Weird Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency (Must Read)
Maintaining healthy vitamin D levels is one of the best things you can do for your health.
But short of getting your blood levels checked, how can you really know if you’re getting enough?
It turns out there’s an easier way to find out if your vitamin D levels are up to snuff.
You don’t have to go to the doctor’s… or get your blood drawn.
In fact, all you have to do is take a look in the mirror.
The warning signs of a vitamin D deficiency are actually written all over your body. But they can be subtle, and it’s easy to chalk them up to something else.
They can include getting sick more often (a sign of a weakened immune system, which relies on vitamin D to stay strong), fatigue, back pain, depression, and hair loss.
But there’s an easier way to know if you NEED more vitamin D.
According to a study published in the International Journal of Rheumatic Diseases, there is a strong connection between vitamin D deficiency and dry eyes.
A few specific indicators include:
- Dry, gritty eyes
- Watery eyes
- Burning, red eyes
- Eyelids that stick together in the morning
- And temporary blurred vision that gets better when you blink.
There are a handful of ways vitamin D protects against dry eyes.
It induces cathelicidin, which is an antimicrobial protein that heals eye wounds. It enhances your tear film, which is the liquid that moistens and nourishes your eyes. It also reduces inflammation on the surface of the eye.
Of course, ads on TV will tell you that to fix your dry eyes, you just need to head to your nearest drug store to get some eye drops.
Sure, that might give you some temporary relief, but it’s not going to solve the underlying cause – especially if that cause is a deficiency in vitamin D.
Instead, take your dry eyes for what they could really be – a warning sign that you need to boost your vitamin D levels. And then do something about it.
Start by spending more time in the sun.
During the winter, you’ll also need to eat more vitamin D foods, like salmon, sardines, beef liver, oysters, and eggs. And if you can’t obtain enough vitamin D through your food, consider supplementation.
To a brighter day,
Dr. Richard Gerhauser, M.D.
