Today is the Winter Solstice. It’s the shortest day of the year when the sun rises at its latest and sets at its earliest. After today the days will begin to get longer again until the summer solstice. During the winter, our vitamin levels can drop and just as there are seven days in the week so are there seven signs that your vitamin d levels have dropped too far.
If you’re feeling particularly sad this may partly be to do with low vitamin D levels.
Serotonin, also known as the happiness chemical, needs vitamin D to be made in the brain.
Weak muscles are also a symptom of Vitamin D deficiency.
In older adults, a lack of Vitamin D is linked to muscle weakness
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Vitamin D also helps our bodies absorb calcium to keep our bones, muscles and teeth healthy.
Not only does Vitamin D keep our bones healthy, it’s also essential in maintaining a strong immune system.
It is good practice, and recommended by many, that you take Vitamin D supplements in the winter to reinforce your immune system to help fight off winter infections
Weight gain is another sign of Vitamin D deficiency.
Research suggests that low Vitamin D levels are linked to obesity.
Correspondingly, those with higher Vitamin D levels had lower levels of body fat.
Aching bones and joints, specifically in the knees and back, is evidence that you need to increase your vitamin D levels.
This is because, as mentioned, vitamin D plays a key role in your bone health.
With regard to mental health, Holland and Barrett note that those with low levels of Vitamin D are around 11 times more likely to develop depression than those without low levels of the vitamin.
However, more research is needed in this area to provide a definitive conclusion.
The main way to increase your Vitamin D levels during the winter is to take a vitamin D supplement.
You can find Vitamin D in fish, eggs, red meat and wild mushrooms.