Vitamin D Deficiency

You might be wondering if it is actually possible to be deficient in the “sunshine vitamin” while living in the beautiful sunshine state. The answer is, “yes!”. Avoiding the sun and not drinking milk due to allergies or preferences, or even partaking in a vegan diet may put you at risk of vitamin D deficiency, even if you live in the sunny state of Florida.

You might be at a higher risk of a vitamin D deficiency if:

• You live in an area with less exposure to the sun, such as anywhere in the northern latitudes.
• You wear heavy clothing or fully cover your body in clothes – due to religious beliefs and/or preference.
• You enjoy being a homebody and staying indoors.
• You have darker skin. Melanin (found in the skin) reduces the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D in response to sunlight exposure.
• You are obese. It is said that people with a body mass index of 30 or greater often have a lower level of vitamin D in their blood.

It is important to know about and correct a vitamin D deficiency if you have one. Not remedying it can cause an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive impairment in elder adults, asthma, cancer, and more. The best way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body is to go to your primary care doctor to get a simple blood test. If your blood test results show that you are lacking in vitamin D, you need to take action quickly. There are several proven ways for your body to get or produce vitamin D:

• Spend some time in the sun. Your body produces vitamin D when the light from the sun is exposed to your skin.
• Eat certain foods such as, but not limited to, fish, fish oils, eggs yolks, milk, and grains.

Symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency can be very subtle and most people do not realize they have an issue just from the symptoms alone. Bone pain and muscle weakness are one of the major signs of a deficiency, which can cause overall body pain and discomfort. Having trouble sleeping and digestion issues can also be symptoms of this deficiency. Getting sick often and having trouble fighting off the illness is your body’s way of showing that you are deficient. Depression, hair loss, bone loss, and tiredness are other common symptoms.

Treatment for a vitamin D deficiency is pretty simple and involves getting more of this vitamin into your body through diet, supplements, and exposure to the sun. As always, consult with your doctor if you believe that you have a vitamin D deficiency and set up your appointment for testing. Dr. Dharia and his team at Palm Beach Internal Medicine are here to help navigate you through this process and help you figure out the best way to correct a possible deficiency.