Vitamin D represents one of hundreds of vitamins that maintain your health. You can obtain vitamin D from a range of sources: your skin generates the vitamin when exposed to sunlight, while supplements and foods provide a source of vitamin D to individuals who receive little sun exposure. Mineral oil, a common treatment for constipation, can affect the levels of vitamin D in your body in some cases. Individuals who rely on vitamin D from their diet or oral supplements might experience vitamin D depletion due to mineral oil use.
Importance of Vitamin D
Vitamin D carries out a number of physiological roles in your body. Its primary function deals with the localization of calcium: It helps retain most of the calcium in your body within your bone tissue, where it can contribute to the bone minerals required to keep your bones hard. It also helps to maintain normal calcium levels in your blood and other tissues, facilitating proper nerve and muscle functioning. Too much or too little vitamin D affects a range of tissues, and can harm your health.
Effect of Mineral Oil
Consuming mineral oil can lead to a depletion of the levels of vitamin D in your body. A common treatment for constipation, mineral oil moves through your digestive system very rapidly, helping to dislodge any intestinal or colon blockages. However, the mineral oil also prevents the absorption nutrients in your intestines as it passes through your system: fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamin D, dissolve in the mineral oil and are eliminated from your body. Over time, chronic use of mineral oil might lead to vitamin D depletion in individuals whose main source of vitamin D is their diet.
Side Effects of Vitamin D Depletion
If mineral oil use leads to vitamin D depletion, the over-use of mineral oil can potentially contribute to a number of unpleasant symptoms. In adults, long-term vitamin D depletion can eventually lead to the loss of bone minerals, causing the development of abnormally soft bones and accompanying bone pain. In children, the vitamin depletion can affect normal bone development, potentially leading to skull abnormalities, ribcage deformities and bowing of the arm and leg bones. If you suffer from mild vitamin D deficiency, taking mineral oil may worsen your condition.
Recommendations
You can help to prevent vitamin depletion due to mineral oil use by consuming mineral oil only under the supervision of a doctor. If you suffer from frequent constipation, seek medical attention to determine the underlying cause of the issue, instead of trying to simply alleviate the symptoms by consuming medical oil. In addition, talk to your doctor about your risk of vitamin D depletion taking mineral oil, and discuss a potential requirement for vitamin supplements if you require frequent mineral oil therapy.
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