. Additive-free brands can also be purchased online.
Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms Usually Blamed on Something Else
Be aware of these symptoms, some of them quite strange, that are frequently blamed on something else. Since Vitamin D deficiency is so easy to address with lifestyle and dietary modifications, it is a good idea to consider this “low hanging fruit” approach first.
1. Chronic Pain
Bone pain and chronic pain, in general, is a subtle symptom of serious vitamin D deficiency. Don’t take this symptom lightly! Get your vitamin D levels checked and address the problem.
A study conducted by Greg Plotnikoff, MD, senior consultant with the Allina Center for Health Care Innovations, makes the point. 150 people living in Minneapolis who came to a health clinic complaining of chronic pain were tested for vitamin D levels. Virtually every single one, 93%, suffered from extremely low vitamin D. “The group with the lowest levels of vitamin D were white women of childbearing age,” Plotnikoff says.
2. Muscle Weakness
Here’s a shocker most folks don’t realize: most muscle weakness issues are low vitamin D related. The National Institutes of Health reports that a person suffering from a vitamin D deficiency will have trouble with proper muscle function.
3. Psoriasis
This extremely common skin issue is an autoimmune disorder that many don’t realize can be vitamin D-related. This nutrient plays an important role in the treatment of psoriasis. Psoriasis gets worse over time and spreads, so even if you only have a little spot on your elbow or knee, get your vitamin D levels checked, and be sure to be taking a daily dose of high vitamin, unheated cod liver oil.
4. Constant Fatigue
Vitamin D is necessary for the body to produce energy. If you are constantly tired or must lean heavily on that morning cup of Joe to get going in the morning, best to play it safe and get your levels checked.
5. Depression
No, it’s not all in your head! Feelings of hopelessness can be related to nutritional D deficiency. The Vitamin D Council reports that vitamin D is critical for the brain to produce the happy hormone serotonin.
Some folks only suffer from depression during winter months, known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This condition is caused by lack of sun exposure and hence vitamin D during this time of year.
6. Sweaty Head
This is quite possibly the weirdest symptom of vitamin D deficiency. Old-time doctors apparently used to ask new mothers if their heads were sweatier than normal in order to pinpoint a lurking vitamin D deficiency as reported by NDHealthFacts.
A sweaty head is also a subclinical symptom of rickets, possibly the most prominent and dangerous form of vitamin D deficiency in children.
7. Constant Respiratory Problems
This warning symptom is related to flu as a vitamin D deficiency disease. If low vitamin D puts people at risk for flu, it stands to reason they would be at risk for other respiratory problems too, and possibly on a chronic basis. Studies have demonstrated that vitamin D protects against respiratory illness particularly in children, who require hospitalization most frequently due to bronchiolitis and pneumonia.
Scared of COVID or the flu? The most proactive step you can take short of frequent beach jaunts is to make sure your Vitamin D levels are high by taking a daily dose of cod liver oil!
8. Hypertension and/or Cardiovascular Disease
My mother helped resolve high blood pressure issues with a daily dose of high vitamin cod liver oil. Her success in this regard is in line with the Vitamin D Council which recommends adequate vitamin D levels in order to avoid this silent, symptomless killer. 1 out of every 3 Americans and 4 in 10 worldwide suffer from this serious condition.
In addition, the National Institutes of Health has identified vitamin D deficiency as a risk factor that can lead to congestive heart failure.
9. Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease is a growing health concern. It is a primary and powerful predictor for premature cardiovascular disease.
Not surprisingly, given that cardiovascular disease itself indicates a likely vitamin D deficit, research indicates that those that suffer from chronic kidney disease are also D deficient in a big way.
10. You are an Infection Magnet
If you suffer from one infection after another, it is wise to get those vitamin D levels checked pronto. As described above, T cells which are an important part of the immune system, are properly activated by vitamin D. If D levels are low or even undetectable, adequate and effective immune response to an infection in the body will be severely hampered.
Do you suffer from one or more of these 10 symptoms of low vitamin D? Did you know that these signs are usually blamed on something else? Did you suspect a vitamin D deficiency might be the true reason? Have you ordered a blood spot test kit or started taking unheated, high vitamin cod liver oil? What did you find out from testing and what have your results been?
References
Why You Get the Flu
Vitamin D and Hypertension
Vitamin D and Chronic Kidney Disease
Vitamin D Intake in Young Children with Acute Respiratory Infection
NDHealthFacts
More Information
6 Little Known Signs of Adrenal Fatigue
Sulphur: The Forgotten Nutrient
The Vitamin Deficiency that is Written All Over Your Face
Macrobiotic Diet and Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D2 in Mushrooms
Vit D has made a huge difference for me. Even before I got pregnant I was so drained all the time. I wanted a vbac and my doctor warned me that low vit d could damage accomplishing that. Sure enough, my body was extremely low. I started taking good quality supplements and saw an immediate difference in my energy and focus
Sherina Soord, you don’t need to be worried about how much sun the kids would be getting to determine your dose. It would take quite a bit of bit d to overdose. The only reason you would need to be worried about Vit k is if you actually have a clotting issue. It does not cause clotting issues in healthy people. Your d3 is not use less without the Vit K, its just better for your system, you get more use out of the vit d if taken with K because they work synergistic with eat other, boosting and making eat other work better. What are the ages of your kids, I can let you know the doses. An adult is easy 5000 iu daily, pregnancy is 6000iu. It your levels are low to begin with a Dr will tell you a different amount to get them up, but those numbers I gave are general daily dose. This article might help understand. The dosing I gave above is for D3 alone. This will take about cod liver oil and Vit K.
My daughter is nursing her 1 month old baby girl at this time… My daughter takes 25,000 units of D3 each week. Do we need to be concerned about the baby’s vitamin D level? If so, how do you give a one month old D3? Thanks!
I personally would never give a child or baby vitamin D3 drops. Vitamin D really should ideally be taken with vitamin A in a whole food source as they synergistically prevent overdosing. The Weston Price Foundation recommends a quarter tsp of plain, fermented cod liver oil for babies started at 3 months old (and the mother should be taking 2 tsp per day).
Sarah, I believe you misunderstood Joanne’s question. She mentioned how much Vit. D her DAUGHTER is taking and wondered if the baby would be getting too much through her daughter’s breastmilk. She is not directly giving the baby any supplements.
Oh thanks … reading to quickly then. Sorry! I still don’t like vitamin D drops even for a breastfeeding mother. 2 tsp of fermented cod liver oil is a much better and safer choice in my opinion.
I’m a nurse in northern California. The hospitals usually fill up this time of year, I always attributed this to the weather change. This year I didn’t think it would happen yet, as we’re in a drought and its sunny and warm. Yet we filled up just like every year. I was wondering what it was about this time of year, then it hit me when I left work and it was dark already. The days are shorter.
Good observations! The vitamin D available from the sun is waning even if it is sunny outside during Fall/Winter. Even where I live in Central FL, this time of year you can only get D from the sun a few short hours during the midday.
I am BEYOND confused and annoyed with this whole D3 and K thing. Whenever I finally feel like I’m doing it right with my kids, someone tells me it’s wrong.
So for a year I’ve been giving my kids D3 and now all of the sudden apparently bc my D3 doesn’t have Vit K in it, it’s useless! So I go to the store to get a D3 with Vit K and the lady said no it’s not true and some people need to be careful taking K bc it can clot your arteries….. I don’t know who to believe!!!
And I find that D is tricky bc I never know how much to give to my kids bc I never know how much sun they will get that day
Hi Sarah,
Thank you for sharing all your research! I had been taking Blue Ice Royal Butter oil/FCLO Blend and bought an entire case. Since then, I have eliminated dairy from my diet to see if that would be of help to my autoimmune issue. Do you happen to know if butter oil would be problematic if someone is sensitive to dairy? I’m not yet sure if I am sensitive to it.
Thanks,
Susan
Susan, most folks are fine with butter oil as it has had all the typically allergenic proteins removed and is just pure oil like ghee.
Excellent Information
I am 61 and just recently started getting vit d shots.
I am a classic example of low vit d. This year my body just kind of quit to let me know. I was sick the whole year. My doc suggested low vit d . I protested as I live in phoenix and practically live outside, don’t use sunscreen etc.
He was bang on. I also have lead poisoning which is apparently another very common problem and he says that’s why I have a problem with getting vit d from the sun.
I had ZERO energy, terrible rashes,
and as I said, constantly sick with flu.
Many tests later revealed kidney problems too. Stage 2 failure.
Like Sarah says , low vit d is very common. Don’t let this get away on you. I would have ignored this article
because of my exposure to the sun.
However getting to the root of the problem is just as important as treating the symptoms.
Wise words Vivian. Almost everyone is Vitamin D deficient anymore … primarily due to misguided sun phobia and animal fat phobia. That said, as we get older, it is harder to get adequate D and drastic measures might be required as determined by a physician.
I’ve been taking FCLO daily for several years. I also try to eat a WAP diet-I’m not perfect, but I feel like I eat pretty well. I just recently got my blood checked and my vit D was low…so what do I do if I’m already taking FCLO and my levels are still low?
Low sulphur levels can contribute as described by Dr. Seneff at a Wise Traditions Conference a couple years ago. I would highly recommend reading her research on sulphur and how this can impact the ability to raise vitamin D levels. Here’s an article I wrote on it awhile back. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/sulphur-the-forgotten-nutrient/
Check out grassrootshealth.net for good, unbiased vitamin d info. They are a repository of scientific info and are running a multi year study of vitamin d levels in people across North America. Join up and get your levels tested 🙂