Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency overview

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Vitamin D. Calciferol.

This vitamin is often called the sunshine vitamin because the body is able to synthesize its own vitamin D when you stay in the sun. Quite often the lack of sunlight leads to a vitamin D deficiency. Traditionally spoken that it is needed for bone growth, but this vitamin has many other advantages.

In fact, vitamin D exists in several different chemical forms, with similar features: vitamins D1, D2, D3, D4, D5, and D6. Vitamins D2 and D3 are the most prevalent, active and similar in action in the body. However, vitamin D3 is more active. Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, is produced in yeast and bread. Its predecessor is ergosterol. Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol is constantly formed in the skin by the action of sunlight and its predecessor is cholesterol.

The production of vitamin D in the body.

Just 10-15 minutes of daily exposure of skin to direct sunlight is enough for obtaining the necessary amount of vitamin D. However, this simple rule does not always hold. The amount of vitamin D, synthesized in the skin, depends on the wavelength, skin pigmentation and the level of air pollution. Vitamin D deficiency is found in women in winter, even in a sunny country like New Zealand.

In addition, the production of the vitamin D decreases with age, but vitamin D deficiency may affect not only the elderly, but children and teens.

In northern latitudes the sun's rays are not strong enough to stimulate the production of vitamin D in winter. If a person spends enough time in the sun during the summer, then it is possible that the body will keep enough of vitamin D until spring. If during the summer people spend most of their time indoors, you should consider taking extra vitamin D. The need for vitamin D increases with gipoparatireoze and hyperparathyroidism (diseases of the parathyroid glands), and it often requires supplementation for prevention of hypovitaminosis and subsequent bone disease.

How much vitamin D is required?

The daily requirement for vitamin D is different depending on the age and condition of the body. Adults under the age of 50 years required 100-200 IU per day (1 IU Vitamin D is the biological equivalent of 0.025 μg cholecalciferol / ergocalciferol). Children and adolescents need 500 IU per day. At the age of 70 , the need for vitamin D increases to 600 IU, and even up to 800 IU per day. It may prevent many vitamin D deficiency symptoms.

Women during pregnancy and lactation should receive 400-600 IU per day. The same amount is required at the age of 51-70 . Newborns need 300 IU of vitamin D per day (minimum of 200 IU).

Newborns and premature babies have vitamin D deficiency. Clinic rickets usually develops in the third week of life. It is considered that human milk contains only 4% of the daily needs of the infant for vitamin D. Most of it is in the milk in the form of water-soluble substrate. It is known that low calcium content in human milk limits the absorption of vitamin D even when sufficient levels in the food of the child.

Who has lack of vitamin D?

All cases of osteoporosis or osteomalacia, including symptomatic osteoporosis in diabetes, acidosis, or diseases of the thyroid gland require vitamin D in therapeutic doses.

Vitamin D is necessary and in caries and defective development of teeth, as well as in spazmofilii (muscle cramp tonic character);

Additional intake of vitamin D is essential for hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia of various origins, with systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, enteritis, Whipple's disease, Crohn's disease, and pancreatitis). With the aim of reducing vitamin D deficiency during glucocorticoid therapy extra doses of vitamin D required.

Additional indications for the reception of vitamin D are skin exudative processes, partly related to the violation of calcium metabolism (eczema, atopic dermatitis, exudative diathesis).

In addition, excessively high doses of vitamin D may be administered to patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, and skin.

Intake of vitamin D may be necessary for those who constantly use creams that contain sunscreens.

Vitamin d deficiency symptoms

Vitamin D deficiency is manifested as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults and is accompanied by a low content of inorganic phosphorus in plasma, normal or low level of calcium in plasma. In addition, dysfunction of the neuromuscular apparatus is observed (flaccidity of the skeletal muscles), a distortion of the nervous regulation of the digestive tract.

Where can I get vitamin D?

Vitamin D is fat soluble and it is in most animal fats. Food is a good source of vitamin D, but with age its absorption slows down, which may cause vitamin D deficiency. In addition, foods containing vitamin D are often high-calorie, which leads to the fact that intake of vitamin D in the diet is inadequate.

The best source of vitamin D - saltwater fish (cod liver oil, tuna, halibut), as well as herring, salmon and sardines, as well as cod liver oil and eggs. Other sources of vitamin D include egg yolks, cheese, butter and margarine.

Vitamin D is found in medicinal herbs such as alfalfa, horsetail, nettle, parsley.

Vitamin D is often added to milk or breakfast cereal.

Content of Vitamin D is not reduced when food is being cooked.

Staying in the sun 10-15 minutes a day can reduce the vitamin D deficiency.

© Vitamin D Deficiency 2012