Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. The body can obtain vitamin D from natural sunlight or food sources such as fatty fish, liver and egg yolks. Some foods may also be fortified with vitamin D. According to the National Institutes for Health Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D is essential for promoting calcium absorption in the gut, maintaining adequate serum calcium and supporting immune function and the reduction of inflammation. The recommended daily intake of vitamin D ranges from 1000 to 2000 IU daily. A low vitamin D level can be diagnosed by blood tests.
Depression
A lack of vitamin D in the body may lead to depression. According to Dr. John Jacob Cannell of the Vitamin D Council, summer sunlight increases brain serotonin levels twice as much as winter sunlight. Both bright light in the visible spectrum and vitamin D affect mood. Low serotonin levels have been linked to depression and seasonal affective disorder.
Osteomalacia
Vitamin D has an interdependent relationship with calcium. It helps the body absorb calcium for the building of strong bones and healthy teeth. Osteomalacia is a softening of the bone that can lead to an increased risk for bone fractures. The elderly, those who are homebound, patients who have had gastric bypass surgery, people with dark skin and breast-fed infants are groups at risk for developing a vitamin D deficiency.
Rickets
In children, vitamin D deficiency can lead to the development of rickets. According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, rickets is a disease characterized by a failure of bone tissue to properly mineralize, resulting in soft bones and skeletal deformities. Parents of exclusively breast-fed infants should ask their pediatrician if vitamin D supplementation is necessary.
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