Are you Vitamin D Deficient?

-Vitamin D is not only a vitamin, but its a hormone.
-Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.Along with calcium, it is vital for strong, healthy bones.
-We normally get vitamin D through exposure to sunlight.
-However, many people still do not get enough of this important hormone.
-Though India is a sunny country, 80-90% of the indian population are vitamin D deficient according to the studies.
-Use of sunscreen or sun avoidance lowers the skin’s production of vitamin D.

1.What health problems does low vitamin D cause? 

-Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density (size and strength), broken bones (fractures), muscle
 weakness, and the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis.

-Severe vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

-Both problems cause soft, weak bones, as well as pain in the bones and muscles.

-Some studies show that a lack of vitamin D may raise the risk of some cancers and certain other health problems.

2.What are the risk factors  for vitamin D deficiency?

-Elderly
-Pregnant and lactating women
-Those who rarely go out in the sun
-Those who use sunscreens
-Dark skin
-Those on certain medications like anti-tubercular drugs, antiseizure drugs, steroids etc
-Obesity (vitamin D can get “trapped” in body fat)
-Chronic (long-term) kidney or liver diseases
-Malabsorption (inability to absorb nutrients in the intestines)
-Hyperparathyroidism
-Sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, histoplasmosis
-Some lymphomas, a type of cancer

3.How is vitamin D deficiency found?

-The best way for doctors to measure how much vitamin D is in your body is with a blood test called the serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D test.