It is common knowledge that fatigue, headaches and muscle pain or weakness are often the first symptoms of the flu but very few people know that they are also the first symptoms of a Vitamin D deficiency. With symptoms that are so common it is easy to see why 2 out of 3 people are often misdiagnosed even by a medical professional.

But as the deficiency progresses the symptoms become more severe with symptoms ranging from restless sleeping and poor concentration to joint pain or swelling and frequent bone fractures. In fact, Vitamin D deficiency is one of the main causes of Osteoporosis.

There are many different factors that can cause a Vitamin D deficiency but the main cause is the lack of natural sunlight. Vitamin D3 is actually produced in our skin from exposure to sunlight. That is why this deficiency is most prevalent in winter, as the cold weather elements come in daily outdoor activities are usually abandoned.

Obesity is also another major factor in a Vitamin D deficiency. One reason is because Vitamin D is a fat-soluble hormone and is stored in fat tissues. The more fatty tissues that is available for it to be stored in means less is being distributed into the blood stream where it is needed. Most diet plans also eliminate many Vitamin D foods that are needed.

The average requirement of Vitamin D ranges in between 400 and 800 IU daily. A Vitamin D deficiency can be prevented though with a proper diet of Vitamin D foods and a daily vitamin supplement. Herring, oysters and shiitake mushrooms are known to have one of the highest levels of Vitamin D available. Realizing that this cuisine might not fit everybody's palate there are many common foods that also are rich in Vitamin D. Vitamin D rich foods also include fortified cereals, salami, bratwurst and canned tuna to name a few. Everyone knows how good milk is for you but even egg yolks, cheese and butter are a good source of Vitamin D.