Vitamin D deficiency is called rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. The best way to diagnose this condition is to check the serum vitamin D levels, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, with levels under 15 ng/mL being considered too low for healthy bones.
Function
Vitamin D is mainly used by the body to regulate the levels of calcium and phosphorus that are absorbed by the intestines and then used for the mineralization of bones, but it is also necessary for immune function and strong muscles, according to the Merck Manuals.
Deficiency Symptoms
In the early stages of deficiency, there might not be any symptoms, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. People with vitamin D deficiency may experience weak or painful bones and muscles. Children who develop rickets may have muscle spasms and soft bones, which sometimes leads to bowed legs and a curved spine or flattened pelvic bones. In babies, the spaces between the bones in the skull will take longer to close, and walking will be delayed. Adults with vitamin D deficiency are more likely to develop osteoporosis.
Treatment
Rickets can be treated with either a one-time dose of vitamin D of 600,000 IU given either orally or through an intramuscular injection or with smaller doses of 5,000 IU to 10,000 IU taken every day for a period of two to three months, according to the Mayo Clinic. Calcium and phosphate may also be given during treatment if a person is deficient in these minerals due to vitamin D deficiency.
Prevention
Getting the recommended daily amount of vitamin D through foods and supplements should prevent vitamin D deficiency in most people. The body can make vitamin D with sun exposure, but people who live in latitudes farther north than Los Angeles do not get enough UV energy for four to six months of the year for this, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Sources of vitamin D include beef liver, cheese, egg yolks, fish and fortified milk, breakfast cereal and juice.
Considerations
Breastfed infants, older people and people who do not get enough sun, have had surgery for obesity or have dark skin are more at risk for vitamin D deficiency. Steroids, weight-loss medications, epilepsy medications and cholesterol-lowering medications can interact with vitamin D and result in lower absorption of vitamin D, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
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