Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is known as the “sunshine vitamin”. Your body manufactures it with the help of adequate sunlight. We work, learn and play indoors most of the time. Some of the northern states of the United States and the western world have no adequate sunshine during the winter months. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Calcium and phosphate are two minerals that are essential for normal bone formation. Throughout childhood, your body uses these minerals to produce bones. If you do not get enough calcium, or if your body does not absorb enough calcium from your diet, bone production and bone tissues may suffer. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis in adults or rickets in children. Human milk and infant formulas have very low levels of Vitamin D. Excessive sun exposure is not recommended due to increased incidence of skin cancer.

Signs and Symptoms

• Tiredness, bone pain and lack of energy.
• Prevent type 1 and type 2 Diabetes, Hypertension, Glucose Intolerance and Multiple Sclerosis.
• Poor mental alertness in older adults.

Causes

• Vegetarian diet (especially “Vegan diet”).
• Lack of exposure to sunlight (People living in Northern States of US).
• Dark skin.
• Gastrointestinal diseases like Ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s Disease and Celiac Disease
• Gastric bypass surgery.
• Obesity.

Diagnosis

• We test for the level of the 25 Hydroxy Vitamin D level. Normal level is 30 ­ 74 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml).
• Deficiency ­ less than 10 ng/ml.
• Insufficiency ­ less than 20­30 ng/ml.