A vitamin D deficiency can occur in people who fail to get enough sun exposure, eat enough foods containing vitamin D or suffer from conditions, such as celiac disease, that interfere with the absorption of nutrients. In addition to being essential to bone health, doctors at the MayoClinic.com note that vitamin D may provide protection from high blood pressure, cancer and some autoimmune diseases. Treating a vitamin D deficiency through diet and sun exposure can prevent possible complications and deformities.
Function
Vitamin D helps the body absorb and maintain normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Calcium and phosphorus, classified as minerals, work together to build strong bones in the body. Without enough vitamin D, the body cannot absorb these minerals, leading to a deficiency in calcium and phosphorus. Low levels of these minerals triggers the production of a hormone that causes calcium and phosphate to be released from the bones resulting in weak, soft bones, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Rickets
Doctors diagnose a vitamin D deficiency in children as a condition known as rickets. Although rare in developed countries including the United States due to the availability of milk and green vegetables, rickets usually affects children during rapid periods of growth. Symptoms of rickets include bone pain or tenderness, impaired growth, increased risk of bone fractures and muscle cramps. The weak bones caused by rickets can lead to physical deformities including an asymmetrical skull, bowlegs, bumps in the rib cage, pelvic deformities and spine deformities, according to MedlinePlus, a publication of the National Institutes of Health.
Osteomalacia
Adults with a vitamin D deficiency develop a condition known as osteomalacia. The insufficient amount of calcium and phosphorus causes a defect in the bone-building process resulting in soft, weak bones. Osteomalacia causes bone pain often described as a dull, aching pain usually felt in the weight-bearing bones including the lower spine, pelvis and legs. It can also cause muscle weakness in the arms and legs that can affect how the person walks and the ability to get around.
Food Sources
To fight a vitamin D deficiency, patients can increase their intake of foods rich in vitamin D. Although few foods naturally contain vitamin D, many are fortified. Natural sources of vitamin D include fish liver oils and small amounts can be found in beef liver, cheese and egg yolks. Most of the milk produced in the United States is fortified with 100 international units per cup, according to Office of Dietary Supplements. Other foods commonly fortified with vitamin D include breakfast cereals, orange juice, yogurt and margarine.
Sun Exposure
Exposure to the ultraviolet light from the sun can trigger the conversion of substances in the skin into vitamin D. Therefore people in most parts of the world can synthesize enough vitamin D. Those who live in areas of shortened sunlight hours or where smog contaminates the air may not get adequate exposure. Although applying sunscreen does block the rays necessary for vitamin D production in the skin, most people fail to cover all parts of the skin or fail to reapply their sunscreen adequately, which still allows for skin exposure and vitamin D production.
Member Comments