Vitamin D deficiency is a serious issue that many of our local downtown Toronto patients face, due to our long, harsh Winter season. For months on end, Toronto residents wake up before the sun shows its face and come home from work long after the sun has set. Not only does this lack of natural absorption of Vitamin D cause physical health issues, but it is also the root of emotional issues as well. In fact, it is very common for our patients to experience symptoms of depression when they’re truly facing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) due to a deficiency in Vitamin D. Unfortunately, we see the full gamut of Vitamin D deficiency symptoms in our Toronto patients. So make sure you look out for the symptoms in you and your loved ones.

Top 10 Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency:

1. Low Immunity: Studies show that vitamin D plays a significant role in modulating the innate and adaptive immune responses that help keep our bodies healthy. Deficiency in vitamin D is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as an increased susceptibility to infection.

2. Anxiety or depression: Researchers behind a 2013 analysis found that study participants with depression also had low vitamin D levels and statistically, people with low vitamin D were at a much greater risk of depression. Since vitamin D is important to brain function, it seems that insufficient nutrient levels may play a role in depression and other mental issues such as anxiety.

3. Tiredness & fatigue: A large observational study studied the relationship between vitamin D and fatigue in young women and found that women with blood levels lower than 20 ng/ml or 21–29 ng/ml were more likely to complain of fatigue than those with blood levels over 30 ng/ml. Another study found a strong connection between low vitamin D levels and self-reported fatigue. Many people reported increased energy levels when Vitamin D levels were boosted.

4. Chronic Pain: Researchers have found a strong link between chronic pain and low blood levels of vitamin D, which seems to correlate to the interaction between the vitamin and pain-sensing nerve cells.

5. Bone density loss: Bone pain of any sort may be a sign of vitamin D deficiency. Bone health strongly relies on proper Vitamin D levels due to a number of factors. Vitamin D improves the body’s absorption of calcium, which is crucial for bone health.. Large observational studies have found a relationship between a deficiency and chronic lower back pain.

6. Impaired Wound Healing: If you find that it takes your body a long time to heal from wounds from injury or surgery, it may be a sign that you’re suffering from a vitamin D deficiency. One test-tube study suggested that vitamin D increases the production of compounds crucial for forming new skin when healing from wounds. Another study followed patients recovering from dental surgery to find that certain healing aspects were compromised by vitamin D deficiency.

7. Hair loss: Although more research needs to be done on this subject, it seems very likely that hair loss can be a sign of low vitamin D levels. This has shown to be especially true in female-pattern hair loss. What’s more, many who suffer from the autoimmune condition alopecia areata (which generally results in full hair loss) have been found to have very low levels of vitamin D.

8. Muscle Pain: The vitamin D receptor is present in nerve cells called nociceptors, which sense pain. Thus, muscle pain and Vitamin D deficiency are closely linked. A study on rats showed that a vitamin D deficiency led to pain and sensitivity due to stimulation of nociceptors in muscles. Other studies found a strong correlation between high-dose vitamin D supplementation and reduction in pain, for those who were vitamin D deficient.

9. Decreased endurance: Many athletes have found a strong correlation in their level of endurance and their vitamin D levels. Although it’s hard to trace this through studies, it seems that vitamin D’s role in modulating muscle pain, Calcium levels, chronic pain, and stress levels contributes to this symptom.

10. High or rising blood pressure: A recent European study analyzed nearly 100,000 people with a European background and found that the lower the vitamin D levels, the higher the blood pressure level was. Many other studies that have shown an indirect relation between vitamin D levels and blood pressure. Thus, yet another symptom of vitamin D deficiency seems to be hypertension.

Toronto’s Vitamin D Deficiency Cure

Try to get a healthy dose of sunlight when you can, but you may need additional Vitamin D supplementation. There are certain foods with high vitamin D levels, that can help boost your body slowly. Make sure you're taking quality multi-vitamins if you decide to take them orally. To quickly and effectively boost your Vitamin D levels, consider getting a Vitamin D injection.