Vitamin D status influences musculoskeletal health. Low vitamin D levels can cause clinical manifestations, such as bone pain, muscle weakness, falls, low bone mass and fractures, with subsequent diagnoses of osteomalacia, osteoporosis and myopathy. Vitamin D deficiency can cause muscle aches, weakness, and bone pain in people of all ages. Muscle spasms (tetany) may be the first sign of rickets in infants.
They are caused by a low level of calcium Hypocalcemia (low level of calcium in the blood) In hypocalcemia, the level of calcium in the blood is too low. A low calcium level can be the result of a problem with the parathyroid glands, as well as from diet, kidney disorders, or certain medications. Read more in the blood of people with severe vitamin D deficiency. If pregnant women are deficient in vitamin D, their newborn may have spasms.
The spasms can affect the face, hands, and feet. If the spasms are severe, they can cause seizures. Vitamin D-fortified foods and vitamin D supplements can help prevent deficiency when exposure to sunlight is inadequate. The diagnosis of rickets or osteomalacia due to vitamin D deficiency is based on symptoms, the characteristic appearance of bones on x-rays, and a low level of vitamin D in the blood.
While there is still a lack of understanding about the role of food in mediating joint pain, people should not overlook the impact of diet and specific nutrients. Nor can they absorb vitamin D because it is a fat-soluble vitamin, which is normally absorbed with fats in the small intestine. Vitamin D deficiency causes osteoporosis Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a condition in which a decrease in bone density weakens bones, making them likely to break (fractures). People with chronic liver or kidney disorders may need special formulations of vitamin D supplements.
In a pregnant woman, vitamin D deficiency causes deficiency in the fetus and the newborn is at high risk of developing rickets. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that adults consume 15 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D per day. However, a firm causal link between vitamin D deficiency and these and other conditions, along with the therapeutic benefits of vitamin D supplementation, has not yet been established. Vitamin D deficiency seems to be prevalent in patients with RA, and lower levels of vitamin D may also contribute to the severity of joint pain.
The liver and kidneys must process (metabolize) both forms to obtain an active form called active vitamin D or calcitriol. The fact that calcium and vitamin D can prevent fractures has been more controversial, as there are conflicting studies on both sides. In the body, vitamin D is also converted into a steroid hormone capable of activating or deactivating genes, indicating that they must produce enzymes and proteins that are crucial to maintaining health and fighting diseases. Vitamin D deficiency is common, but exposure to natural sunlight and eating foods rich in vitamin D can help prevent the condition.
