Vitamin D deficiency symptoms and Causes
Vitamin D is a natural organic fat-soluble vitamin that is present in a few foods and available as a dietary supplement. Vitamin d is produced inside the body when ultraviolet rays of the sun touch the body.
Vitamin D deficiency means when your body doesn’t have the required Vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency mainly causes problems with muscles and bones.
Vitamin D which is obtained from sunlight, foods, and supplement is in active form. Inside the liver, it is converted into an active form through hydroxylation.
Generally, people don’t consume vitamin D but it is found in many foods. People get vitamin d from sunlight. 50% population of the world is getting vitamin D from the sunlight while 40% of Americans are deprived of vitamin D. This deficiency of vitamin D in Americans is due to their indoor lifestyle and western-type foods which are deficient from vitamin D.
According to the office of Dietary supplements (ODS), vitamin D helps in the development of bones, muscles, the immune system, and nerves.
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption from the gastrointestinal tract and maintains normal serum level of calcium and phosphate. Normal serum level of calcium and phosphate enable proper mineralization of bones and prevent hypocalcemic tetany.
Vitamin D is beneficial for bone growth and without sufficient D bones become weak, brittle, and fragile.
Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
If a person is not getting an adequate amount of Vitamin D from the sunlight then he should take the help of vitamin D dietary supplements.
The following are the 6 vitamin d deficiency symptoms
Bone and lower back pain
Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium and keeps the bones strong.
Inadequate vitamin D intake leads to bone and lower back pain.
Scientists have proved that there is a strong relationship between vitamin D deficiency and lower back pain.
In a controlled study, it was confirmed that vitamin d deficit people develop lower back, ribs, legs, and joint pain twice more than those people whose blood level of vitamin D was at a normal level.
Tiredness and fatigue
Vitamin D deficiency causes fatigue and tiredness.
There are other causes of fatigue and tiredness also but vitamin D deficiency is one of them.
It was found in a case study that in women who feel daytime fatigue, their blood vitamin D level were 5.9ng/ml. this is extremely low. Below 20ng/ml is considered deficient.
In the control study of nurses, it was found that when they were fed with vitamin D dietary supplements their fatigue was resolved.
Scientific and observational studies have proved that dietary supplements can resolve fatigue and tiredness.
Prone to infections
Vitamin D plays a very crucial role in the development of a strong immune system. So it has a direct effect on immunity.
Upon vitamin D deficiency body will not fight against bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens.
In control studies, it was found that individuals deficit of vitamin D develops more respiratory infections like pneumonia, colds, and bronchitis.
Observational studies reveal that taking 4000 IU can reduce respiratory tract infections.
In short vitamin D deficiency leads to the development of respiratory infections.
Bone loss
As we know that vitamin D is very important for calcium absorption and bone metabolism.
Proper mineralization is required for the growth and development of bones. During vitamin D deficiency calcium is not absorbed and demineralization of bones occurs. As a result of demineralization, bones become weak and fragile.
A low density of bones indicates vitamin D deficiency.
In controlled studies, it was proved that vitamin D deficit women have low bone mineral density and they improved when they were fed with a high dose of vitamin D.
Another observational study was conducted on 1000 middle age women in menopause and post-menopause and found that there is a strong link between Vitamin D and bone density. Low level of vitamin D in women has low bone density.
In short adequate level of vitamin D is necessary to prevent bone fracture and demineralization.
Hair loss
Vitamin D deficiency leads to hair loss. But it should be kept in mind that there are so many Causes of hair loss and deficiency of vitamin D is one of them. But fortunately, lots of hair loss home remedies are available.
Some researchers assume that hair loss in women is due to vitamin D deficiency but it has not been proven yet thoroughly.
Observational study reveals that people with alopecia areata have a low level of vitamin D in the blood.
When you are facing hair loss then consult a dermatologist to find out the exact cause.
Muscle pain or Myalgia
Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle pain.
Researchers have proved that in children and adults the potential cause of muscle pain is vitamin D deficiency.
In a controlled study, individuals feel a reduction in muscle pain when a high dose of vitamin D was given to them.
A controlled study was conducted on 120 children who were vitamin D deficit and had muscle pain. When a single dose of vitamin d is given to them pain was reduced by 75%.
Delay wound healing
Vitamin D deficiency slows down wound healing after surgery or injury.
In one study it was found that when a high dose of vitamin d was given to people who had leg ulcers, their ulcers reduced by 28% on average.
In an observational study, it was found that people wound healing was impaired after dental surgery because of deprived vitamin d.
Depression
Depressive mood disorder is the sign and symptom of vitamin D deficiency.
Lots of observational studies have found that depression is linked with vitamin D deficiency.
Some scientists proved that there is a strong link between depression and vitamin d deficiency in older age people.
In one study it was found that people relive from depression when vitamin D was given to them.
In short vitamin D can cause a reduction in depression.
Vitamin D deficiency Causes
Three factors are the main cause of vitamin D deficiency:
Your Body
- Either your body is not properly using vitamin D or absorbing vitamin D
- Your body not getting sufficient vitamin D from diet or sunlight.
Medical conditions
Several medical conditions cause vitamin D deficiency:
Cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, obesity, kidney disease, and liver disease.
Certain Medications
Some medications can lower vitamin D which leads to vitamin D deficiency.
These medications include:
- Steroids such as prednisone
- Rifampin
- Orlistat
- Cholesterol-lowering drugs
- Anti-seizure drugs
Summary
Vitamin D is an organic fat-soluble vitamin that is present in a few foods and available as a dietary supplement. Exposure to sunlight is the main source of vitamin D.
According to the office of Dietary supplements (ODS), vitamin D helps in the development of bones, muscles, the immune system, and nerves.
Lack of vitamin D causes various kinds of diseases such as Muscle pain, bone pain, tiredness, fatigue, hair loss, easy bone fracture, osteomalacia, rickets diseases, etc.
