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 (like with prescription vitamin D drops) is unheated, unprocessed cod liver or skate liver oils (where to find).
Two other foods extremely high in Vitamin D include fish roe and lard from pastured animals.
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?
Sources and More Information
6 Little Known Signs of Adrenal Fatigue
Vitamin D Deficiency is Why You Get the Flu
The Vitamin Deficiency that is Written all Over Your Face
Vitamin D and Hypertension
Macrobiotic Diet and Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D2 in Mushrooms?
Sulphur: The Forgotten Nutrient
Flu is a Nutritional Deficiency Disease
Vitamin D and Chronic Kidney Disease
Vitamin D Intake in Young Children with Acute Respiratory Infection
NDHealthFacts
I have nearly ALL the above symptoms, but have HAD my vit D tested & it’s fine. Now what?
What were your levels? Some doctors are using outdated information when assessing optimal vitamin D levels.
Is it fine for children to take a whole foods multivitamin and the cod liver oil on the same day? Would this be too much vitamin A?
The problem with multivitamins is they either have synthetic vitamin A in them or beta carotene which isn’t true vitamin A anyway. I personally skip multivitamins as I don’t see the value.
Are Vitamin D drops bad for you is that why you don’t suggest them? I give myself and my children the drops daily. The on,y thing in them us olive oil. It is all I can afford on our budget. The FCLO is just way too expensive for 5 of us to be taking. So it’s either the drops or tablets. Is there anything else you can recommend besides FCLO for vitamin D and a family on a tight budget? Or is there a specific way I should be taking the drops? Thank you!
I never recommend taking a vitamin in isolation which is what occurs with vitamin D drops. This is a dangerous way to supplement. Fermented cod liver oil is much safer as there is vitamin A in there in the correct ratio as nature intended which synergistically prevents overdosing.
Why is it so dangerous? Isn’t vitamin D from the sun in isolation also? I’ve noticed FCLO does not label the amounts of A and D anymore…how can you be sure you’re getting enough D from FCLO and that the Vit A is not too high; that the ratio is appropriate? Could you please clarify what is dangerous about the drops to help me assess this better for my family? If I know exactly how much I am giving us how would we overdose? Isn’t it rather difficult to overdose on Vit D? If I am taking 1000 iu and my children 400 daily, that seems like it could not possibly cause an overdose. Please know I am not trying to offend you by questioning you…the vagueness of “its dangerous” only scares me instead of helps me!
The body has safety mechanisms for converting a certain amount of vitamin D from the sun and no more. Too much vitamin D causes dangerous calcification … including vascular calcification!!! Nothing to mess around with there. Stick to food and sun for your Vitamin D. If you need a ton of D to raise your levels quickly, use fish eggs (1 TBL has 17,000 IU of D).
Sarah, is there a particular brand of D and K2 that you recommend?
#6 really worries me ,my 1yo always has a sweaty head. should i have him checked out, or is there someting u recommened to give him. tia
How much D is safe during pregnancy?
The Weston Price Foundation recommends 2 tsp of fermented cod liver oil per day during pregnancy which is about 2000 IU of vitamin D.
I have been having alot of pain walking to the point I use a cain or walker.I am 49 years old. My vitamin D level is 13. I use to take vitamin D pills,but found out it was not good for me to take since I have a history of kidney stones.Will this flamented oil cause me kidney stones.
Hi, Vit d does such a good job of putting calcium into your bones that it is a preventer of kidney stones. The stones settle out of your blood stream if the calcium had NOT been stashed safely away in your bones. A day at the beach is about ten thousand to fifteen thousand units, and the daily dose is around 5,000 by pill form, for the basic level most people need. Plus remember to hydrate. The number in your blood is crazy low – go outside more often too!!
Upping the amount of vitamin D has relieved me of a lot of leg pain and foot pain. The Doctor has never suggested vitamin K. I would think that since having had strokes vitamin K would not be good for me because of the clotting factor. In my case the blood needs to stay thin.
Is there a chart that says how much we should take daily. I want to take it and I also have a 10,9,5 and 2 year old. Thanks!
Check out vitamindcouncil.org. They have dosage recommendations, as well as comparisons to other agency recommendations. (At this moment, their site is being maintenanced.)
Thank you Sarah for the interesting and informative article. One question though, if you are low on vit d according to blood tests, does 2000 iu provide enough to help someone bring their levels up appropriately? I thought I read some where on Mercolas site that 2000 was not sufficient enough to dig you out of the hole so to speak.
If one is super low, I would recommend incorporating fish eggs into the diet … possibly the highest food in Vitamin D. One Tbl of fish roe has 17,000 IU of completely natural vitamin D!!!
PLEASE help, where did you learn that 1 T = 17,000 IU? Is it all roe or just certain fish like salmon?
See the linked source from testing done by the Weston Price Foundation.