Vitamin D, along with calcium and other nutrients are responsible for creating and maintaining strong bones. Vitamin D deficiency causes bone problems in children and adults. ArthritisResearchUK.org cites a study that links hip osteoarthritis in men to vitamin D deficiency. Increasing your vitamin D levels may reduce discomfort and get you back in action.
Diagnosis
Your doctor can diagnose the cause of your hip pain and determine if a vitamin D supplement would reduce your discomfort. A blood test to measure 25-hydroxyvitamin D is available, according to LabTestsOnline.org, but the range in methods between laboratories is too wide to establish a universal reference range. Your doctor will need to interpret your lab results to determine if your hip pain is due to vitamin D deficiency.
Risks
Vitamin D deficiency can cause osteoarthritis. Symptoms of osteoarthritis usually begin after the age of 40. Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There is no cure for osteoarthritis.
Sources
Vitamin D comes from exposure to the sun and the foods you eat. Fish, eggs and cod liver oil contain vitamin D. Milk has been fortified with vitamin D since the 1930s in a successful effort to reduce rickets in the United States. Many dietary supplements include this vitamin.
Therapeutic Amounts
You need more vitamin D as you get older, according to National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. If you are 50 years old or younger, you should get 200 IU, or International Units, per day to prevent hip pain from vitamin D deficiency. Those 51 to 70 should double their vitamin D intake to 400 IU, and senior citizens over the age of 70 should get 600 IU.
Causes
Lack of exposure to sunlight and a vitamin-poor diet causes vitamin D deficiency. Sunscreen use is on the rise to prevent skin cancer but sunscreen may also prevent the skin from absorbing vitamin D. The typical American diet replaces fortified milk with soda pop and flavored coffees and fresh fish and eggs are also lacking in the modern diet.
Treatment
Your doctor will recommend dietary supplements including vitamin D to help reduce hip pain caused by a deficiency. Take pain relievers to reduce discomfort. Increase your exposure to sunlight without the protection of sunscreen for a few minutes each day. Eat more foods containing vitamin D but avoid over-eating as this may cause you to gain weight, putting more strain on your hip.
Member Comments