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Vitamin D Deficiency - Symptom, Treatment And Causes
What is Vitamin D deficiency?
Hypovitaminosis D or Vitamin D deficiency, can happen from inadequate nutritional intake of this vitamin or/and inadequate exposure to sunlight. There are also certain hereditary disorders that limits vitamin D absorption in the body. Impaired vitamin D conversion into active metabolites can lead to several kinds of bone diseases. Like rickets in children or osteoporosis in the adults. Less vitamin D in your body can also play a vital role in development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Symptoms :
It is often becomes very difficult to find that whether a newborn or an adult is suffering from Hypovitaminosis D. However, a swift diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency can be made if someone has a sweaty forehead. So if you find that you are ‘glowing’ while your temperature is around 98.6°F and your activity level is remaining steady you may consider doing a vitamin D test. Another sign of vitamin D deficiency is feeling overly exhausted easily. Research on this vitamin has shown that vitamin D supplementation increases muscle control.
Deficiency of vitamin D also results in mood swings and depressions as adequate vitamin D in the metabolism helps in proper secretion of hormones like serotonin.Generally your doctor will start by jotting down the patient’s history to determine if the patient has been experiencing signs and symptoms that can indicate deficiency of this mineral in the patient’s body.
Treatment :
Primarily the doctor can order for a blood test for find the serum concentration of 25(OH)D in the patient. This is the type of vitamin D that circulates in our body. So taking a test of this profile, is considered as a good reflection of how much of vitamin D the patient has absorbed from daily diet and from the rays of the sun.
Levels of this vitamin are expressed in nmol/L (nanomoles/liter) or ng/mL (nanograms/milliliter).
Doctors can also ask the patient for undergoing a special bone density scan, if the patient is suffering from brittle bones or symptoms of osteoporosis. Food that are naturally rich in vitamin D are fatty fishes like salmon, tuna and mackerel. Other than these beef, cheese, fish liver oil, egg yolks, mushrooms are also enriched with vitamin D.Some of the food manufacturers also sometimes fortify foods with vitamin D, especially foods that are often eaten by children, to reduce the risk of vitamin D deficiency in infants.
Such foods that are found in the market are yogurt, breakfast cereals, baby milk, orange juice, marmalade and others.
Popular Health Tips
This is a very common condition seen in toddlers. When the legs are brought together then there is a gap at the level of the knee. It happens because of inward bowing of thigh bone or tibia. The deformity may appear to increase on standing.
Daily requirement of calcium
The optimal primary nutritional source during the first year of life is human milk. Premature infants have higher calcium requirements than full-term infants while in the nursery. These may be met by using human milk fortified with additional minerals or with specially designed formulas for premature infants. Around 6 months of age when weaning foods are started, food items rich in calcium should be added. Readymade formulas are fortified with calcium but one must remember that the bioavailability of calcium from human milk is greater than that from infant formulas or cow's milk. Hence breastfeeding should be encouraged. In children age 2-8 years the daily requirement is around 800 mg/d. In children 9- to 18-year-olds the daily requirement is 1,200-1,500 mg/day.
Some of the common items that are rich in calcium are.
| Food Item | Quantity | Amount of Calcium in each serving |
| Milk | 1 cup (240 ml) | 300 mg |
| Cheddar cheese | 1.5 oz (42 g) | 300 mg |
| Spinach cooked | 1/2 cup (90 g) | 120 mg |
| Sardines or salmon with bones | 20 Sardines (240 g) | 50 mg |
| Sweet potatoes | 1/2 cup (160 g) | 44 mg |
Babies younger than 1-year-old need 400 IU of vitamin D a day. Kids older than 1 year need 600 IU or more of vitamin D a day. Our bodies make vitamin D when our skin is exposed to the sun. The recommended exposure to sunlight is at least 30 min every day. There are various fortified food items that have vitamin D. Also medicines are available which can provide the daily requirement of Vitamin D
Physiological genu varus. In most of the toddlers, the legs are curved inwards. They should improve over a period of time. The legs should straighten by 2 yrs. The child should be investigated if the deformity is severe; the deformity is only in one leg, if the child complains of pain and if the child appears unusually short. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
When we speak of bone health, calcium is usually the hero of the story. However, by itself, calcium is not enough for healthy bones. Vitamin D is equally important for healthy bones and the prevention of orthopedic conditions.
What does Vitamin D do?
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from the food being eaten. It also controls the calcium and phosphate levels in the body. This is critical for the growth and development of new bones. Vitamin D also controls how much calcium and phosphates are being expelled by the body. In this way, vitamin D helps strengthen the bones and improve overall bone health.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D is not commonly found in food. It is present only in certain types of oily fishes, egg yolks and mushrooms. Most of the vitamin D we eat comes from fortified cereals, breads and dairy products. The sun is an important source of vitamin D but exposing yourself to too much sunlight could cause various skin problems. Thus, vitamin D deficiency is very common. When it comes to bone health, vitamin D deficiency can cause low-density bones. This, in turn, can cause rickets and osteoporosis. People with vitamin D deficiency are likely to suffer frequent fractures. Vitamin D deficiency can also cause skeletal deformities such as bow legs and a stooped spine.
Vitamin D and Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a musculoskeletal condition that is marked by low bone density. Studies have shown that people with osteoporosis have lower levels of vitamin D as compared to others. Some studies also suggest that fractures are more common in winter as compared to summer. The winter sun is often hazy and many days can go by without strong sunlight. Thus it can be inferred that people do not get their required quota of vitamin D from the sunlight in winters leading to a deficiency and aggravated osteoporosis-related fractures.
Who is most susceptible to bone conditions caused by vitamin D deficiency?
Vitamin D deficiency is a very common condition across the globe. Some surveys have claimed that approximately 30% of the global population suffers from vitamin D deficiency. People with dark skin, women and elderly people are most susceptible to this deficiency. People suffering from kidney diseases may also be affected by vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D supplements are usually very helpful in combatting this deficiency. These can be taken by young children as well as adults.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
In spite of adequate sunshine throughout the year, deficiency of Vitamin D has become common in India. And, a deficiency in Vitamin D is believed to be a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin which performs various vital functions such as keeping up the health of bones and joints and assisting the immune system of the body. It plays a critical role in the metabolism of calcium, and the lack of this vitamin can lead to a series of diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications.
How is Vitamin D related to diabetes?
Vitamin D aids in improving the body's sensitivity to insulin, which is a hormone meant for regulating blood sugar levels. Thus, this vitamin can reduce the risk of insulin resistance which is often considered a warning sign of type 2 diabetes.
Some experts believe that Vitamin D can regulate the production of insulin in the pancreas. Moreover, it has other health benefits too that can have an impact on the regulation of blood sugar levels. Some of the benefits include:
- Assisting weight loss- One of the major risk factors for diabetes is obesity. Many studies indicate that having adequate levels of Vitamin D can help in reducing the parathyroid hormone levels, which can promote weight loss and reduce the risk of obesity.
- Regulating appetite- Vitamin D can raise the level of hormone Leptin, which is responsible for controlling the fat storage in the body. It helps in triggering the sensation of satiety which would make you eat less thereby lowering hunger levels.
- Reducing fat around the visceral organs- When there are adequate levels of Vitamin D, it can help in lowering the levels of cortisol which is a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands. This hormone is responsible for performing many important functions including regulating blood pressure. When the cortisol level is under control, it helps in reducing the abdominal or visceral fat which is detrimental to health and has an adverse effect on type 2 diabetes.
Where can you get vitamin D from?
Vitamin D is found in some food items such as healthy fats and sea fish. It is also produced by the body when our skin comes in contact with the UV-B rays of the sun as the cholesterol derivative is converted into Vitamin D. You will be surprised to know that every cell and tissue present in the body acts as a Vitamin D protein receptor.
There are two forms of Vitamin D- Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3. D3 is synthesized by the human body when the sun rays fall on the skin. This form is 300% more potent than D2, which is the plant-synthesized form that is available as supplements.
If you are at risk of vitamin D deficiency, better bask in the sun for 10 - 15 minutes every day, or start taking supplements as advised by your doctor.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
Before explaining how you can reverse the deficiency, it is important to know how vitamin D plays a pivotal role in your body. Well, this very vitamin is responsible for balancing the hormonal levels and ensuring the perfect functioning of your bones and brain. Also, vitamin D is indispensable for the proper functioning of your central nervous system. This is why people who are deficient display signs of anxiety, depression and, in severe cases, even suffer from bipolar disorder.
Apart from the neurological symptoms that the deficiency of vitamin D indicates, there are some physical symptoms as well that should not be overlooked either:
- Arthritis
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Adrenal fatigue
- Chronic fatigue
- Osteoporosis
- Muscle soreness
- Autoimmune disease
So, What Are The Causes Of Vitamin D Deficiency?
There are various reasons that lead to vitamin D deficiency. The most common ones are as follows:
- It happens when you are a vegan and do not consume any animal-based products, as it is common in foods like fish, egg yolks, beef liver, and fortified milk.
- You have limited exposure to sunlight, in such a case your body fails to make required vitamin D.
- If you spend a lot of time indoors or live in the northern latitudes, or wear robes, you may become vitamin D deficient.
- In case you have dark skin, it reduces your skin’s ability to make vitamin D based on your exposure to sunlight. Aged adults having a dark skin tone are more likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiency.
How To Overcome Vitamin D Deficiency?
- Get More Sun: 20-30 minutes of sunlight is all it takes for our bodies to produce enough Vitamin D to last us for a week, not everybody is able to enjoy the sun.
- Eat More Food Rich In Vitamin D: Just increase your intake of foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D, such as salmon, raw cheese, yogurt and egg yolk. And if you are vegetarian, go for mushrooms as they are also an excellent source of vitamin D.
- Vitamin D Supplements: This is the fastest way to boost the vitamin D levels in your bloodstream, but it is advisable to consult a doctor before you begin your daily dose.
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
Vitamin D is a group of fat soluble nutrient that is an incredibly vital necessity for your body’s proper growth as it helps in the absorption of calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphate and for multiple other biological reactions of our body.
Now the major issue about Vitamin D is that our dietary sources are inefficient to fulfil the Vitamin D requirements of our body since foods do not contain much of it. Sunlight is the only major natural source of Vitamin D for a human being. Our skin synthesizes the vitamin through complex organic reactions with the help of the UVB radiation of the sunlight.
How is Vitamin D deficiency harmful to your body?
The most important function of Vitamin D is to help the body absorb various other nutrients from our diet and incorporate it into our bones and other necessary parts. Thus, due to Vitamin D deficiency bones become weak, soft and brittle, and results in conditions such as Rickets and Osteomalacia. Recent researches have shown that Vitamin D deficiency is also linked to prostate, breast and colon cancer. Reducing the inorganic mineral content of our body Vitamin D deficiency takes a severe toll on the body from childhood.
How to combat the deficiency among Indians?
Vitamin D deficiency is now an epidemic in the South Asian countries, and India is no exception. About 65-70% Indians are vitamin D deficient despite the abundant sunlight they receive. It is essential to understand the contributing factors that lead to this situation to remedy the problem.
Ignorance
The first and primary issue is that Indians are reluctant to go out into the sun. From households to professionals, everyone prefers to stay away from the only major source of Vitamin D, and even when they go out, they cover up themselves. Lack of knowledge and fear of getting their skin tone darker seem to be some of the nastiest causes that keep the everyone under the shade. Along with these problems, use of sunscreens and completely vegetarian diets are also responsible for the epidemic.
Melanin composition
A majority of Indians have a darker skin tone, which means the melanin content of their skin is comparatively much higher. Melanin prevents the formation of Vitamin D from sunlight. As a result, the Indians need much-extended exposure to sunlight which they do not get.
Obesity
Obesity in Indians is another primary issue that causes the excess fat in the body to soak up the necessary Vitamin D of the body, causing its deficiency.
Learning from the stated causes we see that the only ways to prevent this disease are, much more exposure to sunlight, consuming Vitamin D rich diets and obviously fighting obesity. In cases where the deficiency is observed doctors would prescribe supplements to ensure proper functioning of the body. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Pediatrician.
Popular Questions & Answers
Table of Content
What is Vitamin D deficiency?
Symptoms :
Treatment :
Related Lab Tests
So, Vit-D is essential to maintain calcium. It basically maintains the bone metabolism of the body and it is done basically through absorption of calcium from the intestine and also from renal tubular absorption of calcium. When VIt-D becomes deficient, the hormone PTH is released which tries to maintain calcium and phosphorus in the body. The deficiency of Vit-D in different groups are different. You can have it in the new born periods, in the childhood period or in the adolescence.
So, in the new born period, children may have some features like staying more tired, the problems related to bones such as bow legs i.e, curving of legs. Then there may be some other problem which is called genu valgum in which they have knock knees. These are some conditions which you can find. These are called as Rickets. And this ricket is responsible for Vit-D deficiency.
In the country like India which has a plenty of sunlight, why we are still facing Vit-D deficiency?
One of the reason is that lifestyle ahs changed. We are involved in more of a technical lifestyle. The best time to absorb Vit-D is 9-11 am in which one can absorb maximum amount of Vit-D. But at this time most of us are in teh office, the children are in the schools and the housewives are inside the house. So you are hardly able to absorb Vit-D.
Secondly. there is lot of pollution which does not allow us to absorb Vit-D
Covering of the body is another major factor.
There is a smog which blocks the vit-D
The sources of vit-D are very few. Most of the vit-D is in non veg. But maximum of the Indians are vegetarian. The best sources of Vit-D are fish, eggs. The one important thing all vegetarian must know that they can take mushroom. This will help in maintaining the Vit-D level. So, there are least sources of VIt-D.
There are two types of Vit-D, Vit-D2 and Vit-D3.
Vit-D2 is Ergocalciferol and Vit-D3 is Cholecalciferol. So we can get maximum of the Vit-D from the sunlight which we are not getting. In order to cover up Vit-D deficiency, we need to consume Vit-D. Otherwise children may suffer from Bow legs or genu valgum. In the adolescence, people may suffer from osteomalacia in which there is pain in the legs and bones. So, all these conditions are aggravated.
How to overcome with the deficiency of Vit-D?
Regularly take Vit-D. You can either take it weekly form or in the daily form. Consulting a doctor will be helpful. Also, Vit-D prevents the chances of cancer, hypertension, Diabetes, repeated infection in the children. Everybody should take Vit-D either weekly or daily form.
Thank you very much.
Hi, viewers of Lybrate. I am Dr. Vishwas, here to give you some insight on some common medical illnesses that we come across. Now you must have seen that on and off, we get, advice by our doctors to check our Vitamin D and calcium level. And obviously, you must have seen, that Vitamin D has been found very low. It may be around 5 or 6 or may be below 10, and that is something which is very alarming. The normal level of Vitamin D, as a hormone, which is to be maintained in blood has to be at least 30, in International Units. And those, patients who, you know are on long term low levels of Vitamin D, complain of many things such as body ache, fatigue, low immunity; and then they suffer from some kind of infections, or some kind of, all the time, discomfort, weakness, lack of strength.
So we as doctors, always recommend getting Vitamin D levels checked at least once in a year. So once we start with therapy of Vitamin D, one has to remember that the sachet or the tablet has to be taken, early in the morning. It has to be taken on an empty stomach. The standard time should be between 6 am to 8 am. To take the dose, may be weekly once, or may be weekly twice, not more than. And the units normally recommended is around 60000 units, which is available in any brands. So I would always recommend my patients to take once in a week for 12 weeks period, which is sufficient, and then one should stop it; because over Vitamin prescription, as well as over Vitamin consumption can damage your liver.
We have found sometimes patients landing into liver issues because of hypervitaminosis. So both things are not good, very low levels and very high levels. You should maintain the optimum levels. Vitamin D, as well as calcium, both hand in hand, should go together, as a supplement, and they build up your loss of bones, especially in cases of osteoporosis; where the bones have, some kind of a vacuum inside and some kind of weaknesses which can make them easily fracturable, and also cause some kind of pain and discomfort. So Vitamin D, calcium, these are some kinds of investigation which are especially essential for bone health, to take care.
We also suggest sometimes to get Parathyroid Hormone Check Up (PTH). Parathyroid Hormone deficiency can also cause easy fractures. And it is very rare, but one should also check PTH hormone levels, that is, Parathyroid Hormone level, if it is recommended by your doctor and if Vitamin D correction is not helping the patient. So, early morning exposure during sunrise, or evening exposure during sunset, for 3 to 5 minutes, that is sufficient. If it is exposed to your skin, to get sufficient natural Vitamin D synthesis in your body. Because of skin, as well as kidney, both play part in Vitamin D formation, and it is one essential hormone, required for all 206 bones of your body. With the new advent of Vitamin D therapy, we also have sachet, we have a tablet, we have injections. So, depending upon your condition, your physician will recommend some or the other form of Vitamin D. Even the young child also needs Vitamin D supplementation. Nowadays even milk is fortified with Vitamin D, which is also a good step towards better health.
So I wish all my Lybrate users, to have normal Vitamin D, not only for them, but for all the family members, especially the elderly ones, younger ones, so they have excellent bone health and no fractures. Thank you, viewers, have a nice day.
How to maintain the level of Vitamin D
Hi, viewers of Lybrate. I am Dr. Vishwas, here to give you some insight on some common medical illnesses that we come across. Now you must have seen that on and off, we get, advice by our doctors to check our Vitamin D and calcium level. And obviously, you must have seen, that Vitamin D has been found very low. It may be around 5 or 6 or may be below 10, and that is something which is very alarming. The normal level of Vitamin D, as a hormone, which is to be maintained in blood has to be at least 30, in International Units. And those, patients who, you know are on long term low levels of Vitamin D, complain of many things such as body ache, fatigue, low immunity; and then they suffer from some kind of infections, or some kind of, all the time, discomfort, weakness, lack of strength.
So we as doctors, always recommend getting Vitamin D levels checked at least once in a year. So once we start with therapy of Vitamin D, one has to remember that the sachet or the tablet has to be taken, early in the morning. It has to be taken on an empty stomach. The standard time should be between 6 am to 8 am. To take the dose, may be weekly once, or may be weekly twice, not more than. And the units normally recommended is around 60000 units, which is available in any brands. So I would always recommend my patients to take once in a week for 12 weeks period, which is sufficient, and then one should stop it; because over Vitamin prescription, as well as over Vitamin consumption can damage your liver.
We have found sometimes patients landing into liver issues because of hypervitaminosis. So both things are not good, very low levels and very high levels. You should maintain the optimum levels. Vitamin D, as well as calcium, both hand in hand, should go together, as a supplement, and they build up your loss of bones, especially in cases of osteoporosis; where the bones have, some kind of a vacuum inside and some kind of weaknesses which can make them easily fracturable, and also cause some kind of pain and discomfort. So Vitamin D, calcium, these are some kinds of investigation which are especially essential for bone health, to take care.
We also suggest sometimes to get Parathyroid Hormone Check Up (PTH). Parathyroid Hormone deficiency can also cause easy fractures. And it is very rare, but one should also check PTH hormone levels, that is, Parathyroid Hormone level, if it is recommended by your doctor and if Vitamin D correction is not helping the patient. So, early morning exposure during sunrise, or evening exposure during sunset, for 3 to 5 minutes, that is sufficient. If it is exposed to your skin, to get sufficient natural Vitamin D synthesis in your body. Because of skin, as well as kidney, both play part in Vitamin D formation, and it is one essential hormone, required for all 206 bones of your body. With the new advent of Vitamin D therapy, we also have sachet, we have a tablet, we have injections. So, depending upon your condition, your physician will recommend some or the other form of Vitamin D. Even the young child also needs Vitamin D supplementation. Nowadays even milk is fortified with Vitamin D, which is also a good step towards better health.
So I wish all my Lybrate users, to have normal Vitamin D, not only for them, but for all the family members, especially the elderly ones, younger ones, so they have excellent bone health and no fractures. Thank you, viewers, have a nice day.