Are your vitamin D levels the cause of your fatigue?

Are you low in vitamin D?

Now that winter has truly set in, driving to work and home again in the dark is our new normal. At this time of year, it’s easy to forget just how important those daylight hours are to our health. Many of you may know that vitamin D is important and that we get it mostly by spending time in the sun. Here in New Zealand, we are fortunate to see the sun for many days each year, but deficiency is still possible, particularly during winter. For those of you on the North Island, it’s already been a long, wet, cloudy few months.  

When the sun isn’t around for us to lounge in or the cold temperatures won’t allow it, how do we get the vitamin D that we need and how can we be sure we’re getting enough?

What are the signs of low vitamin D levels?

We can start by asking ourselves, what does it look and feel like to have low vitamin D levels?

During the winter months when sunlight is scarce, you might find yourself feeling more tired than usual, less motivated to get up in the mornings, less focused or less likely to go for a walk. These unusual feelings of tiredness may persist even though you’re trying your best to maintain the same routine you had during the sunnier months that used to keep your energy levels stable. Fatigue is a constant feeling of physical and mental tiredness or both. Most of us will experience it at some point in our lives. Fatigue can set in for a range of reasons including stress, lack of exercise, diet, illness, and post-viral infection; you can see more about this in my blogs on long covid and fatigue. In winter, fatigue is common, and low vitamin D levels could be the culprit. Fortunately, fatigue is a symptom, not a condition and it can get better once the cause is identified and addressed. More signs that you might be low in vitamin D include pale skin, unsatisfying sleep, moodiness, brain fog, weakness, aching body, hair or appetite loss and getting sick easily or regularly.

If this sounds familiar, it might be time to check in with a health practitioner.  

Which foods contain vitamin D?

Fatigue can affect our performance during work, school, and life in general. To help keep our vitamin D levels stable, for stamina against winter fatigue, we can turn to more vitamin D-rich foods to boost our intake. Foods containing vitamin D include eggs, canned fish like tuna or sardines, fatty fish such as salmon, trout, and mackerel as well as beef liver. Just 6 to 8 eggs a week can give us the vitamin D we need. Foods fortified with vitamin D include some breakfast cereals (although cereals are usually high in sugar), some dairy and plant-based milk. You can read the packaging or nutritional panel to check if foods and drinks are fortified with vitamin D.

Who is most at risk of vitamin D deficiency and can supplements help?

For vegans, vegetarians, or those of you who might not feel like the above foods are realistic additions to your daily menu, supplements can help. Research tells us vitamin D3 supplements are a safe and effective way of ensuring we are meeting our needs. Other people at a higher risk of vitamin D deficiency include children under 5, adults over 65 and people with dark skin. However, nutritional advice is always best when it is uniquely tailored to you. A blood test will show us exactly what your vitamin D needs are.

Unfortunately, checking vitamin D levels is not free in New Zealand but if your symptoms are persistent and bothersome, it’s worth the investment. I can provide you with a blood form required for this test.

Are there long-term effects of low vitamin D levels?

Beyond remedying fatigue and other short-term symptoms, sufficient vitamin D is essential to our long-term health as well. In sunny areas of the world, certain conditions are less common which has generated global interest in the role of vitamin D. Research is still underway, but this is some of what we know so far.

Vitamin D deficiency has been strongly linked to asthma, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, tuberculosis, and rickets, which can show improvements with adequate UV exposure or sufficient vitamin D3 supplementation. D3 is a reasonably affordable supplement available in most health stores and pharmacies or you can speak to a health practitioner for advice.  

Summary

Vitamin D is essential for keeping our brain, heart, other muscles, bones, and immune system healthy. Making sure you are meeting your vitamin D needs is an important step in overcoming winter fatigue, bettering your physical and mental wellness and improving your overall quality of life.

Wishing you all the best this winter!