Vitamin D deficiency (patient information): Difference between revisions

Jump to navigation Jump to search
No edit summary
 
(5 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 6: Line 6:


==Overview==
==Overview==
Vitamin D deficiency means that you are not getting enough [[vitamin D]] to stay healthy. [[Vitamin D]] helps your body absorb [[calcium]]. [[Calcium]] is one of the main building blocks of [[bone]]. [[Vitamin D]] also has a role in your [[Nervous system|nervous]], [[muscle]], and [[Immune system|immune systems]].
You can get [[vitamin D]] in three ways: through your [[skin]], from your [[Diet (nutrition)|diet]], and from [[Dietary supplement|supplements]]. Your body forms [[vitamin D]] naturally after exposure to sunlight. But too much sun exposure can lead to [[skin]] aging and [[skin cancer]], so many people try to get their [[vitamin D]] from other sources.


==What are the Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?==
==What are the Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?==
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of [[bone density]], which can contribute to [[osteoporosis]] and [[Bone fracture|fractures]].
Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases. In children, it can cause [[rickets]]. [[Rickets]] is a rare disease that causes the [[Bone (disambiguation)|bones]] to become soft and bend. African American infants and children are at higher risk of getting [[rickets]]. In adults, severe vitamin D deficiency leads to [[osteomalacia]]. [[Osteomalacia]] causes weak [[Bone (disambiguation)|bones]], [[bone pain]], and [[muscle weakness]].


==What Causes vitamin D deficiency?==
==What Causes vitamin D deficiency?==
You can become deficient in [[vitamin D]] for different reasons:
* You don't get enough [[vitamin D]] in your diet
* You don't absorb enough [[vitamin D]] from food (a [[malabsorption]] problem)
* You don't get enough exposure to sunlight.
* Your [[liver]] or [[Kidney|kidneys]] cannot convert [[vitamin D]] to its active form in the body.
* You take medicines that interfere with your body's ability to convert or absorb [[vitamin D]]


==Who is at Highest Risk?==
==Who is at Highest Risk?==
Some people are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency:
* Breastfed infants, because human milk is a poor source of [[vitamin D]]. If you are [[breastfeeding]], give your infant a supplement of 400 IU of [[vitamin D]] every day.
* Older adults, because your [[skin]] doesn't make [[vitamin D]] when exposed to sunlight as efficiently as when you were young, and your [[Kidney|kidneys]] are less able to convert [[vitamin D]] to its active form.
* People with dark [[skin]], which has less ability to produce [[vitamin D]] from the sun.
* People with disorders such as [[Crohn's disease]] or [[celiac disease]] who don't handle [[fat]] properly, because [[vitamin D]] needs fat to be absorbed.
* People who have [[obesity]], because their body [[fat]] binds to some [[vitamin D]] and prevents it from getting into the blood.
* People who have had [[gastric bypass surgery]].
* People with [[osteoporosis]].
* People with [[Chronic kidney diseas|chronic kidney]] or [[Hepato-biliary diseases|liver disease]].
* People with [[hyperparathyroidism]] (too much of a [[hormone]] that controls the body's [[calcium]] level)
* People with [[sarcoidosis]], [[tuberculosis]], [[histoplasmosis]], or other [[Granuloma|granulomatous disease]] (disease with [[Granuloma|granulomas]], collections of [[Cell (biology)|cells]] caused by [[chronic inflammation]])
* People with some [[Lymphoma|lymphomas]], a type of [[cancer]].
* People who take medicines that affect [[vitamin D]] [[metabolism]], such as [[cholestyramine]] (a [[cholesterol]] drug), anti seizure drugs, [[glucocorticoids]], [[Antifungal drug|antifungal drugs]], and [[HIV AIDS|HIV/AIDS]] medicines.
Talk with your [[health care provider]] if you are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. There is a [[blood test]] which can measure how much [[vitamin D]] is in your body.


==Diagnosis==
The [[25-hydroxy vitamin D]] test is the most accurate way to measure how much [[vitamin D]] is in your body. The normal range of [[vitamin D]] is measured as nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Many experts recommend a level between 20 and 40 ng/mL. Others recommend a level between 30 and 50 ng/mL.


==Diagnosis==
The examples above are common measurements for results of these tests. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some laboratories use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results, and whether you may need [[vitamin D]] supplements.


==When to Seek Urgent Medical Care?==
==When to Seek Urgent Medical Care?==
Call your [[health care provider]] if you have symptoms of vitamin D deficiency or if you wish to be [[Screening (medicine)|screened]] for the condition.


==Treatment Options==
==Treatment Options==
 
If you have vitamin D deficiency, the treatment is with [[Dietary supplement|supplements]]. Check with your [[health care provider]] about how much you need to take, how often you need to take it, and how long you need to take it.
==Where to find Medical Care for vitamin D deficiency?==
==Where to find Medical Care for vitamin D deficiency?==
Medical care for vitamin D deficiency can be found [https://www.google.com/maps/search/hospitals/ here].
Medical care for vitamin D deficiency can be found [https://www.google.com/maps/search/hospitals/ here].


==Prevention==
==Prevention==
The amount of [[vitamin D]] you need each day depends on your age. The recommended amounts, in international units (IU), are:
* Birth to 12 months: 400 IU
* Children 1-13 years: 600 IU
* Teens 14-18 years: 600 IU
* Adults 19-70 years: 600 IU
* Adults 71 years and older: 800 IU
* [[Pregnancy|Pregnant]] and [[breastfeeding]] women: 600 IU
There are a few foods that naturally have some [[vitamin D]]:
* Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel
* Beef liver
* Cheese
* Mushrooms
* Egg yolks
You can also get [[vitamin D]] from fortified foods. You can check the food labels to find out whether a food has [[vitamin D]]. Foods that often have added [[vitamin D]] include
* [[Milk]]
* Breakfast cereals
* Orange juice
* Other dairy products, such as yogurt
* Soy drinks
[[Vitamin D]] is in many [[multivitamins]]. There are also [[vitamin D]] [[Dietary supplement|supplements]], both in [[Pill (pharmacology)|pills]] and a [[liquid]] for babies.


==What to Expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?==
==What to Expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?==


==Possible Complications==
==Possible Complications==
* [[Rickets]] or softening of the [[Bone (disambiguation)|bones]] in children
* [[Osteomalacia]] in adults
* [[Osteoporosis]]
* [[Bone fracture|Fracture]]
* Researchers are studying [[vitamin D]] for its possible connections to several medical conditions, including [[diabetes]], [[Hypertension|high blood pressure]], [[cancer]], and [[Autoimmunity|autoimmune]] conditions such as [[multiple sclerosis]]. They need to do more research before they can understand the effects of [[vitamin D]] on these conditions.


==Sources==
==Sources==


http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000434.htm
[https://medlineplus.gov/vitaminddeficiency.html Vitamin D Deficiency (National Library of Medicine)]
 
[https://medlineplus.gov/labtests/vitamindtest.html Vitamin D Test  (National Library of Medicine)]
 
[https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003569.htm 25-hydroxy vitamin D test (Medical Encyclopedia)]
 
[https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d-deficiency-risk/ Low Vitamin D: What Increases the Risk? (Harvard School of Public Health)]
 
[http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/129/13/e413.full On the Possible Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiovascular Disease (American Heart Association)]
 
[https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000376.htm Osteomalacia (Medical Encyclopedia)]
 
[https://medlineplus.gov/rickets.html Rickets: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine)]
 
[https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/ Vitamin D  (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)]
 
[https://www.hormone.org/sitecore%20modules/web/~/media/Hormone/Files/Patient%20Guides/Bone%20and%20Mineral/PGVitamin%20D%20523.pdf Vitamin D Deficiency (Hormone Health Network) - PDF]


[https://www.uptodate.com/contents/vitamin-d-deficiency-beyond-the-basics?view=print Vitamin D Deficiency (Beyond the Basics) (UpToDate)]




{{WH}}
{{WH}}
{{WS}}
{{WS}}

Latest revision as of 22:24, 25 November 2017

Vitamin D deficiency

Overview

What are the symptoms?

What are the causes?

Who is at highest risk?

Diagnosis

When to seek urgent medical care?

Treatment options

Where to find medical care for vitamin D deficiency?

Prevention

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible complications

Vitamin D deficiency On the Web

Ongoing Trials at Clinical Trials.gov

Images of vitamin D deficiency

Videos on vitamin D deficiency

FDA on vitamin D deficiency

CDC on vitamin D deficiency

vitamin D deficiency in the news

Blogs on vitamin D deficiency

Directions to Hospitals Treating vitamin D deficiency

Risk calculators and risk factors for vitamin D deficiency

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sadaf Sharfaei M.D.[2]

Overview

Vitamin D deficiency means that you are not getting enough vitamin D to stay healthy. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone. Vitamin D also has a role in your nervous, muscle, and immune systems.

You can get vitamin D in three ways: through your skin, from your diet, and from supplements. Your body forms vitamin D naturally after exposure to sunlight. But too much sun exposure can lead to skin aging and skin cancer, so many people try to get their vitamin D from other sources.

What are the Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures.

Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases. In children, it can cause rickets. Rickets is a rare disease that causes the bones to become soft and bend. African American infants and children are at higher risk of getting rickets. In adults, severe vitamin D deficiency leads to osteomalacia. Osteomalacia causes weak bones, bone pain, and muscle weakness.

What Causes vitamin D deficiency?

You can become deficient in vitamin D for different reasons:

  • You don't get enough vitamin D in your diet
  • You don't absorb enough vitamin D from food (a malabsorption problem)
  • You don't get enough exposure to sunlight.
  • Your liver or kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form in the body.
  • You take medicines that interfere with your body's ability to convert or absorb vitamin D

Who is at Highest Risk?

Some people are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency:

Talk with your health care provider if you are at risk for vitamin D deficiency. There is a blood test which can measure how much vitamin D is in your body.

Diagnosis

The 25-hydroxy vitamin D test is the most accurate way to measure how much vitamin D is in your body. The normal range of vitamin D is measured as nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Many experts recommend a level between 20 and 40 ng/mL. Others recommend a level between 30 and 50 ng/mL.

The examples above are common measurements for results of these tests. Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some laboratories use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results, and whether you may need vitamin D supplements.

When to Seek Urgent Medical Care?

Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of vitamin D deficiency or if you wish to be screened for the condition.

Treatment Options

If you have vitamin D deficiency, the treatment is with supplements. Check with your health care provider about how much you need to take, how often you need to take it, and how long you need to take it.

Where to find Medical Care for vitamin D deficiency?

Medical care for vitamin D deficiency can be found here.

Prevention

The amount of vitamin D you need each day depends on your age. The recommended amounts, in international units (IU), are:

  • Birth to 12 months: 400 IU
  • Children 1-13 years: 600 IU
  • Teens 14-18 years: 600 IU
  • Adults 19-70 years: 600 IU
  • Adults 71 years and older: 800 IU
  • Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 600 IU

There are a few foods that naturally have some vitamin D:

  • Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel
  • Beef liver
  • Cheese
  • Mushrooms
  • Egg yolks

You can also get vitamin D from fortified foods. You can check the food labels to find out whether a food has vitamin D. Foods that often have added vitamin D include

  • Milk
  • Breakfast cereals
  • Orange juice
  • Other dairy products, such as yogurt
  • Soy drinks

Vitamin D is in many multivitamins. There are also vitamin D supplements, both in pills and a liquid for babies.

What to Expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Possible Complications

Sources

Vitamin D Deficiency (National Library of Medicine)

Vitamin D Test  (National Library of Medicine)

25-hydroxy vitamin D test (Medical Encyclopedia)

Low Vitamin D: What Increases the Risk? (Harvard School of Public Health)

On the Possible Link between Vitamin D Deficiency and Cardiovascular Disease (American Heart Association)

Osteomalacia (Medical Encyclopedia)

Rickets: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine)

Vitamin D  (National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements)

Vitamin D Deficiency (Hormone Health Network) - PDF

Vitamin D Deficiency (Beyond the Basics) (UpToDate)


Template:WH Template:WS