Vitamin D, an essential nutrient created by the body in response to sun exposure, is important for proper bone and muscle development, immune function and blood pressure regulation. Deficiencies in vitamin D are common, especially in people living in northern latitudes, dark-skinned individuals and breastfed babies. Vitamin D supplementation is available for populations at risk and consuming vitamin D through food or supplements is an effective way to stave off a deficiency.
Rickets
Babies and children who are deficient in vitamin D can develop a condition called rickets. Infants with rickets have a soft skull and incomplete or slow closure of the fontanelles, the soft spots between the bony plates of the skull that normally close up as the baby grows older. An affected baby's bones grow slowly and he may experience delays in motor development, including sitting and standing. Pregnant women with a vitamin D deficiency may also pass this lack of vitamin D on to their developing babies, predisposing them to rickets after birth and potentially causing bone deformities in the womb. Children between the ages of one and four with a vitamin D deficiency may develop skeletal abnormalities such as a curvature of the spine and bowed legs.
Osteomalacia
In adults, a bone disorder called oseteomalacia can develop in people with a vitamin D deficiency. In osteomalacia, the bones of the spine, legs and pelvis become weak as calcium leaches out of the bones in response to low levels of vitamin D in the blood. The bones become vulnerable to fracture.The individual may also experience bone and muscle pain. Individuals who already have osteoporosis may experience a worsening of this disease as a result of the deficiency.
Increased Risk of Diseases
While still under investigation, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to a wide range of other diseases. Periodontal disease and the loss of teeth may be impacted by low levels of vitamin D in the bloodstream. Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to the development of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. A high intake of vitamin D may be correlated with a lower risk of certain types of cancer, including colorectal cancer, prostate cancer and breast cancer, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis may also be linked to insufficient levels of vitamin D. There is also a relationship between high blood pressure, a major factor in cardiovascular disease, and low levels of vitamin D in the blood. Depression, and seasonal depression in particular, may also be linked to a deficiency in vitamin D.
References
- Merck Manuals: Vitamin D
- American Academy of Pediatrics: Vitamin D Deficiency Clinical Report
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Vitamin D
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Vitamin D
- Eurekalert: Is vitamin D deficiency linked to Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia?
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