What happens if vitamin D deficiency is not treated?

If left untreated over time, vitamin D deficiency can lead to serious bone disorders. For example, severe and long-term vitamin D deficiency may result in rickets or osteomalacia.

What happens if low vitamin D goes untreated?

Left untreated, vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis in adults, rickets in children and adverse outcomes in pregnant women. It may also be linked to heart disease, diabetes and cancer — although more study is needed on the topic.

Can lack of vitamin D cause death?

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with sudden cardiac death, combined cardiovascular events, and mortality in haemodialysis patients. It is known that patients with dialysis experience an excess mortality, mostly due to sudden cardiac death (SCD).

What are symptoms of low vitamin D?

How long does it take to correct a vitamin D deficiency?

“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.

Vitamin D Deficiency: About the Causes, Symptoms

Is vitamin D deficiency serious?

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones). Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases. In children, it can cause rickets. Rickets is a rare disease that causes the bones to become soft and bend.

What is considered a severe vitamin D deficiency?

Definition of vitamin D deficiency

A cutoff of <25 or <30 nmol/L (or 10/12 ng/ml) increases the risk of osteomalacia and nutritional rickets dramatically, and therefore is considered to determine severe vitamin D deficiency [13,14,15,16].

Does vitamin D affect sleep?

Research links vitamin D levels to sleep quality. In fact, several studies associate low levels of vitamin D in your blood to a higher risk of sleep disturbances, poorer sleep quality and reduced sleep duration ( 9 , 10 , 11 ).

Does low vitamin D cause weight gain?

A vitamin D deficiency is unlikely to cause weight gain. However, it may cause other health problems or unpleasant symptoms, which are worth avoiding. You can maintain adequate vitamin D levels through a combination of limited sun exposure, a vitamin-D-rich diet, and taking vitamin D supplements.

Does vitamin D affect hair?

One role vitamin D plays is stimulating new and old hair follicles. When there isn't enough vitamin D in your system, new hair growth can be stunted. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to alopecia, the autoimmune condition that causes bald patches on the scalp and other areas of the body.

What causes vitamin D to drop?

A deficiency in vitamin D can result from inadequate exposure to sunlight, inefficient production in the skin, not enough vitamin D in your diet, and health conditions that can affect it including, gastrointestinal disorders, renal diseases, and liver diseases.

Can low vitamin D cause neurological symptoms?

Vitamin D is an important vitamin that plays a role in many different functions in the body. Vitamin D deficiency can cause a number of neurological problems, including fatigue, memory loss, and difficulty concentrating.

Can lack of vitamin D cause anxiety?

Research indicates that there is a strong link between vitamin D deficiency and anxiety as well as depression. Individuals struggling with a mental illness may turn to problematic behavior to mask the pain.

Is vitamin D deficiency serious in adults?

Vitamin D deficiency occurs when the body doesn't get enough vitamin D from sunlight or diet. Vitamin D deficiency can cause loss of bone density, osteoporosis, and broken bones. Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin because your body makes it from cholesterol when your skin is exposed to sunlight ( 1 ).

How does vitamin D deficiency affect the heart?

It's long been known that getting too little of vitamin D weakens bones. But when it comes to heart health, the role vitamin D may play is less clear. Vitamin D deficiency may be linked to heart disease and an increased risk of high blood pressure (hypertension).

Can lack of vitamin D cause dizziness?

Vitamin D deficiencies can also result in bone diseases such as rickets in children and osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults. But you may not be aware that if you're not getting enough vitamin D, you may also suffer from dizziness, headaches, and yes, low energy and fatigue.

Does vitamin D reduce belly fat?

In addition to reducing belly fat, taking vitamin D for weight loss has important implications in musculoskeletal health. A 2017 study found that combining vitamin D with aerobic exercise and resistance training can result in more calorie loss than exercise alone.

Can low vitamin D cause depression?

Many groups at a high risk of depression are also likely to have vitamin D deficiency. Adolescents, people with obesity, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses are the most prone to having vitamin D deficiency. They are also at a higher risk of depression.

Can vitamin D deficiency cause headaches?

Common symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency include joint pain, weak or cramping muscles, frequent bone fractures, weight gain, moodiness, fatigue, depression and headaches.

How can I raise my vitamin D levels quickly?

Does vitamin D Make You Happy?

Research has shown that vitamin D might play an important role in regulating mood and decreasing the risk of depression. A review of 7,534 people found that those experiencing negative emotions who received vitamin D supplements noticed an improvement in symptoms.

Can low vitamin D levels cause shortness of breath?

Also, they found that patients with vitamin D deficiency had significantly higher scores in the Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale, which indicates more severe shortness of breath, compared to those who were not vitamin D deficient.

How can I check my vitamin D levels at home?

At-home tests typically have you prick and squeeze a finger to collect a smaller blood sample. It's easier to measure 25-OH D because it lasts longer in the bloodstream, around 14 days. It's also easier to detect changes in 25-OH D levels that are associated with vitamin D deficiency.

Which is the best fruit for vitamin D?

Orange. There are limited Vitamin D fruits. Around 75% of the people worldwide are either allergic to dairy products or are lactose intolerant, and some of them are vegan. So, orange or orange juice is the best option with vitamin D and other nutrients such as calcium.

Can low vitamin D cause cough?

Background: Low vitamin D levels or deficiency has been associated with impaired pulmonary function, recurrent respiratory infection and chronic cough in children.