Lack of vitamin D: symptoms and causes

Direct exposure to the sun is what produces vitamin D and that is the reason why the other name for this vitamin is “sun shine vitamin”. This vitamin is highly important and if a person is lacking it that is a big problem and needs to be looked into straight away.

Symptoms

The body needs minerals and vitamins in order to function the way it should. If a person cares about a healthy life he or she will make a balanced diet and will make sure to have taken all the needed nutrients. Even though vitamin D is highly important almost half of the American population is lacking it. According to certain studies, over 1 billion people everywhere around the world are vitamin D deficient. People who lack vitamin D are more prone to diseases.

Weak bones and ricketsIf a person has weak bones that is one of the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. The density and size of the bones will determine their strength. Calcium, phosphorus and some other minerals are decisive for the bone's density. Vitamin D plays the most important role in the calcium absorption and phosphate levels control. Even though rickets is rare in the States, people who do have it are likely to be vitamin D deficient. Bone pain, dental and skeletal deformities and impaired growth are all happening because of rickets. However, children between 6 and 24 months of age are usually the target of rickets.

A person can experience chronic lower back pain because he or she is vitamin D deficient, according to some studies.

IllnessA person who is lacking vitamin D can be struck by many diseases. Diabetes, Crohn's disease, hypertension and multiple sclerosis are only some of them. Inflammatory bowel disease is another disease that can be caused by the lack of vitamin D. Apart from this, people who are obese are more likely to be vitamin D deficient.

Causes of lack of vitamin D symptoms

The main reasons why a person is lacking vitamin D is because he or she is not eating enough vitamin D rich foods and because he or she is not exposed to the sun for long enough. In addition to this, if a person uses too much sun screen he or she will not be able to absorb enough sunlight. Another problem can be if a kidney fails to convert vitamin D. Even though these reasons are rare, a person can lack vitamin D because of the age and even heredity.