If you are wondering if vitamin D and osteomalacia are connected to each other, the answer is: yes, they are.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is normally produced in the skin during the sun exposure. This vitamin can be found in some foods, but these quantities are not sufficient. These foods must be combined with supplements and/or sun exposure in order to get required vitamin D daily dose.
Why is vitamin D important?
● Vitamin D is necessary for normal growth and development.
● It is important for bones, teeth, and immune system.
● Vitamin D is needed for proper absorption of phosphorus and calcium.
● Vitamin D is helpful in preventing certain problems, such as:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels in blood
- Rickets in children
- Bone fragility
- Weak immune system
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to serious problems. In some cases, it can only be diagnosed through blood tests, because symptoms can be similar to those of other illnesses.
What are the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency?
- Fatigue
- Increased cholesterol levels
- High blood pressure
- Weak bones
- Poor quality of teeth
- Depression
Who is at risk of becoming deficient in vitamin D?
- Older people
- Infants who are exclusively breastfed
- Obese people
- People who don’t spend time in the sun
- People who suffer from fat malabsorption disorders and other illnesses such as Crohn’s disease
Vitamin D and Osteomalacia
Vitamin D deficiency can result in osteomalacia in adults. Now, let us learn more about osteomalacia.
What is osteomalacia?
● Osteomalacia can be defined as the bone softening caused by improper bones mineralization. This occurs due to insufficient amounts of calcium and phosphorus.
● This illness is called ‘rickets’ in children. The term ‘osteomalacia’ is restricted to adults’ disease.
● Osteomalacia usually occurs because of vitamin D deficiency.
What are the causes of osteomalacia?
- Insufficient amounts of phosphorus and vitamin D
- Malnutrition (especially in pregnant women)
- Chronic renal failure
- Malabsorption syndrome
- Renal tubular acidosis
- Anticonvulsant therapy (that lasts for a long time)
- Hypophosphatemia
- Coeliac disease
The Symptoms of Osteomalacia
The most common symptoms of osteomalacia include:
- Spinal bone pain
- Weak bones
- Leg bone pain
- Muscle weakness
- Bone pain
- Pelvic pain
- Pelvic flattening
- Bone softening
- Bone fractures
- Hypocalcaemia
- Easy fracturing
- Pain
Vitamin D deficiency can be prevented. You can do several things.
● Consume foods that contain vitamin D, such as:
- Dairy products
- Meat
- Eggs
● If you are a vegetarian, you can use supplements and/or vitamin D fortified foods.
● Spend more time in the sun. According to some researches, twenty minutes in the sun three times a week is enough to get vitamin D.
● You can talk to your doctor about vitamin D supplements. If you do not spend enough time in the sun, and/or you are a vegetarian, you should find some other ways to get vitamin D. Your vitamin D levels in blood will be measured and you will get some supplements to use, if needed.
I went to a Rheumatoid arthritis doctor because I had so much pain, especially in the mornings and thought I had RA. She told me she thought I had low vit D, and I did, severely. I went on an eight week regiment of one pill a week of 50,000 units and it took 4 weeks before I noticed any differentce, but after that fourth week, I couldn’t believe it. No more bone pain! My hair was coming back in and growing! My nails and skin were brighter and clearer. My husband has psoriasis and he is going to get his levels checked. This may be due to low vit D too. I now take 5,000 units every other day, because my levels go down without it. It is very important to take calcium with vit D to help absorb the vitamin. Hope this helps.
Thank you for this article! I was just diagnosed with quite low Vitamin D and the list of symptoms is very telling of undiagnosed problems I’ve been having such as fatigue and failure to loose weight even when I diet aggressively. I have the leg pain as well. I am very fair so avoid the sun. I drink a lot of milk but am learning that my diet coke habit maybe counteracting the benefits, so I’m quitting the diet coke. We’ll see if that plus changes in diet and a supplement help me resolve these problems. Again, thank you!