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Vitamin D deficiency

Description

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, found in natural foods and produced when skin is exposed to sunlight. It is important for strong bones as it helps in calcium absorption, balanced parathyroid function, and a stronger immune system. Vitamin D deficiency means that your body lacks sufficient amount of this vitamin. Healthy levels of vitamin D in body are 50-125 nmol/l, levels lower than 30 nmol/l may cause harmful effects in the body.

Causes

There are several causes of vitamin D deficiency, some of them are:

 

  • Inadequate exposure to sunlight: Skin makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. We get 80% of our vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. Inadequate exposure to sunlight will lead to deficient levels of this vitamin.
  • Diet: Food makes up for the remaining 20% of our body’s vitamin D. Diet which lacks vitamin D leads to its deficiency.
  • Skin color: Darker skin colors produces less vitamin D when exposed to sunlight as compared to fair skin color.
  • Obesity: Increased fat, increases absorption of vitamin D into the fat cells leading to decreased serum vitamin D levels.
  • Kidney disease: Kidney converts vitamin D into its active form which can be used. Kidney impairment will also lead to vitamin D deficiency.
  • Gastrointestinal diseases: Celiac disease and Crohn’s disease may cause impaired absorption of vitamin D from the intestines.
Risk factors

Following factors may increase your risk of developing deficiency of vitamin D:

 

  1. Exposure to sunlight: inadequate exposure to sunlight will increase your chances of getting vitamin D deficiency.
  2. Gastrointestinal diseases: Celiac disease and Crohn’s disease will impair the absorption of vitamin D.
  3. Age: Old people are more prone to getting this deficiency because their skin is less sensitive to exposure to sunlight, making less vitamin D.
  4. Medicines: Antifungals, glucocorticoids, or anticonvulsants may breakdown vitamin D in the body leading to its deficiency.
Symptoms

The most common sign and symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency include:

  • Lethargy or tiredness
  • Bone pain and muscle weakness.
  • Dry skin or other skin issues such as eczema and psoriasis.
  • Reduced immunity.
  • Problems with memory and thinking skills (cognitive impairment)
  • Bone pain
  • Muscle weakness
  • Osteoporosis (brittle or weak bones)
  • Osteomalacia (softening of bones).
  • Rickets
Diagnosis

To reach a diagnosis, your doctor will ask for your complete medical history and perform a simple physical exam. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor will advise x-ray to find any abnormality of the bones, and perform blood tests including your complete blood count, and serum calcium and phosphate levels.

Management

Vitamin D can be produced by our skin on sun exposure; and may also be obtained from certain foods and supplements. The following foods may act as sources for vitamin D:

  • Dairy products such as milk and cheese. Soy milk
  • Egg yolk
  • Tuna, salmon sardines, mackerel and caviar.
  • Fish oils and cod liver oil.
  • Vitamin D supplements.
When to consult a doctor?

Consult your doctor if your condition is persistent or worsens, and if you have nausea, vomiting, weakness, or loss of appetite after using vitamin supplements.

Available Medicine for Vitamin D deficiency

One-alpha Drops 2mcg/ml

Rs.2321.53

Leo-Zam Zam

Bone-Care 0.5mcg

Rs.459

Schazoo Pharmaceuticals

Oscal D 0.25mcg/200mg

Rs.414

Aries

X-BONE 0.5 mcg

Rs.200

Wilshire

One-Alpha 0.5mcg

Rs.409.58

Leo-Zam Zam

One-Alpha 1mcg

Rs.466.83

Leo-Zam Zam

X-Bone 1 mcg

Rs.253.33

Wilshire

Bon-One 0.5mcg

Rs.329.7

Martin Dow

One-Alpha 1 mcg

Rs.434.91

Leo-Zam Zam

Bonedol 0.25mcg

Rs.60

Pharm Evo

Alfa-D 0.5mcg

Rs.300

Platinum

Bonedol 0.5mcg

Rs.150

Pharm Evo

Alfa-D 1mcg

Rs.400

Platinum