The Signs & Symptoms Of A Vitamin D3 Deficiency

Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is a form of vitamin D that is essential for maintenance of bone health and for neuro-muscular function. Vitamin D3 can be obtained from a variety of sources such as fish, fish liver oil, cheese and egg yolk. Standing in the sun for as little as 10 minutes a day can lead to significant production of vitamin D3 in the body and is possibly the best way to get this vitamin. However, today's indoor lifestyle and fear of skin cancer is leading to increased levels of vitamin D3 deficiency.

Reduced Bone Health

MayoClinic.com recommends about 5 micrograms or 200 IU of vitamin D3 per day for most individuals and 10 micrograms for individuals older than 50 years of age. Maintaining blood levels of calcium and phosphorous is the most important function of vitamin D3, and this, in turn, helps to form and maintain strong bones. Deficiency of vitamin D3 can lead to bone pain and weak bones, which may further develop into conditions such as osteoporosis. Severe deficiency of vitamin D3 in children can lead to a condition called rickets that is characterized by soft skull and other bone deformities. Severe deficiencies in adults can lead to osteomalacia, which involves muscle weakness along with skeletal deformities.

Muscle Weakness

Vitamin D deficiency is also associated with poor muscle strength and weakness, especially in elderly people says an article published in the March 2005 edition of the "British Medical Journal". The finding are based on a controlled trial in which elderly women who were given 800 IU vitamin D daily with calcium had a 47 percent reduction in falls and fractures compared to those who were given only calcium over a period of 12 months.

Cognitive Insufficiency

Vitamin D3 also plays an important role in the brain and promotes cognitive functions such as memory, attention, language, perception and problem solving. According to a study published in the November 2009 edition of "Scientific American", elderly individuals with low levels of vitamin D deficiency showed insufficient cognitive function and slower information speed in cognitive function tests.

Cancer

As per Vitamins Research Products, vitamin D3 deficiency is associated with an increased risk of developing many forms of cancer including breast, ovarian, prostate and colon cancer. Vitamin D3 may also cause tumor cells to be more sensitive to chemotherapy drugs, increasing the efficacy of the cancer treatment.

Reduced Immunity

Vitamin D3 regulates the activity of immune cells known as the T cells and stimulate the expression of antimicrobial proteins present in the immune cells. Vitamin D3 deficiency can lead to reduced immunity and make the person susceptible of several infections such as common cold and the flu. A story published by "U.S. News and World Report" in February 2009 states that individuals with less than 10 nanograms of vitamin D per milliliter of blood were almost 40 percent more likely to have respiratory infections when compared to those with more than 30 nanograms of vitamin D.