According to the Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D plays a crucial role in the body's maintenance of calcium and phosphate levels. Vitamin D is essential for normal bone growth during development and helps to protect bones against osteoporosis in adulthood. Vitamin D can be found in foods such as fish, eggs and fortified milk, explains The Mayo Clinic. Exposure to sunlight also triggers the synthesis of vitamin D in the skin.
Rickets in Children
MedLine Plus explains that vitamin D deficiency in children aged 6 to 24 months may lead to the development of a disease known as rickets. During this period, the bones undergo rapid growth, which require adequate amounts of calcium and phosphate. While the disease is rare in the United States, certain digestive disorders or genetic abnormalities may make it more difficult for some children to obtain adequate amounts of vitamin D from the diet. Symptoms of rickets include: bone pain and/or tenderness, dental deformities, loss of muscle strength, muscle cramping, bone fractures and impaired growth.
Osteoporosis in Adults
Osteoporosis is the thinning of the bone tissue and a loss of bone density over time, explains MedLine Plus. It is the most common type of bone disease, affecting 1 in 5 women over the age of 50 years. Osteoporosis occurs when the body resorbs too much of the calcium and phosphate present in the bone tissue. Vitamin D helps to regulate the body's use of these minerals, protecting against osteoporosis. The disease is asymptomatic in the early stages, but progresses to cause bone pain, brittle bones that fracture easily, loss of stature and stooped posture.
Osteomalacia
Osteomalacia is a disease that causes an abnormal softening of the bones due to vitamin D deficiency, explains the Mayo Clinic. Osteomalacia causes bones to feel achy and muscles to become weak. Symptoms include dull pain in the lower back, pelvis and legs. It can also cause waddling gait and reduced mobility. People with osteomalacia are at increased risk for fractures, especially in the ribs, spine and legs.
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