Today, 25(OH)D less than 12 ng/mL is considered evidence of severe vitamin D deficiency.
Left untreated, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis in adults, rickets in children and adverse outcomes in pregnant women. It may also be linked to heart disease, diabetes and cancer — although more study is needed on the topic.
In general, the two main causes of vitamin D deficiency are: Not getting enough vitamin D in your diet and/or through sunlight. Your body isn't properly absorbing or using vitamin D.
Having inadequate levels of vitamin D may correlate with unintentional weight gain. A study on women over the age of 65 found that participants with a lower vitamin D level experienced more weight gain. A systematic review of 23 different studies found similar associations between vitamin D deficiency and obesity.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include:
Fatigue. Not sleeping well. Bone pain or achiness. Depression or feelings of sadness.
How Long Does It Take To Recover From Vitamin D Deficiency? It can take a few weeks for your vitamin D levels to rise once you start taking supplements. Expect a 4-6 week recovery time if you don't have any underlying health issues that could slow down the recovery phase.
It can take anywhere from 1-6 months to raise vitamin D levels with supplements.
Growing evidence has demonstrated that vitamin D has a role in sleep regulation [12]. Specifically, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of sleep disorders and is associated with sleep difficulties, shorter sleep duration, and nocturnal awakenings in children and adults [13,14,15].
Levels of 50 nmol/L (20 ng/mL) or above are adequate for most people for bone and overall health. Levels below 30 nmol/L (12 ng/mL) are too low and might weaken your bones and affect your health. Levels above 125 nmol/L (50 ng/mL) are too high and might cause health problems.
Therefore, conditions that affect the gut and digestion, like celiac disease, chronic pancreatitis, Crohn's disease, and cystic fibrosis, can reduce vitamin D absorption.
Recipients of Vitamin D shots have attested to feeling better almost immediately or as soon as the next day. Sunshine will raise levels of active Vitamin D within about 8 hours – depending on the strength of the sun and your level of absorption.
There's no set time of day that's best to take vitamin D supplements. Some people say taking vitamin D supplements at night is an insomnia risk. There's no research to confirm this, but you might want to take your supplement earlier in the day if you think it's screwing with your sleep.
Injections deliver a straight shot of vitamin D3 into the muscle which is then absorbed into the body bloodstream. This makes these shots highly effective for anyone who wants to focus on increasing their vitamin D levels. Both of these options are an improvement upon typical oral supplements.
Vitamin D deficiency is highly treatable. If you are diagnosed with the condition and follow treatment recommendations, you will likely be able to increase your intake to an acceptable level, which should eliminate any symptoms or long-term problems.
The short answer is yes. Dizziness is a common symptom of vitamin D deficiency, along with fatigue and brain fog. If you are feeling dizzy all the time, it is worth checking your vitamin D levels. Insufficient vitamin D can cause dizziness because it plays a role in maintaining blood pressure and fluid balance.
Recent findings: Low vitamin D levels are associated with increased symptoms of depression and anxiety. For this reason, vitamin D screening should be performed in the prevention and treatment planning of these mood disorders.
Besides boosting mood and promoting calcium absorption, recent studies have shown that vitamin D may also aid in weight loss. For people with extra belly fat, a vitamin D supplement may be beneficial.
IBS and Vitamin D deficiency
Symptoms include a combination of diarrhoea or constipation, bloating, urgency (the need to use a restroom in a hurry), white or yellow mucus in the stool and the sensation of incompletely passing stools.
Researchers have found vitamin D also plays a role in regulating body weight. It controls the levels of a hormone called leptin which signals our brain when we are full and can stop eating. Without sufficient levels of vitamin D, the likelihood of overeating and therefore gaining weight is much greater.
The best food sources of vitamin D are oily fish, including salmon, mackerel, and sardines. Other sources include egg yolks, red meat, and liver. Vitamin D is added to some foods too, including breakfast cereals, plant milks and fat spreads. Check information on-pack to see if this applies to the products you buy.
Some side effects of taking too much vitamin D include weakness, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and others. Taking vitamin D for long periods of time in doses higher than 4000 IU (100 mcg) daily is possibly unsafe and may cause very high levels of calcium in the blood.