Vitamin D makes me think of relaxing sunny days. After all, our bodies use sunlight and cholesterol to produce it. But unfortunately, we're not always lounging poolside. While there are few ways to get it in our food, it's typically not enough without also having sunlight exposure. That can be hard if you don't spend a lot of time outdoors. Here I'm going to break down how to know if you're getting enough vitamin D and how to get more if you need to.
What Happens if You Don't Have Enough Vitamin D?
Franziska Spritzler, RD, CDE, at Healthline lists the following symptoms as signs of a vitamin D deficiency.
- Getting Sick or Infected Often
- Fatigue and Tiredness
- Bone and Back Pain
- Depression
- Impaired Wound Healing
- Bone Loss
- Hair Loss
- Muscle Pain
READ MORE: 8 Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency
Keep in mind that a lot of these symptoms are also symptoms of other health problems, so a lack of vitamin D may not necessarily be the culprit if you experiencing any of these. But it never hurts to check! At your next doctor visit, you can ask for a lab order to see if your vitamin D levels are within a healthy range.
If your levels are low, your doctor can prescribe you a vitamin D supplement that is perfect for you.
In the meantime, you can also try to increase some of these foods in your diet.
Foods High in Vitamin D
This list comes from WebMD.
- Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon
- Foods fortified with vitamin D, like some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals
- Beef liver
- Cheese
- Egg yolks
READ MORE: Top Foods for Calcium and Vitamin D
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