This is the vitamin your body is missing when your legs and bones hurt.

• Pain in the legs, bones, or joints
• Muscle weakness or fatigue
• Frequent muscle cramps
• Increased risk of fractures
• A heavy or aching sensation in the limbs

Because these symptoms can overlap with other conditions, they are sometimes dismissed as simple aging or stress.

How to Know if You Are Deficient

The most reliable way to determine your vitamin D status is through a blood test that measures 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels. This simple test can clarify whether your symptoms may be linked to deficiency.

Certain factors increase the risk of low vitamin D levels, including limited sun exposure, darker skin tone, aging, obesity, digestive disorders, and diets low in vitamin D–rich foods.

Ways to Improve Vitamin D Levels

If a deficiency is confirmed, there are several practical ways to restore healthy levels.

Sun exposure
The body naturally produces vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight. Spending about 10 to 30 minutes in the sun several times per week may help, depending on skin type, location, and season. It is important to balance sun exposure with skin protection.

Dietary sources
Some foods naturally contain vitamin D, while others are fortified. Good sources include: