Vitamin D acts throughout the body; it is involved in bone development and bone calcification. Activation of vitamin D takes place in the skin; sunlight is needed for this to occur. Sufficient sunlight is needed for adequate concentration of vitamin D in the blood. Deficiency of vitamin D can occur in both adults and children. Deficiency of vitamin D in adult causes osteomalacia, and in kids it's rickets.
Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency
Low dietary intake of vitamin D in combination with inadequate sun exposure commonly leads to vitamin D deficiency. Poor absorption of vitamin D in the intestines also leads to vitamin D deficiency. The kidneys and liver are involved in the metabolism of vitamin D; diseases affecting these organs can also lead to vitamin D deficiency. Common liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis and hepatitis C infection are associated in vitamin D deficiency.
Complications of Vitamin D Deficiency
A serious complication that results from vitamin D deficiency is hypocalcemia, which is a low blood calcium. The heart needs calcium to work; hypocalcemia leads to irregular beating of the heart. Vitamin D deficiency affects hardening of bone by calcium. Osteomalacia occurs in adults; it's a result of bone softening that occurs when calcium is low in the blood. Rickets is bone softening in children. Hypophosphatemia, or low blood phosphate, also occurs in vitamin D deficiency.
Symptoms of Osteomalacia
Bone pain and muscle weakness are symptoms associated with bone softening. The bone pain in osteomalacia is dull and achy and it typically occurs in the lower regions of the spine, hips and legs. Decrease in muscle tone and weakness in the arms and legs are symptoms that reduce an individuals' ability to get around.
Diagnosis of Vitamin D Deficiency
The active form of vitamin D is 25 hydroxyvitamin D, or 25OHD; diagnosing vitamin D deficiency is done by testing the blood for the concentration of 25OHD. A normal concentration of vitamin D should be greater than 30ng/mL. Vitamin D is deficient when the concentration of 25OHD is less than 20ng/mL.
Treatment of Vitamin D Deficinency & Osteomalacia
It's often the case that insufficient vitamin D in the diet is the cause of osteomalacia; when dieting is the cause, vitamin D supplementation in conjunction with calcium is effective in treating osteomalacia. Vitamin D3 occurs naturally and proves to be more effective in raising 25OHD levels than vitamin D2. The US Department of Health & Human Services has advised the supplementation of vitamin D3 at doses of 700 to 800 IU per day and vitamin D supplemented with calcium at doses of 500 to 1,200mg per day. Treating the cause of vitamin D deficiency often leads to improvement of osteomalacia.
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