vitamin d deficiency: do you know the signs?

vitamin d plays a key role in human health, according to health canada , by helping the body regulate calcium, a mineral it uses to build and sustain strong bones and teeth. it also plays a critical role in the proper functioning of the immune system, the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system.

according to the cleveland clinic , the body struggles to use calcium and phosphorous to build bones and keep tissues healthy when vitamin d is in short supply. if the body’s intestines lose the ability to absorb these two minerals, symptoms — including muscle weakness, cramps and depression — can ensue. if the body begins to pull calcium from bones to compensate, more problems may occur.

symptoms of a vitamin d deficiency

a vitamin d deficiency can be difficult to detect because it can take months or years for the first signs of an issue to appear. in the rare instances it occurs in small children, a severe vitamin d deficiency can lead to rickets , a condition that causes incorrect growth patterns, bone pain, muscle weakness and deformities in joints. according to healthline , when a deficiency occurs in adults, symptoms can include:

• frequent illness or infections
• fatigue
• bone and back pain
• impaired wound healing
• depression
• bone or hair loss
• muscle pain
• weight gain
• anxiety
• mood changes, including depression

diagnosing a vitamin d deficiency

treating a vitamin d deficiency

preventing a vitamin d deficiency

the best way to guarantee you are getting enough vitamin d is to adhere to a diet that is rich in the nutrient by including foods such as fatty fish (tuna, mackerel and sardines), rainbow trout, beef liver, mushrooms, egg yolks and cod liver oil. exposure to sunlight will help but try not to spend too long outside without protecting your skin from harmful uv rays. according to the skin cancer foundation , studies have shown that the everyday use of sunscreen does not block vitamin d or result in a deficiency.

prevalence of vitamin d deficiencies

a recent study found “disturbing evidence” of widespread vitamin d deficiency in many populations located at higher latitudes. the research estimates that between 70 and 97 per cent of canadians demonstrate a vitamin d deficiency, with many experiencing profoundly deficient levels of the nutrient. the study points out that replenishing levels of vitamin d3 with a dose of 2,000 iu/day “would achieve normalized levels in 93 per cent of patients.”

support for a vitamin d deficiency

dave yasvinski is a writer with        healthing.ca

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vitamin d deficiency: do you know the signs?

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