Symptoms Of Vitamin D3 Deficiency

By Author: MobiChemist
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As it is well acknowledged, Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin is highly essential for growth and development and also for maintaining robust lifestyle.

Cholecalciferol is the provitamin D3 which in turn is converted to the active form of Vitamin D called as Calcitriol (1, 25- dihydroxycholecalciferol). Calcitriol is more popularly called as Vitamin D3. Unlike most vitamins, vitamin D actually functions like a hormone, and every single cell in our body has a receptor for it. Cholesterol is the raw material needed for the synthesis of Vitamin D3. 7- dehydrocholesterol on exposure to sunlight and further by the body’s enzymatic processes is ultimately converted to Vitamin D3.

Sources of Vitamin D3:

As mentioned, our body makes Vitamin D3 from cholesterol upon exposure to sunlight.
Good sources of Vitamin D3 include fatty fish, fish liver oil etc.
Fortified dairy products are also known to contain Vitamin D3.

Biochemical Functions of Vitamin D3:

Vitamin D3 by acting at 3 different levels of body, namely bone, intestine and kidney, regulates the plasma level of requisite minerals ...
... Calcium and Phosphate.

The recommended dietary allowance is around 400- 800 IU.

Deficiency of Vitamin D3 is very common. The risk factors include:

Having dark skin.
Being elderly.
Being overweight or obese.
Chronic Alcoholics
Those with Liver and Kidney dysfunction
Fat Malabsorption Syndrome
Not eating much fish or milk.
Living far from the equator where there is little sun year-round.
Always using sunscreen when going out or staying indoor

Because of the subtle symptoms, most individuals do not realize that their body is deficient in Vitamin D3.

Signs and Symptoms of Vitamin D3 deficiency:

Defective bone mineralization leading to soft bones is the major sign of Vitamin D3 deficiency. Rickets and Osteomalacia are the two main disorders owing to Vitamin D3 deficiency.

Rickets:It is a deficiency disorder of Vitamin D3 which is characterized by softening and weakening of bones in children.

Signs and symptoms of Rickets include:

Skeletal deformity:
Bowed legs in toddlers and knock knees in children; cranial deformities like skull bossing etc.; Pigeon chest

Retarded growth
Dental tenderness and delay in teeth formation
Increased susceptibility to fracture
Muscle weakness
Rachitic rosary or Costochondral swelling (i.e. chest deformity)
Widening of wrist (early sign)
Tetany due to hypocalcaemia (low calcium level in blood)
Soft Skull (Craniotabes)

Osteomalacia: It is a bone condition characterized by inadequate mineralization due to Vitamin D3 deficiency in adults. It starts insidiously as pain in lower (lumbar) back and thigh. Osteomalacia is different from Osteoporosis.

Signs and Symptoms of Osteomalacia include:

Lordosis (bending of spine)
Typical Waddling gait
Difficulty in climbing stairs and getting up from a squatting position
Muscle weakness
Bone pain especially in hip region
Susceptible to fractures due to pliable bones
Hypocalcaemia

Bone and Back Pain:
Vitamin D3 is essential for the absorption of Calcium which in turn is needed for Osteogenesis (bone formation). Poor absorption of calcium due to scanty level of Vitamin D3 makes the bones weak and frangible. Bone pain and lower back pain may be signs of inadequate vitamin D levels in the blood. Observations and various studies show that Vitamin D3 deficiency is associated with chronic lower back pain. Many advertisements are being aired in order to make people understand the importance of Vitamin D3 in bone health.

Susceptible to Infections and Diseases
Vitamin D3 is known to boost our immune system. Adequate quantity of Vitamin D3 in the body is essential to fight with infectious organisms. If you become sick often, especially with colds or the flu, low vitamin D levels may be a contributing factor.

Muscle weakness and pain
Although there are many reasons but some studies & observations have shown that deficiency of Vitamin D3 in the body is also associated with muscle pain and weakness.

Fatigue and Tiredness
Excessive and easy fatigability may be considered an indication of low Vitamin D3 level in the blood. It is on the basis of a large observational study that looked at the relationship between vitamin D and fatigue in young women.

Some studies have also reported that impaired &slow wound healing and hair loss may also be due to Vitamin D3 deficiency. However, there is no concrete proof and research is going on to test this hypothesis.

Thus, apart from giving life to a new dawn, sunlight is also essential to maintain a healthy living. Vitamin D3, the sunshine vitamin is the main mastermind behind this and its presence in required quantity is quintessential to live hale and hearty life. Wish you a shiny health.