Vitamin D is a vital nutrient needed by your bones to absorb calcium. Vitamin D levels can be low with conditions such as osteoporosis, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, depression, heart disease and certain cancers, according to John Jacob Cannell with the Vitamin D Council. Vitamin D food fortification started with milk due to the increasing number of children developing rickets during the early 20th century. Growing concern about vitamin D intake is being reviewed again by the medical community because of current lifestyle habits.
Symptoms
Low vitamin D levels can cause muscle weakness and bone pain at any age. Children with low vitamin D levels may exhibit early signs of rickets, which is characterized by bowing of the long bones in the legs. Pregnant females can develop osteomalacia because of the fetal requirements for calcium. The fetus of a pregnant female with low vitamin D levels can develop soft bones and other bone malformations, according to the Merck Manual. In the elderly, increased number of bone fractures can result from low vitamin D levels.
Lifestyle Causes
Increased time spent indoors, limits your body's ability to manufacture vitamin D from ultraviolet sunlight. This is the primary source of vitamin D in addition to fortified dairy products and fruit juices. According to the Merck Manual, inadequate sun exposure by using sunscreen is also another cause of a low vitamin D level. Sunscreen blocks UV light absorption by your skin, inhibiting your body's ability to convert UV light into vitamin D.
Metabolic Changes
If you have liver or kidney problems, your body has a difficult time converting UV light into vitamin D. The Merck Manual states that people with chronic liver or kidney disorders often develop rickets as a result of inadequate vitamin D levels. Your skin absorbs UV light where your liver converts the UV light energy into calcifediol and then the kidneys produce the active form of vitamin D or calcitrol. Any malfunctions with either organ can lead to lower levels of vitamin D.
Negative Interactions
Cholestryamine, a drug used to lower the absorption of bile salts to help manage cholesterol levels decreases vitamin D levels, according to prescription drug website Drugs.com. Other medications that can interact with vitamin D include anti-convulsants, corticosteroids and alcohol to inhibit calcium absorption and lower vitamin D levels.
Vitamin D Deficiency Syndrome
Vitamin D deficiency syndrome can co-exist with other chronic illnesses or diseases. Cannell says that conditions such as high blood pressure, osteoporosis, depression, chronic fatigue and pain along with autoimmune disorders are associated with low vitamin D levels. This doesn't imply that supplementing or correcting vitamin D deficiency eliminates these disorders, but there is a connection between the illnesses and low vitamin D levels. Restoration of vitamin D to normal limits between 50 to 80 ng/ml may help with symptoms but doesn't cure any disease or illness associated with low vitamin D levels.
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