Numerous conditions can cause vitamin D deficiency. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is uncommon in foods, added to certain foods and available as a dietary supplement. Vitamin D is also produced inside a person's body when ultraviolet rays from the sun strike a person's skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. Lack of sun exposure, a poor diet and certain medical conditions can lead to vitamin D deficiency.
Fanconi Syndrome
Fanconi syndrome can cause vitamin D deficiency. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, Fanconi syndrome, also known as De Toni-Fanconi syndrome, is a disorder of the kidney tubes. The kidneys of a person with Fanconi syndrome are unable to absorb certain substances into her bloodstream, the substances being lost to the urine instead. The UMMC states that Fanconi syndrome is usually caused by faulty genes or kidney damage later in life. Numerous factors can damage a person's kidneys and cause Fanconi syndrome and vitamin D deficiency, including certain medications, kidney transplants, light chain deposition disease, multiple myeloma and primary amyloidosis. Common signs and symptoms associated with Fanconi syndrome include decreased vitamin D levels, excretion of large amounts of urine, dehydration, bone pain and muscle weakness.
Chronic Kidney Disease
Chronic kidney disease may cause vitamin D deficiency. The National Kidney Disease Education Program, or NKDEP, states that chronic kidney disease is a long-term condition in which the small blood vessels in a person's kidneys become damaged. The kidneys of a person with chronic kidney disease are unable to do their job, allowing waste materials to accumulate in the blood, which harms a person's body. According to the NKDEP, chronic kidney disease is usually caused by diabetes or high blood pressure. Other possible risk factors for chronic kidney disease include cardiovascular disease and a family history of kidney disease. Common signs and symptoms associated with chronic kidney disease include decreased vitamin D levels, bone pain, fatigue, itching, dry skin, headaches, unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, nausea, excessive thirst, easy bruising, difficulty sleeping and vomiting.
Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a disease associated with a person's bile ducts that causes vitamin D deficiency. According to MayoClinic.com, the term sclerosing cholangitis refers to a bile duct that is hardened, scarred and chronically inflamed. Primary sclerosing cholangitis is a progressive condition, which means that it usually gets worse over time, eventually leading to liver failure. The only known cure for primary sclerosing cholangitis is liver transplant. Common signs and symptoms associated with primary sclerosing cholagnitis include decreased vitamin D levels, abdominal pain, chills, diarrhea, fatigue, fever, itchiness, weight loss and jaundice, or yellowing of the skin. Certain risk factors may increase the likelihood of developing primary sclerosing cholangitis, including being male, being between the ages of 25 and 45 and having inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.
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