Vitamin D Deficiency: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

Overview

One of the essential vitamins that we need for our overall health is vitamin D. Vitamin D is synthesized in the body when exposed to sunlight, and hence, is also called the sunshine vitamin.

Vitamin D has many functions, including:

• It regulates the levels of calcium and phosphate in your body. In order to maintain healthy bones, teeth, and muscles, it is necessary to have these nutrients.
• It helps to protect against various conditions, such as:
  • Osteoporosis
  • Heart disease
  • Hypertension
  • Diabetes
  • Infections and Immune system disorders
  • Cancer such as Colon, Prostate, and Breast cancer
  • Falls in older people.

Bone abnormalities such as rickets in young children and bone pains caused by a condition called osteomalacia in adults may result from the lack of vitamin D.

How do you get Vitamin D?

Sources of Vitamin D include:

• The body forms Vitamin D naturally after exposure to sunlight.
• Foods such as:
  • Oily fish e.g., Salmon, trout
  • Cheese
  • Mushrooms
  • Egg yolk
  • Fortified milk, cereals, juices.
• Dietary supplements

What causes Vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency is a condition wherein there is a reduced amount of Vitamin D in the body. Decreased exposure to sunlight, which may also be accompanied by low dietary sources, is a major cause of Vitamin D deficiency.  It can also be caused by:

• Medical conditions, such as Cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease, or Celiac disease. These diseases do not allow the intestines to absorb enough vitamin D through supplements.
• Weight loss surgeries make consuming sufficient quantities of certain nutrients, vitamins, and minerals very difficult.
• Obesity. Fat cells keep vitamin D isolated so that it is not released.
• Diseases in the kidney and liver reduce the amount of an enzyme necessary for conversion from vitamin D to a form that is present in the body.
• Age
• Skin color. Darker skin reduces the body’s ability to absorb the sun’s ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) rays.
• Medications such as laxatives, steroids, cholesterol-lowering, and seizure-control drugs.
• Breastfeeding. Infants who exclusively breastfeed need a vitamin D supplement.

What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency?

The deficiency of vitamin D may manifest in the following signs and symptoms:

• Bone and muscle pain
• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness, muscle aches, or muscle cramps
• Depression
• Regular illness or infection
• Hair loss
• Impaired wound healing
• Anxiety or irritability
• Weight gain

How to overcome Vitamin D deficiency?

The following can help increase the Vitamin D content in the body:

• Outdoor activity for 10-15 minutes in the sun every day
• Have more Vitamin D rich foods e.g., mushroom, fish, egg yolk, fortified cereals
• Opt for Vitamin D supplements after consultation with your doctor.

How is Vitamin D deficiency diagnosed?

Doctors may order below blood tests:

1.     Vitamin D 25, Hydroxy

This test measures vitamin D levels in the blood. In the blood, we can measure two forms of vitamin D, 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D which is essential to bone health and growth.

This test is helpful for diagnosing Vitamin D deficiency and Hypervitaminosis D. It is also used for diagnosing causes of Rickets & Osteomalacia and monitoring Vitamin D replacement therapy.

2.     Vitamin D 1, 25 Dihydroxy

1,25-Dihydroxy vitamin D plays a primary role in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis. A part of circulating 25-hydroxy vitamin D is converted to a 1,25-dihydroxy form in the kidneys. This test may help evaluate calcium metabolism in individuals with hypercalcemia or renal failure in addition to Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy testing.

Disclaimer:

This blog is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advice or as a substitute for consulting a physician. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment from a healthcare professional.