Recognizing Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

By Kerri Stout


Living in a fast paced society that has evolved over time many people find themselves in a position that can cause them to eat on the run or many times miss a meal completely. Eating on the run generally involves fast foods that may not contain the nutritional values necessary for a healthy body and skipping meals due to employment or family pressures carries consequences that speak for themselves. Knowing what the vitamin D deficiency symptoms are may help to prevent the problems associated with it.

There are several ways to supplement the intake of basic vitamins starting with sitting in the sun. The body can create D vitamins for itself by metabolizing direct sunshine it is exposed to. Many foods contain needed amounts of D vitamins and additional supplements can be purchased over the counter in most stores.




Some of the risk factors for this problem include limited sun exposure, darker skin color, restricted activity, or diseases that affect absorption of nutrients by the body. There are also issues with diagnosis of a shortage of D vitamins in the body because the range of sufficiency varies considerably from one expert source to the next. The Institute of Medicine sets intake levels according to age with the highest levels attributed to senior women over seventy years of age.

The symptoms mentioned by doctors include bone pain and muscle weakness as the most common complaints by patients. These subtle issues are so vague they often go unnoticed or are over looked when a diagnosis is made. A specific request must be made by the doctor to test the D levels in blood tests and often the patient needs to suggest doing it to their physician.

Persons who have suffered from this problem can supply more detailed descriptions of symptomatic issues suffered while living with this dilemma. They will tell you of hair loss, foggy headed feelings and fatigue that can leave them immobile. Some experience hip pain and joint pain that makes it very painful and difficult to get up from a seated position.

Women who have reached middle age are specifically at risk for this problem. Chemical and hormonal changes in their bodies can cause a loss of calcium available for bone density. Many women report suffering from multiple falls as they age and many of these falls are attributed to a lack of D vitamins. It is important to have bone density scans and monitor the level of vitamins in the body as they age to help prevent fractures.

Many long term issues have been tied to this malady. Cancers, heart disease and liver problems are being studied to find the links to the shortage of this necessary supplement. Studies are also being conducted that show appropriate levels of D vitamins help prevent multiple sclerosis in women.

Those who follow the vegan diet guidelines are especially susceptible for this problem because the nutrients necessary to prevent it are found in animal based products such as egg yolks, fortified milk, cheese or beef liver. Using daily multiple vitamins is a practice that may benefit every body.




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