Strong bones are vital for healthy life for walking, playing working and enjoying good life. The normal bone formation requires significant amount of some minerals, such as calcium and phosphorous. Vitamin D plays significant role in the regulation of calcium & regulation and maintenance of phosphorus levels in the blood. These factors are essential for maintaining healthy bones.
Vitamin D deficiency means that one has not enough vitamin D in his body as per required standard. Vitamin D is unique because human skin actually produces it by using sunlight. Fair-skinned individuals and those who are younger convert sunshine into vitamin D in far better manner than those who are darker-skinned and over 50 years. Lack of vitamin D can take a toll on one`s bone health.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include Getting sick or infected often, Bone and Back Pain, Depression, Muscle Pain, Bone Loss, Impaired wound healing and Tiredness.
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis, which means porous bone. Osteoporosis is a bone disease characterized by low bone mass as the body loses too much bone and makes too little bone. This leads to increased fractures, especially in the hip, spine, wrist and shoulder.
According to recent statistics from the International Osteoporosis Foundation, worldwide, 1 in 3 women over the age of 50 years and 1 in 5 men will experience osteoporotic fractures in their lifetime. Vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases as osteomalacia (softening of the bones). In children, it can cause rickets that affects bone development. It causes bone pain, poor growth and soft, weak or bent bones that can lead to bone deformities.
Vitamin D plays many roles in health, from bone development to strong immune system, control infections and reduce inflammation, and maintain immune system. People need vitamin D to allow the intestines to stimulate and absorb calcium and reclaim calcium that the kidneys would otherwise excrete.
Many of the body’s organs and tissues have receptors for vitamin D, which suggest important aspects beyond bone health, and scientists are actively investigating other possible functions. Since vitamin D is an important nutrient to the body, if Vitamin D deficiency continues for long periods, it may result in complications such as cardiovascular disease, neurological diseases, infections, pregnancy complications, certain cancers, especially breast, prostate, and colon.
Vitamin D is essential for bone healing and muscle function and is critical for a patient’s recovery. The findings of research study tell, almost 50 percent of patients undergoing orthopedic surgery having vitamin D deficiency, should be corrected before surgery to improve patient outcomes.
According to Joseph Lane, M.D., Professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Chief of the Metabolic Bone Disease Service:
“In the perfect world, test levels, fix and then operate If you put people on 2,000-4,000 [milligrams] of vitamin D based on what their deficient value was, you can usually get them corrected in four to six weeks, which is when you are really going to need the vitamin D. If you are really aggressive right before surgery, you can correct deficient levels quickly, but you have to correct it, measure it, and then act on it.”
(The October issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.)
Vitamin D insufficiency affects almost 50% of the population worldwide. An estimated 1 billion people worldwide, across all ethnicities and age groups, have a vitamin D deficiency.
In addition to sunlight, most people get their vitamin D intake through the foods they consume fatty fish, sea food and fish oil, eggs yolks, beef liver, mushrooms, dairy and grain products that have been fortified with the nutrient. But, as most of these food sources are animal-based, vitamin D deficiency is more likely to occur in those who suffer from milk allergies, or adhere to a strict vegan diet.
For most people, the best way to get enough vitamin D is taking a supplement because it is hard to eat enough through food. Vitamin D supplements are available in two forms: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Both are also naturally occurring forms that are produced in the presence of the Sun`s ultraviolet-B (UVB) rays but D2 is produced in plants and fungi and D3 in animals, including humans. Vitamin D production in the skin is the primary natural source of vitamin D, but many people have insufficient levels because they live in places where sunlight is limited in winter, or because they have limited sun exposure due to being inside much of the time.
People can measure vitamin D intake in micrograms (mcg) or international units (IU). One microgram of vitamin D is equal to 40 IU. The current daily recommended amount of vitamin D is: 400 IU for infants. 600 IU for children and teens. 600 IU per day for adults under the age of 70, and 800 IU for above 71 years, older adults. Up to 4,000 IU per day is generally considered the safe upper limit. People at high risk of vitamin D deficiency may need more with consultation of doctor or health care provider about how much is required.
Vitamin D testing and the use of vitamin D supplements have increased substantially in recent years. In some cases of vitamin D toxicity happen when someone overuses vitamin D supplements. The main consequence of vitamin D toxicity is a buildup of calcium in your blood (hypercalcemia), which can cause nausea and vomiting, confusion, and weakness. Vitamin D toxicity might progress to bone pain and kidney problems, such as the formation of calcium stones. Excessive sun exposure doesn't cause vitamin D poisoning because the body limits the amount of this vitamin it produces.
A blood sample is needed to measure the Vitamin D. 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.
Prevention is more important than treatment. Healthy diet and regular sun exposure are the best natural ways to get enough vitamin D.