By JESSICA KNIBBS

VITAMIN D is produced endogenously when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. With a distinct lack of sunshine the past few months, many people are experiencing a vitamin D deficiency without even knowing it. Experiencing a pain in this body part could be a warning sign of a vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for the body as it promotes calcium absorption in the gut and is needed for healthy bone growth. Without sufficient vitamin D, the bones become thin, brittle or misshapen. Vitamin D has other roles in the body, including modulation of cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and reduction of inflammation.

It is well understood that a lack of the nutrient could lead to a number of unsettling changes in the body such as rickets in children and bone pain caused by a condition called osteomalacia in adults.

There is another warning sign that indicates you may not have enough vitamin D and this includes getting severe headaches.

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Research reveals that a lack of the nutrient can raise the risk of chronic headaches.

A Finnish study found that men with the lowest levels of vitamin D were more than twice as likely to have headaches at least once a week, compared to those with the highest levels.

Chronic headaches were also more frequently reported by men who were examined from October through May, when vitamin D levels in the northern hemisphere are much lower.