Vitamin D deficiency occurs when the body does not take in or process adequate amounts of vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, so a deficiency can lead to osteoporosis (low bone density) and bone fractures (bone fractures). Other symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include muscle weakness and cramps, hair loss, and fatigue and fatigue.
Most people have the vitamin D they need in their bodies, but one in four adults in the United States is deficient. Part of the reason is that vitamin D is not as easy to obtain naturally as other nutrients. When you are exposed to sunlight, your body produces vitamin D. Vitamin D is also found in foods and supplements such as fish, egg yolks, and fortified foods.
Vitamin D deficiency can be difficult to diagnose because there are no symptoms or the symptoms overlap with many health conditions. Good news. Vitamin D deficiency is relatively easy to treat with supplements if your health care professional determines that you have a vitamin D deficiency.
Although the exact reason why low vitamin D levels make you feel tired and lethargic is unknown, people who took vitamin D supplements reported improved fatigue and increased overall energy levels. Multiple studies have shown that.
Vitamin D strengthens the immune system. If you get sick all the time, or if even minor infections turn into severe illness, a deficiency may be the culprit. In fact, some studies have found a link between higher severity of illness and lower vitamin D levels in people in intensive care units (ICUs). This was re-examined after the onset of COVID-19. Research shows people with the deficiency may be at higher risk of becoming seriously ill from the coronavirus.
Vitamin D promotes muscle function. If your vitamin D levels are low, you are more likely to experience symptoms such as decreased muscle tone, atrophy (muscle weakness), weakness, and pain. When your muscle mass and strength decrease, you are more likely to fall.
Weakness can increase stress on the muscles of your back and neck, leading to lower back pain.
Lower back pain, in particular, is a common symptom in people with vitamin D deficiency. Some experts suggest that screening low back pain patients for vitamin D deficiency may be helpful, as treatments such as vitamin D supplements can reduce pain-related symptoms.
Our bodies rely on vitamin D to help absorb calcium and grow dense, strong bones throughout our lives. Deficiency can cause osteomalacia in adults, a condition in which bones become soft.
This reduces bone density and can lead to osteoporosis and fractures (bone fractures). Approximately 50% of women over the age of 50 will suffer a bone fracture due to osteoporosis.
The risk of osteoporosis increases with age. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a vitamin D intake of 400 to 800 international units (IU) per day for adults under 50 and 800 to 1,000 IU for those over 50.
Vitamin D plays an important role in regulating the hair cycle, including the regrowth of new hair. However, a deficiency can slow hair growth.
Alopecia is an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss. Because people with alopecia have low vitamin D levels, topical vitamin D treatments have been used to improve symptoms.
Although research results are mixed on whether taking vitamin D supplements can improve existing symptoms of depression, several studies have shown that people with vitamin D deficiency may be at increased risk of experiencing depressive episodes. Shown in studies and reviews.
Low vitamin D can cause weight gain. People with obesity (excess fat cells) are 35% more likely to have vitamin D deficiency than people who are not obese. He is also 24% more likely to have D deficiency than people who are considered overweight.
Healthcare providers diagnose obesity using a tool called body mass index (BMI). BMI is an imperfect tool because it is based only on height and weight. Your health care provider may also consider your waist circumference (waist circumference measurement). Research shows that having more adipose tissue (body fat) around your abdomen can increase your risk of chronic health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs when blood sugar (blood sugar) levels are higher than normal.
Accumulation of vitamin D in adipose tissue may explain why obese patients have low blood vitamin D levels. Fat cells retain vitamins and do not release them into the bloodstream efficiently.
Vitamin D is known to affect the immune system and skin barrier function, both of which are important in the development of eczema. Eczema is a group of chronic skin conditions that can cause irritation, inflammation, and swelling of the skin.
Decreased serum vitamin D levels are associated with increased frequency and severity of eczema symptoms. Supplementing with vitamin D in pill form may improve winter-related eczema.
Vitamin D is essential for dental health, including tooth formation during infancy and childhood. This is another reason why prenatal vitamins are so important.
One study measured blood vitamin D levels in pregnant people and examined babies’ teeth at one year of age. Researchers found that parents of children with weak enamel and cavities had significantly lower vitamin D levels during pregnancy than parents of children with healthy teeth.
Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium, so it is essential for healthy teeth and gums. A lack of vitamin D weakens teeth, making them more susceptible to cavities, fractures, and tooth decay.
It is also associated with an increased risk of periodontitis, possibly due to its association with the immune system. Periodontitis is a periodontal disease that causes inflammation of the gums. Vitamin D appears to reduce the effects of inflammation and calcification on the tissues surrounding teeth.
Vitamin D helps your body produce natural antibiotics, which helps prevent infections. Vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor for urinary tract infections (UTIs), especially those assigned to women at birth.
A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary system, including the bladder, kidneys, ureters, and urethra. Research has shown that people who have recurring urinary tract infections may have low levels of vitamin D.
Vitamin D is essential for muscle strength. Deficiency can cause weakness in the pelvic floor, the hummock of muscles that supports the bladder, vagina, uterus, and rectum. A 2019 meta-analysis found that people with pelvic floor disease (PFD) have significantly lower vitamin D levels than people without PFD.
PFD includes urinary and fecal incontinence, as well as pelvic organ prolapse (a condition in which the pelvic muscles weaken and drop in the pelvis and sometimes bulge into the vagina). Further research is needed to clarify the link between vitamin D and these symptoms.
Rickets is a disease that causes a child’s bones to become soft and weak. It may be inherited from parents or may be associated with long-term vitamin D deficiency (nutritional rickets).
Children between the ages of 3 and 36 months are most at risk because their bones grow rapidly. In the late 19th century, doctors discovered that cod liver oil, which is rich in vitamin D, could help prevent and treat rickets in children. Manufacturers first added vitamin D to milk in the 1930s, and rickets has become rare in the United States ever since.
If you are diagnosed with nutritional rickets, most bone damage will repair within months, or even days, if you supplement with calcium and vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all infants, children, and adolescents receive at least 400 IU of vitamin D daily.
If you or your child have symptoms such as bone or hair loss, muscle pain, or fatigue, or if you get sick often or experience bone fractures with no apparent cause, contact your health care provider. Your health care provider can evaluate your symptoms and order diagnostic tests (such as blood tests) to check your vitamin D levels and levels of other nutrients. If your results indicate vitamin D deficiency, your health care provider will recommend the correct dose of vitamin D supplements.
Always consult your health care provider before trying any supplements. Dietary supplements are minimally regulated by the FDA and may or may not be suitable for you. The effectiveness of supplements varies from person to person and depends on many variables, including type, dosage, frequency of use, and interactions with current medications. Taking too much vitamin D from supplements can have harmful side effects.
Vitamin D is an important nutrient that provides many important benefits for your bones, muscles, nerves, and immune system. Too little vitamin D can cause symptoms such as fatigue, frequent illness and bone fractures, hair loss, and muscle and bone pain. In children, severe deficiency can cause rickets and tooth decay.
A blood test can check if you have a vitamin D deficiency. If you have a deficiency, your health care provider can teach you how to safely increase your vitamin D levels using vitamin D supplements.
