Vitamin D deficiency often goes undiagnosed, especially during the winter months. A doctor has shared the warning signs to look out for – from painful ankles to a stiff neck
As the gloom of winter sun deprives many of a vital vitamin – a doctor has set out key symptoms that signal a deficiency.
During these dark months, when unreliable British weather and truncated days conspire against us, our supply of the sunshine-generated vitamin D can plummet – right when we’re between October’s chill and March’s dawn.
Getting your dose from the sun is straightforward enough for the rest of the year, but come winter, the spectre of deficiency looms, potentially ushering in a suite of unwelcome health troubles. It pays to be vigilant about the warning signs.
Enter Dr Janine Bowring, the TikTok savvy physician who laid bare the half-dozen red flags everyone should be wary of:
1. Achy ankles
Are you greeted by pain in your feet and ankles with your morning shuffle? This discomfort upon waking could be a clue, as Dr Bowring illuminated, reports the Express.
2. Sore muscles
Feeling like yesterday was leg day every morning? Muscle soreness and stiffness could be whispering secrets of low vitamin D, according to the good doctor.
3. Stiff neck
If your neck and upper back seem to protest more often, this too might be rooted in a shortage of the D vitamin. “You get achy in this area,” Dr Bowring notes.
4. Pain in knees, hips and ankles
Beyond just the ankles, pain can lodge itself in knees and hips as well, hinting at the same insufficiency.
5. Chronic back pain
Persistent back pain is another harbinger of potential vitamin D shortfall Dr Bowring advises you to heed.
6. Struggle to clench hands
Lastly, if forming a fist feels like an ordeal, it may be time to consider your vitamin status.
“If any of these are problematic for you, it may be time to ask your doctor about testing your vitamin D levels,” the doctor advised. Luckily, taking vitamin D supplements during the UK’s winter months could help prevent a deficiency.
Public Health England recommends that all adults and children over one year old consider taking a 10 microgram vitamin D pill from October through early March. Dr Janine suggested choosing vitamin D3, adding: “Make sure it has good carrier oil like MCTs from coconuts to help with that proper absorption.”
