Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency is a decrease in the level of this vitamin in the body than its normal rate, which causes thinning and change in the form of bones, although the person is keen to eat foods containing milk and dairy products and fish Kalmslmon but exposure to the sun and at certain times of the day plays the role The main reduction in its lower body level.
Causes of vitamin D deficiency
There are a number of reasons contributing to Vitamin D deficiency.
- Do not eat foods containing this vitamin D in sufficient quantities.
- Vitamin D is found in animal sources significantly compared to plant sources. For example, vitamin D is found in eggs, yogurt, liver, cattle, fish and cheese. .
- Not being exposed to sunlight for a long time, sunlight is the main source of its production from the body.
- Organic problems including vitamin D deficiency, due to dysfunction and gastrointestinal disorder affecting its absorption, such as cystic fibrosis, Crohn’s disease, or celiac disease.
- Vitamin D deficiency may be due to kidney problems. The kidneys are responsible for the conversion of vitamin D into its active and useful form, and any kidney failure can cause a defect in the body’s vitamin level.
- Other reasons for the lack of this vitamin in breast milk.
- Vitamin D deficiency due to the effect of certain drugs and drugs.
- Obesity causes the accumulation of vitamin D in the tissues and fatty cells.
Factors that increase the chances of vitamin D deficiency
- Which increases the ability of the kidneys to convert vitamin D to become ready for absorption.
- Dark skin, due to its large amounts of melanin, impairs the ability of the skin to produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.
- Lifestyles that prevent this vitamin, for example, housewives who work in places that do not reach the sun.
- Living in countries and regions in the North of the globe.
Symptoms and signs of vitamin D deficiency
Many people with vitamin D deficiency have no symptoms of the disease, while some suffer from general weakness and fatigue, and the most prominent symptoms associated with severe vitamin D deficiency:
- Osteoporosis.
- Pain in bones and joints.
- Mood change.
- Weakness and muscle pain.
- Delayed baby walk, sit for a long time.
Diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency
Diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency depends on a variety of laboratory tests and is as follows:
- Laboratory examination, one of the most effective ways of detecting the level of vitamin D in the body is screening (25OH-D) hydroxyvitamin D
If the level of vitamin D is between 20-50 ng / ml then the level is normal and this is the rate in healthy people, while there is a lack of vitamin D level when the level is less than 12 ng / ml.
- Pheromone test (PTH), when vitamin D deficiency occurs, the level of this hormone increases significantly.
- Examination of ionic calcium level.
Opinions differ and vary around the level necessary for health of the body, but all indicate that the presence of this vitamin in the body rate of less than 20 nanograms / ml, is insufficient and requires medical intervention.
The Medical Research Center therefore recommends the need for 70-year-olds for 600 IU in vitamin D, while those over the age of 70 need 800 IU.
The maximum vitamin D was set to safe for 4000 IU.
Treatment of vitamin D deficiency
Treatment of Vitamin D deficiency in the body includes the replacement of this vitamin by eating the food containing it in addition to the supplements and the procedures that are followed to compensate for the deficiency and avoid the accompanying complications:
- After determining the amount of deficiency, the patient is provided with the amount of deficiency by mouth or injection.
- Sitting under the sun between 10 am and 3 pm.
Complications of vitamin deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency causes many complications and health problems that may be serious.
- Children with severe asthma.
- Loss of cognitive ability in older persons.
- Exposure to cardiovascular disease.
- Children are rickets, and this is clearly shown in the form of curvature of the bones of the legs.
- Osteoporosis in adults and the rapid exposure of their bones to fracture of minor injuries.