Vitamin D is essential for many areas of your body, including your bones, and it is imperative that you get enough of this important nutrient. Becoming deficient in vitamin D is dangerous, though this deficiency has no outward physical symptoms, such as a neck rash. Discuss your vitamin D intake with your doctor, and discuss dietary changes as well as supplements to ensure you meet the RDA.
Side Effects of a Deficiency
While you may not be able to physically see the signs of a vitamin D deficiency, it can have serious side effects and complications. For example, being deficient in this vitamin can lead to low levels of calcium and phosphates in your blood, as well as soft or weakened bones and even osteoporosis. The most common side effects associated with low vitamin D levels are a reduction in your bone density and an increased risk of falling down, which can also increase your likelihood of getting bone fractures.
Risks of Becoming Deficient
Certain people are more likely to become deficient in vitamin D than others. If you live in the northern United States or an area where you are not frequently exposed to sunlight, you can become deficient in this vitamin. Additionally, the elderly, people with darker skin tones, obese people and those who have a disease like Crohn's or celiac are also at risk. If you are in one or more of these categories, supplements can help ensure that you do not develop a deficiency.
Importance and RDA
Even if a lack of vitamin D does not result in a rash, it is still important for the health of your skin and other body parts. For example, your muscles need it for movement, your nerves for communication and your immune system for warding off infections. The RDA for vitamin D is 600 IU for those between 19 and 70, and it is 800 IU for those 71 and older, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements. Your doctor may recommend more if you are deficient or at risk for becoming deficient. Fatty fish, beef liver, cheese and fortified foods are sources of this vitamin.
Additional Considerations
Never begin taking vitamin D supplements or altering your diet without first discussing these changes with your health-care provider. Too much vitamin D can have negative side effects, too, including itchy skin, and the tolerable upper limit is 2,000 IU a day, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you experience any side effects while taking vitamin D, believe you have a deficiency or develop an unexplained rash, see your doctor.
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