Lifestyle

6 Signs of Low Vitamin D Most People Blame on Getting Older

By Erica Coleman · October 26, 2026

Feeling worn out, achy and a little unsteady is easy to write off as part of growing older. Sometimes, though, a shortfall of one nutrient is part of the story, and it is one that becomes more likely with age.

Cleveland Clinic describes vitamin D deficiency as a common deficiency that causes issues with bones and muscles, and says it most commonly affects people over 65 and people with darker skin. It also notes that a lack of vitamin D isn’t as obvious in adults as it is in children, and that some people have no signs at all.

Age matters for a simple reason. The National Institutes of Health’s Office of Dietary Supplements says your skin’s ability to make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight declines as you age. MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, adds that older adults’ kidneys are also less able to convert vitamin D to its active form.

These are the signs listed by Cleveland Clinic and federal health sources.

Fatigue. Cleveland Clinic lists fatigue first among the possible signs in adults. It explains that when a long or severe shortage leads to low calcium in the blood, the result can include fatigue.

Bone pain. Bone pain is on the Cleveland Clinic list. In adults, severe deficiency can cause osteomalacia, a softening of the bones that the Office of Dietary Supplements says causes bone pain and muscle weakness.

Muscle weakness. Cleveland Clinic, the Office of Dietary Supplements and MedlinePlus all connect low vitamin D with weak muscles. The Office of Dietary Supplements notes that muscles help maintain balance and prevent falls.

Muscle aches and cramps. Cleveland Clinic includes muscle aches and muscle cramps, and the Office of Dietary Supplements says a shortage may lead to weak, painful muscles.

Mood changes. Cleveland Clinic lists mood changes, like depression, among the possible signs in adults.

Bones that break more easily. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, long-term shortages of vitamin D and calcium cause bones to become fragile and break more easily. MedlinePlus says a deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures.

Several things raise the risk besides age. MedlinePlus lists people with dark skin; people with obesity, because body fat binds some vitamin D; people who have had gastric bypass surgery; people with chronic kidney or liver disease; and people who take certain cholesterol, anti-seizure, steroid and weight-loss medicines. Cleveland Clinic adds people who are homebound or rarely go outside, such as nursing home residents. The Office of Dietary Supplements points out that skin does not make vitamin D from sunlight through a window, and that clouds and smog reduce how much it makes.

The way to know is a blood test. Cleveland Clinic says providers don’t usually order routine vitamin D checks, but may test people with risk factors or symptoms. MedlinePlus lists daily recommended amounts of 600 IU for adults 19 to 70 and 800 IU for adults 71 and older, and says treatment for a deficiency is with supplements, with a provider advising how much and for how long.

More is not always better. Cleveland Clinic advises against taking higher-than-recommended doses without first discussing it with a healthcare provider, and MedlinePlus warns that too much vitamin D can be harmful, with most cases of toxicity coming from overuse of supplements.

This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Talk with your doctor about any symptoms and before starting or changing supplements or medicines. This article was produced with the assistance of AI and fact-checked against the sources cited by LightWave Reports.