Soft, rubbery bones can be caused by a vitamin D deficiency, resulting in either a childhood condition called rickets or an adult malady called osteomalacia. Rickets and osteomalacia are similar in that they both cause soft bones. They also share the same remedy: a vitamin D supplementation regimen that can help you recover and build stronger bones.
Rickets
Rickets caused by a vitamin D deficiency typically occurs in children because their bones are rapidly growing and developing. In children, soft, rubbery bones include symptoms of delayed growth and bowlegs. Other symptoms are weak muscles, dental complications, and pain in the bones that support weight -- primarily those of the legs, spine and pelvis.
Osteomalacia
While rickets presents in children, osteomalacia occurs in adults whose bones are no longer growing. While your bones no longer grow, they are constantly developing, losing and replacing calcium. If you have a vitamin D deficiency, your bones lose calcium without regaining it, resulting in soft bones.
Vitamin D and Bones
Soft, rubbery bones caused by vitamin D deficiencies occur because vitamin D works closely with calcium to keep your bones strong. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, when your body absorbs vitamin D, it is broken down to form a substance known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D. This substance contributes to the process that maintains your levels of calcium by increasing the absorption of calcium through your digestive tract and kidneys. If your body does not absorb enough calcium, it draws calcium from your bones, decreasing your bone density and causing soft bones.
Treatment
If your bones are only slightly soft due to a vitamin D deficiency, treatment can be as simple as spending additional time in the sunlight. Doctors treat rickets caused by an unbalanced diet by simply giving a child additional vitamin D and calcium. ake See a doctor, however, before attempting to diagnose or treat rickets. According to the MayoClinic.com, osteomalacia should be treated similarly, with vitamin D supplements. Symptoms should clear up over a period of several weeks to several months.
Sources of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is actually a substance that your body makes when your skin absorbs UV rays. It is found rarely in foods, although you can get it from fatty fish such as salmon and from fortified foods like milk. You need 15 micrograms of vitamin D daily, which your body can produce from just 10 minutes in the sun each day.
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