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.
Vitamin D deficiency is most commonly caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight. Some disorders can also cause the deficiency. The most common cause is lack of exposure to sunlight, usually when the diet is deficient in vitamin D, but certain disorders can also cause the deficiency.
Because vitamin D is fat soluble, its absorption depends on the gut's ability to absorb dietary fat [4]. Fat malabsorption is associated with medical conditions that include some forms of liver disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis [1,63].
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency may include:
Not sleeping well. Bone pain or achiness. Depression or feelings of sadness. Hair loss.
When rickets is very severe, it can cause low levels of calcium in the blood. This can lead to muscle cramps, fits and breathing difficulties. These need urgent hospital treatment. Rarely, an extremely low vitamin D level can cause weakness of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy).
Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with depression, Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, and cognitive decline, as well as psychosis, autism, heart disease, and about 200 other conditions.
Having inadequate levels of vitamin D may correlate with unintentional weight gain. A study on women over the age of 65 found that participants with a lower vitamin D level experienced more weight gain. A systematic review of 23 different studies found similar associations between vitamin D deficiency and obesity.
“Adding an over-the-counter vitamin D supplement can make improvements in just three to four months time. Vitamin D with a strength of 1000-2000 international units daily is the recommended dose for most adults,” Dr.
In general, the two main causes of vitamin D deficiency are: Not getting enough vitamin D in your diet and/or through sunlight. Your body isn't properly absorbing or using vitamin D.
Besides boosting mood and promoting calcium absorption, recent studies have shown that vitamin D may also aid in weight loss. For people with extra belly fat, a vitamin D supplement may be beneficial.
The literature shows that vitamin D deficiency is a significant risk factor for ischemic stroke, with sun exposure, sex, age, race, diabetes, and genetics playing a role as well. Stroke severity and short- and long-term outcomes also worsen with vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D deficiency can cause irritability, tiredness, depression, language delays, and issues with memory function and learning (5). Some neurodevelopmental disorders like autism, schizophrenia, and the risk for ADHD have also been linked to a mother's low vitamin D stores during pregnancy (5-7).
Growing evidence has demonstrated that vitamin D has a role in sleep regulation [12]. Specifically, vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of sleep disorders and is associated with sleep difficulties, shorter sleep duration, and nocturnal awakenings in children and adults [13,14,15].
Another study found that those suffering from anxiety had lower levels of calcidiol. Broken down vitamin D produces the byproduct, calcidiol. The study notes that low levels of vitamin D are thought to increase the chances of depression, diabetes, and cancer.
FALLING SICK OFTEN
When your body runs low on vitamin D, it affects your immunity, making you more prone to ailments like cold and flu, fever, allergies, asthma, and eczema. These are just a few among more than 80 illnesses that can be caused by problems with the immune function.
Research shows that chronic heart failure is often linked to vitamin D deficiency, and very low levels are associated with more negative health outcomes. In fact, low vitamin D is connected to a greater risk of death in those with heart failure, according to the American College of Cardiology.
Vitamin D can be taken at any time of the day. However, many people prefer to take it in the morning to reduce the potential risk of sleep disturbances.
Adults with a vitamin D deficiency who are older than 50 are more likely to develop pain in their hip and knee joints. Studies have concluded that the associated pain is likely to get worse if the deficiency isn't treated.
Recipients of Vitamin D shots have attested to feeling better almost immediately or as soon as the next day. Sunshine will raise levels of active Vitamin D within about 8 hours – depending on the strength of the sun and your level of absorption.
Injections deliver a straight shot of vitamin D3 into the muscle which is then absorbed into the body bloodstream. This makes these shots highly effective for anyone who wants to focus on increasing their vitamin D levels. Both of these options are an improvement upon typical oral supplements.
Not only will an IV shot or IV drip deliver vitamins in the most efficient way, but you'll also feel the benefits sooner than you would if you took oral supplements.