Vitamin D is an important nutrient that helps to keep your body healthy, but during the autumn and winter months people are known to have deficiencies in it.
The vitamin helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body which are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy.
During the spring and summer months, people should be able to get enough Vitamin D from sunlight, but when the autumn and winter come along there is usually less sunlight to benefit from this.
A lack of Vitamin D can lead to bone deformities such as rickets in children and bone pain caused by a condition called osteomalacia in adults.
The NHS website states: "Government advice is that everyone should consider taking a daily vitamin D supplement during the autumn and winter.
"People at high risk of not getting enough Vitamin D, all children aged 1 to 4, and all babies (unless they're having more than 500ml of infant formula a day) should take a daily supplement throughout the year."
If you are worried you are suffering from a Vitamin D deficiency, here are the symptoms you need to be aware of.
What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency?
The nine symptoms that people need to look out for that could indicate Vitamin D deficiency include:
- Fatigue
- Not sleeping well
- Bone pain or achiness
- Depression or feelings of sadness
- Hair loss
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Getting sick more easily
- Pale skin
Recommended reading:
- What foods and drinks are good sources of Vitamin D? Health experts explain
- 10 foods that can help give a boost to your immune system this winter
- Should I take Vitamin D in the summer? What health experts advise
How do you recover from Vitamin D deficiency?
The NHS recommends taking daily Vitamin D supplements during the autumn and winter months to try and make up for the lack of sunlight in this time period.
Additionally, Vitamin D can be found in a small number of foods, including oily fish – such as salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel.
You can also get it from red meat, liver, egg yolks and fortified foods, such as some fat spreads and breakfast cereals.
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