5 Warning Signs You're Not Getting Enough Vitamin D

We are in the middle of winter, which means you're probably hearing a lot about which vitamins and supplements you should take to boost your immune system and keep your body feeling healthy. This includes everything from zinc to vitamin C to vitamin D. Appropriate intake of vitamin D, the "sunshine" vitamin, is linked to a healthy immune system, balanced energy, and cognitive health, among many other positive health benefits. Because sunlight is one of the strongest sources of vitamin D, and because there aren't too many food sources of this vitamin, it's common for people to be deficient during the wintertime, and many Americans are deficient in it in general.

We get vitamin D from the sun through our skin's absorption of UV rays, and there are a few foods that naturally contain vitamin D like fatty fish, beef liver, and egg yolk. You can also find foods and drinks that have been fortified with this vitamin, like fortified cereal, milk, orange juice, and yogurt. But it can be tough for people—especially those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet—to get vitamin D through their food. And with sunlight being more infrequent during winter, it can be far too easy to become deficient in this important nutrient.

How can we tell if we aren't getting enough vitamin D? To learn about some common vitamin D deficiency symptoms that are red flags that you may want to get a blood test for vitamin D deficiency, we talked with dietitians Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD and Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN. Read on, then check out The 10 Best Foods To Boost Your Immunity.