How To Tell If You Are Vitamin D Deficient

What is Vitamin D? 

The feeling of the sun on our skins is genuinely something special. It brings peace to the human body, and beyond a nice tan, it nourishes us in more ways than one. Vitamin D is also called the "sunshine vitamin," For good reason, our vitamin D's primary source comes from the sun. During sun exposure, the ultraviolet rays are absorbed in our skin, which eventually metabolizes into our liver, kidneys, and small intestines. All of this is the body's way to maximize the absorption of calcium¹.

Why is it essential for our health? 

According to a 2011 study, 41% of American adults are Vitamin D deficient. Many of the leading causes of death in America are linked to Vitamin D deficiency². Vitamin D is essential for our bone, heart, and immune health, and overall mood. It is common to find that people that live in areas that experience harsh winters or a populous city are Vitamin D deficient. It is also something that vegans or people that do not eat dairy need to watch. 

Things that put you at a higher risk of being vitamin D deficient: 

• Living somewhere that experiences harsh winters
• Having darker skin 
• Being obese 
• Not eating fish or dairy 
• Working inside or spending long periods indoors 

Signs that you are Vitamin D deficient:

Signs of being vitamin D deficient are usually pretty mild, and many people do not even realize that they lack this essential vitamin. This is why it is crucial to know if you are at risk and be proactive in making sure you are taking in vitamin D through your foods or supplements. 

Also, be on the lookout for these signs: 

• Bone discomfort or pain in the lower back, pain or lower extremities³ 
• Increased risk of falls or physical impairments
• Feeling overall unwell or often sick 
• Feeling tired or fatigued regularly 
• Feeling "down" or depressed⁴
• Hair Loss 
• Bone Loss 

What to do? 

So much of our Vitamin D comes from sunlight, especially Vitamin D2. Not many foods contain Vitamin D2³, so make sure you soak up those sweet rays responsibly and eat foods that are rich in Vitamin D. Some foods that have the highest levels of Vitamin D are:

• Salmon 
• Milk 
• Yogurt 
• Nuts 
• Oranges 

You can also supplement your diet with vitamin D vitamins. At Triquetra Health, we search far and wide to discover the best natural products on the plant. Sun-grown Algae make our organic Plant D3. The liquid form has a mild to nonexistent taste, and studies have shown that it has higher absorption than traditional oral capsules of Vitamin D. 

We want you and your family to be the healthiest and happiest forms of yourself and hope to make it a little easier for you to get your essential intake of Vitamin D3. 

Work cited: 

1. https://go.gale.com/ps/anonymous?id=GALE%7CA139213753&sid=googleScholar&v=2.1&it=r&linkaccess=abs&issn=00384348&p=AONE&sw=w
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21310306/
3. https://www.aafp.org/afp/2009/1015/p841.html
4. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/the-british-journal-of-psychiatry/article/vitamin-d-deficiency-and-depression-in-adults-systematic-review-and-metaanalysis/F4E7DFBE5A7B99C9E6430AF472286860