Have you ever felt unusually tired and achy for no apparent reason? Sometimes we think these are normal and ignore them. But did you know that behind these minor symptoms, there could be a hidden story of a deficiency in an essential nutrient for our body? Well, a problem that many people suffer from without realizing it is vitamin D deficiency, that is, a lack of vitamin D in the body. Today, let's talk about this simply as if we were talking to a close friend.
What exactly is vitamin D deficiency?
Simply put, vitamin D deficiency means that your body does not get enough vitamin D. This mainly affects the health of your bones and muscles .
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for the growth and maintenance of healthy bones. It also plays a role in the functioning of our nervous system, musculoskeletal system, and immune system.
There are several ways we can get vitamin D:
- Sun exposure: When our skin is exposed to sunlight, vitamin D is produced within the skin. However, people with darker skin tones and the elderly may have a harder time making enough vitamin D this way. The area we live in also affects this.
- From the foods we eat: Some foods naturally contain vitamin D.
- From nutritional supplements: You can also get vitamin D in the form of pills or liquids.
Just think, despite all these methods, vitamin D deficiency is a very common health problem worldwide.
Why is vitamin D so important to us?
Vitamin D is like a clever builder for our bodies. The main ingredients needed to build our bones are calcium and phosphorus. Even though we get calcium from food, we need the help of the "builder" vitamin D to absorb it from our intestines and use it to strengthen our bones.
Simply put, without vitamin D, our bodies cannot properly utilize calcium.
Now imagine what happens if your body is severely deficient in vitamin D. This reduces the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestines. This causes the calcium level in the blood to drop. We call this condition hypocalcemia .
When calcium levels in the blood drop, our body tries to correct this by stimulating the parathyroid glands in our neck, which begin to take calcium from the bones and add it to the blood. This is called secondary hyperparathyroidism .
As this process continues, the calcium in our bones gradually dissolves, causing them to become weak and brittle . This can lead to a condition called osteomalacia in adults and rickets in young children. In both cases, the risk of bones breaking easily (fractures) is greatly increased.
What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?
Most of the time, the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are not visible. But some people may experience these symptoms. Let's take a look at how this affects young children and adults.
| Who is affected? | Symptoms that may be felt |
|---|---|
| For little children | If vitamin D is severely deficient, rickets can develop. In which:
(But this is very rare now). Typically, children with a slight vitamin D deficiency may only experience muscle pain or weakness . |
| For adults | This may not be as obvious to adults, but there may be these symptoms:
|
The important thing is, sometimes you can have a vitamin D deficiency and not show any symptoms.
What are the causes of vitamin D deficiency?
There are mainly two reasons.
1. Not getting enough vitamin D from the food you eat and sunlight .
2. Your body may not be able to absorb or use vitamin D properly .
In addition to these main reasons, several other specific factors may also be involved.
| Reason | Description |
|---|---|
| Some medical conditions |
|
| Weight loss surgery | When you have surgery that reduces the size of the stomach or bypasses part of the small intestine (e.g., gastric bypass surgery), it becomes difficult to absorb nutrients, including vitamin D. |
| Some medications |
|
How do you know if you have a vitamin D deficiency?
Doctors don't usually test everyone's vitamin D levels. But if you have the symptoms we discussed earlier, or if you have risk factors for vitamin D deficiency, your doctor may ask you to take a blood test.
The main blood test for this is the 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) , or 25(OH)D for short. This can measure the amount of vitamin D in your blood.
How to treat and prevent it?
The goals of both treatment and prevention are the same: to bring the body's vitamin D levels to a healthy level and maintain them there.
It's good to eat more foods rich in vitamin D and get plenty of sun exposure. However, your doctor will often tell you to take vitamin D supplements .
There are two main forms of vitamin D: D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). D2 comes from plants, while D3 comes from animal sources. Our bodies absorb D3 more easily than D2.
Very important: You should definitely talk to your doctor about whether you need vitamin D pills, and if so, how much (dosage) to take. Taking vitamin pills at random can cause other health problems.
Who is at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency?
In addition to certain medical conditions, several other factors may increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency.
| Risk factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Age | As we age, our skin's ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight decreases. This is why people over the age of 65 are at higher risk. Also, babies who are exclusively breastfed may not be vitamin D deficient, as breast milk contains very little vitamin D. |
| Skin color | It is a little harder for darker skin (like ours) to produce vitamin D from sunlight than lighter skin. Therefore, people with darker skin are at higher risk. |
| Not going out | People who stay at home and rarely go out (e.g., those in nursing homes, those who are bedridden due to illness) are at higher risk because they cannot get vitamin D from sunlight. |
What foods can you get vitamin D from?
The best thing to do is to eat a balanced diet. There are foods that naturally contain vitamin D and foods that are artificially fortified.
| Food type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Foods naturally containing vitamin D |
|
| Fortified foods with added vitamin D |
But remember, it may be difficult to completely cure a vitamin D deficiency through diet alone.
Is it a problem if you take too much vitamin D?
Yes, absolutely. If you take too much vitamin D supplements without medical advice, it can be toxic to the body. This is called vitamin D toxicity. This can cause dangerously high levels of calcium in the blood (Hypercalcemia).
At such times, symptoms such as these may appear:
- Nausea
- Thirst and frequent urination
- Anorexia
- Constipation
- Weakness
- Confusion
Therefore, never take more than the recommended dose of vitamin pills, especially vitamin D, without consulting a doctor.
Take-Home Message
- Vitamin D deficiency is a very common health problem in Sri Lanka, but one that many people are unaware of.
- Symptoms may include frequent fatigue, body aches, and bone pain. However, some people may not have any symptoms at all.
- Vitamin D is essential for strong bones. A deficiency can weaken bones and make them more susceptible to breaking.
- If you suspect you have a vitamin D deficiency, or have risk factors, be sure to see your doctor for advice.
- Do not take vitamin D pills haphazardly. Only a doctor should determine the correct dosage. Taking too much can also be dangerous.
- A balanced diet and safe daily exposure to sunlight can help maintain good vitamin D levels.
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