Vitamin D and its deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is the main symptoms in children, women and men. What is dangerous overdose

The human body is a complex system. It needs a lot of components to function properly. Lack of one threatens the development of the disease. Vitamin D deficiency is especially dangerous.

Speaking of calciferol, they mean two active provitamins - ergocalciferol, D2 and cholecalciferol, D3. The substances are fat-soluble, the human body is able to independently synthesize D3 under the influence of the sun, ergocalciferol comes from food. Lack of vitamin D leads to the development of pathologies of systems and organs.

The role of vitamin D in the body, causes of deficiency and excess

The main function of calciferol is to ensure the processing of calcium and phosphorus in the small intestine. Another role is participation in the synthesis of hormones, regulation of cell reproduction, and metabolic processes. Some researchers attribute calciferol to hormones.

Due to its properties, the nutrient affects the following systems:

the immune system is strengthened due to its presence;
gastrointestinal tract - normalization of intestinal motility, insulin production by the pancreas;
antitumor activity - inhibits the growth of cancer cells;
reproductive - increases libido;
endocrine - regulation of the endocrine glands;
nervous - strengthening myelin sheaths, improving attention, memory;
circulatory - regulation of blood coagulation;
skin - improves the condition of the skin, hair, nails;
cardiovascular - regulates blood pressure.

There are two causes of vitamin D deficiency - lack of self-synthesis and lack of vitamin D due to malnutrition.

The lack of vitamin D production in the skin is due to the following factors:

dark shades of the skin - the production process is reduced in residents of southern countries, the body is protected from an overabundance;
exposure to chemical reagents - sunscreens, lotions, leads to disruption of synthesis;
industrial emissions, urban dust - hinder exposure to the sun;
living in northern territories with low solar activity causes a deficiency in the formation of vitamin D;
in the elderly - with age, there is a decrease in the ability of the skin to synthesize calciferol.

Vitamin D deficiency develops in violation of eating behavior:

vegetarian lifestyle - low intake due to the lack of vitamin D in the diet, contained in meat, fish, eggs, which are not consumed;
consequences of unbalanced diets, therapeutic starvation;
pregnancy, breastfeeding - vitamin D deficiency causes an increased consumption for two people, while only the mother is able to replenish the level, the baby can only get it with milk or in utero.

Other causes of vitamin D deficiency include:

decreased physical activity of a person, overweight;
disease of the gallbladder, liver, kidneys;
inflammatory diseases of the small intestine that disrupt the absorption process;
drug therapy that reduces the acidity of the stomach.

Excess levels of calciferol are caused by such reasons:

overdose of drugs taken;
simultaneous intake of synthetic substitutes with the use of a large amount of fatty fish, seafood;
consequences of excessive ultraviolet radiation.

You can determine an overdose by the symptoms:

disruption of the gastrointestinal tract;
convulsive syndrome;
pain in muscles, joints;
weight loss;
neurological disorders;
arterial hypertension;
unquenchable thirst.

An excess is just as dangerous as a vitamin D deficiency. The required level of daily intake is 10 mcg, for children and pregnant women this amount is not enough, increased doses are prescribed.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in adults

The lack of vitamin D content in the body is manifested by symptoms in adults:

Pain syndrome of the musculoskeletal system. This is a lack of vitamin D in all adults, especially muscle cramps, aching bones. It manifests itself due to a decrease in the processing of minerals - calcium, magnesium, phosphorus. The intensity of pain is different, depending on individual characteristics.
Fragility of the bones of the skeleton. Deficiency, hypovitaminosis of vitamin D in all adults leads to the development of increased bone fragility. The reason is the pathology of calcium metabolism in the body.
Susceptibility to acute respiratory viral infections caused by a decrease in immunity. The upper respiratory tract is especially vulnerable. Infections can lead to complications - bronchitis, pneumonia.
Arterial hypertension. A person is able to retain sodium salts, the accumulation of which increases blood pressure. Calciferol counteracts this. Lack of vitamin D disturbs the osmotic balance.
Violation of the gastrointestinal tract. With vitamin deficiency caused by a lack of vitamin D, symptoms are found - nausea, belching, pain in the epigastric region, bloating, upset stool.
Increase in body weight. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased absorption of calciferol by fat. Weight loss enhances nutrient production. To avoid the formation of beriberi, obese people are advised to take the drug in an increased dosage.
Strengthening the work of the sweat glands of the occipital part of the head.
Failure to sleep and rest. Signs of a lack of vitamin D - unstable sleep at night, with multiple rises, not enough deep sleep phases. The patient gets up in the morning shattered. Sluggish during the day, reduced performance.
Vitamin D deficiency leads to neuropsychiatric problems- depression, mood swings due to a violation of the synthesis of serotonin.
Malfunctions of the cardiovascular system provokes a lack of vitamin D, obvious symptoms - pain, increased heart rate, heart rhythm disturbance.
Severe bleeding gums.
Hair loss.

A general blood test demonstrates anemia, biochemical blood tests are more informative - calcium, magnesium, phosphorus are lowered, alkaline phosphatase is increased.

Features of calciferol deficiency in women

It is easy to find out how a severe lack of vitamin D in women manifests itself. The main problems arise in the emotional sphere - mood swings, depression, aggravated by cosmetic defects in the skin, hair, nails. Low female vitamin D affects reproductive function failures. The lack of the necessary concentration is the threat of infertility, oncology of the mammary glands.

Features of calciferol deficiency in men

The lack of vitamin D in men is noted in the physical area. Changes in metabolism, manifested by excessive weight gain. Develops muscle spasm, cramps, aching bones. The lack of concentration of vitamin D in men affects the reproductive function - reduced testosterone, the qualitative composition of spermatozoa. Prolonged lack of the required concentration of the nutrient can lead to infertility. Low testosterone affects libido.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in children

Lack of vitamin D in infants in the body causes the development of a formidable disease - rickets. It is possible to determine that a child has vitamin deficiency by the following symptoms:

delayed overgrowth of fontanelles, large fontanel with soft edges;
swollen joints;
in a six-month-old child, the ends of the ribs are thickened;
deformity of the bones of the thighs, lower legs in the shape of the letter x;
delayed physiological growth - slowing down teething, weight gain, short stature;
difficulty in age-related development - delay in the formation of speech, walking, crawling.

In addition to rachitic, other signs of a formed vitamin D deficiency appear, making it possible to understand that a problem has arisen:

susceptibility to colds, infectious diseases due to weak immunity;
muscle spasms, problems with respiratory function causes a low calcium content;
kids are irritable, restless;
increased sweating at the back of the head.

Consequences of calciferol deficiency

The question of what causes a lack of vitamin D intake is answered taking into account age-related characteristics.

Consequences of deficiency in adults

A terrible consequence is called osteomalacia. It is manifested by weakness of the skeletal system, gait disturbance, deformity of the spine, skull bones. Violated sensitivity, the patient complains of pain in the muscles, difficulty in movement.

Lack of vitamin D content in the body provokes increased sensitivity to infections, the development of cancer, atherosclerosis, infertility, depression, arterial hypertension.

Consequences of deficiency in children

In babies, not only the bone, but also the neuropsychic system suffers. Lagging behind in development occurs in all respects. The child can not catch up with peers for a long time. If normal indicators of substances are not restored in a timely manner, the developed hypocalcemia threatens the life of the baby - cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrest are possible.

What diseases are caused by hypovitaminosis D?

Diseases that occur with a lack of vitamin D are numerous - chronic infections, colds, visual impairment, respiratory failure, coronary heart disease, malignant tumors, loss of teeth.

Hypovitaminosis D provokes a disease called hyperparathyroidism. The parathyroid gland, if there is not enough calciferol for a long time, produces an excess amount of hormones that cause fragility of the skeletal system, the formation of kidney stones, urinary incontinence, and disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

Preventive actions

Clinical recommendations on how to avoid hypovitaminosis are categorical - first of all, exposure to ultraviolet radiation is necessary. You can increase calciferol by sunbathing daily for half an hour. The recommendation applies to white people. Swarthy, old, it will take twice as long to replenish supplies.

The question arises, how can those who live in northern latitudes, areas of the far north, replenish their vitamin D reserves in winter, because solar activity is low. You can get the required amount from food - sea fish, beef liver, eggs, milk, meat.

As a preventive measure for pregnant women, young children are recommended to replenish the content with the help of dietary supplements. Fish oil is used, various complexes, including group D.

Therapy for hypovitaminosis D

Treatment consists in an attempt to restore the optimal concentration of the nutrient. You can increase the content with the help of injections, tablets, powders, liquids. If there is a deficiency in the concentration of vitamin D, the necessary treatment is carried out under the supervision of a physician. The therapist is able to understand with what dosages it is necessary to treat the pathology. To raise the level of cholecalciferol, ergocalciferol for babies, fish oil capsules are prescribed.

How to quickly increase vitamin D, says the doctor of the Israeli hospital in the presented video:

The use of folk recipes in therapy

Hypovitaminosis can be treated with folk methods. There are many recipes that have been tested for centuries that can restore shaky health.

Compound	Cooking method
Dandelion, cucumber, olive oil	Wash the dandelion leaves, peel the cucumber, cut it. Mix, salt, season.
Nettle, green onion, parsley, walnuts, nut butter	Fry the nuts, chop the greens, pour over with boiling water. Mix, salt, season.
alfalfa seeds	Germinate within two days. Use as an additive to meals.
horsetail	Bring a tablespoon to a boil, leave for twenty minutes, strain. Drink two hundred grams a day.
St. John's wort	Four tablespoons pour half a liter of water, leave for an hour. Take a tablespoon three times a day.

If someone knows other interesting recipes, share them.

Dietary supplements - a way to raise the level of calciferol

Dietary supplements - concentrates of substances obtained from raw materials of marine, mineral, vegetable, animal origin. Relate to food. Feature - the effect is not on a specific organ, but on the whole organism. When choosing an additive, pay attention to the raw materials from which the drug is made, filtration methods, region of origin. Cholecalciferol is more effective if it is made from fish raw materials.

Another important issue is the place of purchase. How to buy a quality product without overpaying for it? The iHerb online store has gained wide popularity in the world. He also appeared on the Russian market, has a page in Russian. The pricing policy differs from pharmacies chasing super profits - world fame, high turnover allow keeping prices 30-50 percent lower.

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The best products containing calciferol in the iHerb store:

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Hypovitaminosis D is a dangerous condition. Biologically active additives are used for correction and prevention. It is necessary to consult with doctors in matters of therapy and maintenance correction.

Nature made sure that all the necessary vitamins and microelements were present in the human body in abundance. This guarantees good health and the full functioning of all systems and organs. But due to various factors, vitamin D deficiency is sometimes felt, which is manifested by negative symptoms and poses a threat. This situation is especially dangerous for the child's body. But to normalize it is quite real.

Vitamin D: basic concepts and properties

In medicine, the term vitamin D refers to a whole group of substances that are actively involved in the process of life.

The main ones include:

D 2 (ergocalciferol) - a fat-soluble useful substance that takes part in the metabolism of phosphorus, in the deposition of mineral salts and calcium in bone tissues;
D 3 (cholecalciferol) - stimulates calcium ionization, contributing to the process of formation and strengthening of bone tissues;
D 4 (dihydroergocalciferol) - stimulates the synthesis of thyroid hormones that regulate calcium levels;
D 5 (sitocalciferol) - is responsible for immunity, helps to normalize the condition of hair, nails, normalizes blood pressure and vitamin D levels in the body.

Vitamin D6 is also known to medicine, but the consequences of its lack in the body have not yet been fully studied.

What function does it perform in the body

The main function is calcium metabolism. Often a person believes that having eaten 200 g of cottage cheese, he provided the daily need for calcium. But the lack of vitamin D makes such a technique simply useless. Calcium taken with cottage cheese will not be absorbed.

Calcium, transformed under the influence of vitamin D, enters the bone tissue, into the dentin, strengthening their strength. The normal level contributes to:

rapid growth of strong bones in children:
correct formation of the skeleton;
the absence of caries;
rapid fusion of bones in fractures.

But in order to provide strength to bones and teeth, calcium alone is not enough. This is especially difficult to achieve for older people. For the full perception of vitamin D by the body, collagen is required, a protein responsible for the strength of connective tissues.

Recently, doctors have been sounding the alarm, as there is a total lack of vitamin D, especially in children. This contributes to the development of rickets, scoliosis. The bone mass in children is fragile, which explains the frequent fractures, poor condition of the teeth, brittle hair and nails. This is also the reason that the disease arthrosis has become more often diagnosed at a young age, endangering health and making it impossible to live a full life.

Daily intake of vitamin D

Vitamin D is fat soluble, but its main source is ultraviolet rays. This does not mean that it is necessary to constantly catch all the sun's rays. It is quite enough to be under the scattered rays of the sun for 15 minutes a couple of times a week. This applies to children and adults.

But the surface of the skin (face, hands, exposed areas of the body) should not even have traces of sunscreen. This is necessary in order to optimally obtain the required portion.

Another source is high-quality dietary supplements containing vitamin D. They do not need to be taken daily. Doctors recommend using ionized vitamin D only in case of its acute shortage, which is felt from October to April. In this case, the body is activated, and independently carries out the synthesis in the required quantities.

Deficiency symptoms

Determining a vitamin D deficiency is quite difficult. Moreover, today about 50% of the entire population of the planet already have a lack of it. At risk are people of the older age category, alcoholics and those whose work forces them to stay in stuffy city offices for a long time without sources of natural light. Shortage may be experienced by children under 5 years of age and pregnant women.

If you carefully monitor the situation and the state of the body, then it is not difficult to determine the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency:

fast fatiguability;
drowsiness;
irritability, often accompanied by depression;
lack of appetite;
poor condition of hair, nails, teeth;
signs of obesity;
muscle cramps;
pain in the joints.

The situation is dangerous for pregnant women, as it can provoke a miscarriage.

If you do not attach importance, then a lack of vitamin D can cause serious diseases:

cardiovascular;
oncological;
osteoporosis;
asthma;
diabetes;
intestinal pathology.

In adults

Most adults, especially women, are ready to jealously monitor their children for signs of vitamin D deficiency without regard to their own health conditions. Pathological fatigue, insomnia are often attributed to the environment, to a nervous situation, but not to a lack of vitamin D. And this threatens with serious problems:

fragility, deformation of bones;
arthritis;
breast cancer;
vascular pathologies;
hypertension;
multiple sclerosis.

Vitamin D deficiency is more common in women than in men. It is associated with menstruation, pregnancy and breastfeeding. The first symptoms are poor condition of hair, nails, teeth.

Affects the level of frequent use of contraceptives, debilitating diets.

Vegetarians are also at risk, since such foods lack important components and lead to vitamin D deficiency in adults.

Many active young people are fond of sports nutrition. An excess of protein in the body will not lead to positive results. Mixtures are enriched with vitamin, but its excess is also harmful and manifests itself in the form of:

headaches;
bowel problems;
unintentional anxiety;
itching;
convulsions;
pain in the muscles.

Everything should be normal and replenishing the lack of vitamin D by excessive use of supplements is not advisable.

The child has

For a growing young organism, vitamin D deficiency can lead to irreversible consequences, which later manifest themselves in the form of the following diseases:

scoliosis;
rickets;
tuberculosis;
asthma;
oncology;
loss of vision and hearing.

If measures are not taken in early childhood, this will affect reproduction: with a lack of vitamin D, pathological infertility develops.

Newborns receive a daily allowance from mother's milk. Older children need to diversify their diet by introducing healthy, vitamin D-rich foods and spend more time outdoors without using sunscreen.

If a mother at the time of conception had signs of vitamin D deficiency, then she runs the risk of giving birth to a baby with congenital signs of rickets or simply losing a child. Rickets, if diagnosed early, responds well to treatment. But the danger is that, as an adult, curvature of the spine, chest, and shape of the skull become more noticeable.

Vitamin D deficiency video

Causes of vitamin D deficiency

The main cause of vitamin D deficiency is lack of sunlight. This is a pathological problem for people living in northern latitudes, where there are few sunny days a year. Vitamin D deficiency can occur due to insufficient amounts of the following foods in the diet:

eggs;
dairy products;
cheeses;
liver;
nuts;
caviar;
sea fish and seafood.

For people who are forced to adhere to a certain diet, it is important to increase the level of vitamin D with the help of various supplements, fish oil. In people after 50 years, the synthesis is markedly reduced, which leads to loss of teeth and hair. This can provoke severe pathologies in old age. Alcohol in excessive doses simply leaches vitamin D from the body.

Deficiency related diseases

Many adults often attribute their poor health to fatigue, unaware that it is a vitamin D deficiency. If levels cannot be maintained through a balanced diet, then fish oil capsules must be taken daily. This will help to avoid serious diseases caused by vitamin deficiency:

arthritis;
prostate cancer, breast cancer;
severe form of pancreatitis;
hypertension;
osteoporosis;
sclerosis;
diabetes;
cardiovascular diseases.

Vitamin D deficiency is difficult to identify by simply analyzing your condition. This can only be done through laboratory testing. And if this is done at the wrong time, then the person’s condition worsens, manifesting itself with adverse symptoms:

urinary incontinence;
urolithiasis disease;
frequent nausea, vomiting;
constant feeling of thirst;
severe form of heart failure;
severe pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract.

A person is accompanied by constant pain in the bones and joints, vision deteriorates sharply. Life takes on a completely different, gloomy shape. But even at retirement age, it is not too late to normalize the lack of vitamin D with the help of some effective methods.

Treatment

A prerequisite for the treatment of vitamin D deficiency is daily exposure to the sun: 10-15 minutes a day is enough to restore balance.

But without proper nutrition, it is difficult to maintain normal levels. People who are on a diet, in order to make up for the lack of a vitamin, need to eat oatmeal more often. There is not much vitamin in it, but one serving with low-fat yogurt can significantly replenish supplies.

Do not try to capture more sunlight. Burning won't do you any good. You can earn another problem in the form of melanoma. Rational nutrition and a healthy lifestyle will improve the condition, reduce the risk of getting a heart attack and other serious diseases.

Medical

With a low level of vitamin D in the blood, special drug treatment is not provided. Treatment is more like vitamin therapy, which usually includes the following medications:

Duovit;
Natekal;
Complivit;
fish fat;
biological additives.

All dosages of drugs, the rules for taking dietary supplements must be agreed with the doctor, since a high level will not give positive results and worsen the general condition.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine has many recipes to help normalize vitamin D levels.

A persistent positive effect is given by decoctions made from dill and parsley:

you will need 150 g of a dry mixture of these components;
pour everything with boiling water in an amount of 0.5 liters;
insist, strain;
you need to drink such a drink one glass daily for six months.

Dandelion has amazing properties. A decoction of the flowers of the plant will help fill the deficiency of vitamin D and fill the body with other vitamins.

It is necessary to prepare a decoction daily:

Pour 40 g of dried flowers with a glass of boiling water (you can buy dandelion at any pharmacy);
insist half an hour;
strain;
divide into equal parts and drink in 2-3 doses.

Such a life-giving cocktail must be taken for 3-6 months. You can get adequate levels of vitamin D with the help of dandelion leaves. In the season they are collected, washed, poured over with boiling water and simply added to salads.

We must not forget about good nutrition. Foods containing vitamin D should be present in the diet every day. Improperly cooked food, non-compliance with the cooking regimen can simply destroy it in valuable foods. Important tips to keep in mind:

do not re-freeze fish and meat products;
food frozen in industrial conditions should be prepared immediately after defrosting;
place food for cooking in boiling water, and do not pour cold water and boil;
avoid prolonged cooking;
dishes should be consumed immediately after preparation, as reheated food no longer contains the necessary vitamins.

In order to replenish the daily supply of vitamin D, you can use:

a glass of fresh orange juice;
2 boiled eggs;
130 g beef liver or 70 g cod liver;
200 g of boiled lean meat;
150 g of sea fish dishes.

Eliminate alcohol. The exception is a small portion of red natural wine.

Danger of overdose

An overdose of vitamin D is rare, but the consequences are a bit like a lack of it.

Usually these symptoms are:

headache;
nausea;
rash;
diarrhea;
heartbeat;
insomnia;
jumps in blood pressure.

There is a high risk of developing heart failure. Such symptoms often appear with an overdose while taking vitamin complexes, dietary supplements.

To maintain the level of vitamin D in the body, it is necessary to strictly adhere to the dosage indicated by the manufacturer or recommended by a doctor.

Make sure that bright packaging is stored out of the reach of children.

Experts explain the lack of vitamin D very well in a popular program. The watched video will help correct the situation, normalize the balance even with the help of simple sunbathing.

Many doctors do not recommend prescribing vitamin complexes on their own without a preliminary blood test. Rational nutrition has not been canceled: with its help it is impossible to get an overdose. But, using complexes, dietary supplements, you can harm yourself.

Vitamin D deficiency provokes the development of various diseases both in adulthood and in infancy. Calciferol is necessary to ensure the normal functioning of all vital organs and systems in the human body.

Causes of vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency, according to statistics, is observed in every fourth person on the globe. The reason for this is the lack of solar radiation, unbalanced nutrition, stress and unwillingness to monitor one's own health.

Causes of vitamin D deficiency in adults

There are two forms of this vitamin. Vitamin D2 is a synthetic type that is formed in the body when direct sunlight hits the skin. Vitamin D3 is a natural substance found in animal products. Any form of vitamin contributes to the absorption and assimilation of calcium and phosphorus, which improves phosphorus-calcium metabolism.

Deficiency of the "solar vitamin" in people of mature age is primarily due to the way of life. They themselves are responsible for their diet, decide whether or not to exercise the body with physical exercises, and as a result they get problems with well-being and a lack of vitamin D. Of course, there are a number of reasons, independent of the way of life, that also affect the content of this substance in the body.

Main reasons:

Age after 50 years. During this period of life, the ability of the body to quickly absorb vitamin D is disrupted. The fact is that in summer this vitamin has the ability to accumulate and enter the body as needed. Over the years, it does not come in the right amount, because there are problems with its absorption.
Vegetarian diet. It is known that today many people adhere to this way of eating, limiting themselves to meat, fish, and dairy products. Just in the products of such a plan, namely milk, liver, fatty fish and eggs, contains a sufficient amount of natural vitamin. If you exclude these products from the diet for a long time, the body will be exhausted, there will be general weakness and beriberi. Of course, this substance is also found in plant products - certain herbs and bread, but in smaller doses, and in this form it is less absorbed.
Reluctance to be under the sun. It happens that people are contraindicated to sunbathe for health reasons. For example, with oncological diseases of the skin. However, in other cases, it is necessary to sunbathe, choosing the optimal time for this in the summer when the sun does not shine aggressively - before 10.00 and after 18.00. It is advisable to sunbathe even in winter. But only in the fresh air, and not through glass - so the vitamin will not be produced.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding time. During pregnancy, the vital organs of the unborn child are laid, therefore, in the last 2 months of pregnancy, a woman’s calcium-phosphorus metabolism is disturbed, many useful substances go to the development of the baby. Often, women are prescribed vitamin pills or drops to improve processes in their body and prevent rickets in children of the first year of life. It is known that during breastfeeding, all trace elements from the body of a young mother go to the child.
Dark skin. This factor works against the absorption of the vitamin. Dark skin, as it were, protects it from exposure to UV rays, preventing the synthesis of vitamin D.
Diseases of the liver, kidneys and stomach. In diseases associated with these organs, there is often a lack of calciferol, since the formation of the most active forms of this vitamin is disrupted.

Thus, in order not to feel a deficiency of this important trace element in the body, it is necessary to eat right, include meat, oily fish, eggs, cod liver in the diet, and be sure to sunbathe under the sun. An adult should receive 25 mg of vitamin D per day.

Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency in Children

From a lack of vitamin D and as a result of a lack of calcium in the body, children from birth to two years of age very often suffer. Among the main reasons for this are:

Insufficient irradiation of the dermal surfaces with sunlight. This reason is the most common. Vitamin D deficiency can be seen in children who do not walk much in the fresh air or live in conditions of short daylight hours.
Improper nutrition. After a year, the child should eat fully, and his diet should include vegetable and animal fats, carbohydrates, proteins. So, a child whose diet contains more vegetables and does not have enough dairy products will most likely suffer from a lack of vitamin D. To prevent this, be sure to feed the child with eggs, cottage cheese, fish and meat.
Dysbacteriosis. If a child suffers from this disease, he will have impaired absorption processes and metabolic functions of the body. As a result, vitamin D will not be absorbed. It is necessary to resolve the issue of stomach dysfunction and restore the vitamin supply.
hereditary factors. Often the lack of this vitamin and problems with the absorption of calcium are inherited from parents.
Colds. When a child often suffers from viral diseases, his need for the “sunshine vitamin” increases, but due to a weakened immune system, his ability to absorb the substance qualitatively decreases. That is why it is important even during colds to go out with the child into the fresh air under the sun in order to get a portion of this vitamin.
Low physical activity. It happens that a child does not like to exercise, because he does not have an appropriate upbringing. This is the parents' mistake. The more the baby moves, the more actively all its organs work, the ability to absorb important trace elements, including vitamin D, increases.

Children are in dire need of vitamin D during the period of active growth, and this phase lasts up to 3 years. The daily dose of the vitamin should be: from birth to four years - 10 mgk, and from 4 to 10 years - 2.5 mgk. Therefore, in early childhood, it is important to monitor the diet of crumbs.

Be sure to go for a walk! Remember, this vitamin accumulates and is better absorbed through the skin, at the moment when it is touched by the sun's rays. A couple of hours a day in the sun ensures that your child will be protected from a lack of this substance.

Causes of vitamin D deficiency in infants

Vitamin D for babies is an indispensable vitamin, it is he who is responsible for the formation of the skeletal system. If in the case of children after a year it is possible to solve the issue of vitamin deficiency by adjusting the diet and additional walks, then with babies a lot depends on the behavior of the mother and her diet during pregnancy.

Causes of vitamin D deficiency in infants:

Malnutrition of a woman in the third trimester of pregnancy. The fact is that calcium, phosphorus and a number of other vitamins and microelements necessary for the formation of the skeletal system begin to flow to the child in large quantities at 8 and 9 months of pregnancy. It is very important at this time to eat foods rich in calcium so that the child receives these substances from the outside, and does not take important trace elements from the mother's body. Due to the lack of information, women believe that they can relax in the last months of pregnancy, and allow themselves sweets, carbohydrates, but not fish with cottage cheese. As a result, the baby may be born with a vitamin D deficiency due to its lack in the mother's body.
Fetal prematurity. If a baby is born in the seventh or eighth month of pregnancy, he may also simply not have time to absorb a number of important vitamins that come through the placenta. For this reason, premature babies are born with an incompletely formed skeletal system, and they require large doses of the vitamin, which only a doctor can prescribe.
large fruit. Children with a large weight - more than four kilos - require additional intake of vitamin D.
Artificial feeding. Mixtures for infants must necessarily include components containing vitamins of group D. The ideal nutritional option for infants is mother's breast milk. However, for certain reasons, women cannot always breastfeed their babies. In this case, it is important to attend to the selection of a quality mixture.
Incorrect introduction of complementary foods. It is necessary to transfer the baby to adult nutrition gradually and very carefully. It is recommended to start at six months. And to offer the child in the first place is better than kefir, cottage cheese or vegetables. Cereals and fruits should be introduced secondarily. It is cottage cheese and vegetables that include vitamin D in their composition, which is also important in the process of switching to adult nutrition.

Vitamin in infants is perfectly produced during walks in the sun. Just keep track of the time of these walks. Naturally, it is not necessary to bring such a baby to the sun in the summer at two in the afternoon - this can provoke burns.

Early signs of vitamin D deficiency

The lack of calciferol is accompanied by certain signs that cannot be overlooked. You need to respond to them quickly to prevent irreversible processes that can occur in the skeletal system.

Signs of vitamin D deficiency:

Dental problems. In the case of adults, this means increased softness of the enamel, loosening of the teeth, and their early loss. For children, this symptom manifests itself in the case of a delay in the appearance of the first teeth.
Joint pain. Such a concept as “bones ache” is familiar to many people suffering from a lack of vitamin D. At this time, the process of calcium absorption slows down, which provokes weakness of the bone frame. Some people find it difficult to even get out of bed when the weather changes. In advanced cases, doctors fix fractures of the limbs due to the fact that the bones become too brittle.
Weight loss. A person may suffer from a lack of appetite, complain of digestive problems.
muscle cramps. This is already a reaction of the central nervous system: in this way a signal is given about the lack of a useful element.
Stoop and general weakness. Due to pain in the bones, back, it becomes difficult for a person to align it. And stoop is often a sure sign of beriberi.
slowdown in development. This symptom is more typical for children. If a child has a lack of calciferol, most likely, he will develop more slowly than his peers. That is why pediatricians so closely monitor the developmental norms of infants in the first year of life.

Middle-aged people living in normal conditions and leading an active lifestyle rarely complain about the lack of this vitamin. At risk are people over 50 and children under three years of age.

It is important to consult a specialist if you suspect a vitamin D deficiency in order to prevent the development of serious diseases.

Major diseases in vitamin D deficiency

An insufficient amount of vitamin D in the body or a violation of the process of its absorption leads to problems with all the internal organs of a person. The absence of calciferol is fraught with calcium deficiency and poor absorption of phosphorus.

Diseases with a lack of vitamin D in men and women

For the reason that a mature organism accumulates more than one deviation from the norm over a certain period of life, an adult develops several diseases at once against the background of a lack of calciferol:

Osteoporosis. This is the most common and serious disease. This is a complex disease of the skeletal system associated with metabolic disorders. The disease develops rapidly due to a lack of calcium. As a result, human bones become very sensitive to any injuries, their fragility increases. In general, the integrity of the entire skeletal system is violated. A person may experience discomfort of a very different nature at this time - from brittle nails to the occurrence of intervertebral hernias. Banal back pain can be a serious reason to see a doctor.
type 2 diabetes. This disease occurs as a consequence of osteoporosis, and it is triggered by the same lack of vitamin D.
Hypertension and disruption of the vascular system. A lack of calciferol slows down many processes in the body and can even provoke the appearance of blood clots in the vessels and jumps in intracranial pressure.
Multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease. If important trace elements are not supplied to the brain, some of its functions will be impaired. Because of this, chronic diseases associated with memory lapses can develop, and over the years these processes will only progress. Naturally, such deviations are observed in elderly people, but this can be avoided if you monitor the intake of calciferol in the body throughout life.
Depression and frequent headaches. The lack of vitamin D for the body is like the lack of a breath of fresh air for a person who stays indoors for a long time. The body feels discomfort, the work of blood vessels is disturbed, therefore it is so important sometimes to respond to the call of the body to go outside and sit under the sun. So you make up for the lack of a vitamin in the body, and it will help with a headache better than any pill.
Breast and ovarian cancer. Doctors from all over the world have come to the conclusion that if a sufficient amount of calciferol enters the body, this reduces the risk of tumors by 50 times. Accordingly, the lack of vitamin puts half of the women at risk. Bone fragility and a weakened body are a suitable environment for the appearance of cancer.

Note! The lack of a common vitamin can provoke a number of serious diseases. To protect yourself from this, it is enough to sunbathe at least 30 minutes a day without sunscreen in summer and take vitamin complexes in winter, which, in addition to other useful microelements, also include vitamin D.

Diseases with a lack of vitamin D in a child

Without phosphorus and calcium, namely, vitamin D is responsible for the absorption of these microelements, the child will not form a full-fledged bone skeleton, the correct laying of teeth will not occur.

In children, there are two forms of complications due to a lack of calciferol:

Vitamin D avitaminosis. Most often, this form manifests itself by the sixth month of life. The kid becomes lethargic, capricious, whiny. Along with these symptoms, the baby's hair may fall out, the skin can peel off, the child begins to lose weight, does not grow, his teeth do not erupt. You should not turn a blind eye to these signs, you must urgently contact a pediatrician, take a biochemical blood test and begin to make up for the lack of a vitamin, if it is confirmed.
Rickets. This is a serious disease that is characterized by impaired bone formation. Signs of this disease can be seen in an infant as early as the second month of life. It is characterized by soft edges of the fontanel, deformation of the bones, namely, the wrists and the back of the head become convex, and the legs can take the form of a wheel. Also, there is often a lack of body weight, at 5-6 months the baby still does not roll over on the tummy, and after 8-9 months it does not sit. These are clear signals that he is experiencing a developmental delay. If you do not pay due attention to this, after a year the child may have problems with speech.

To prevent such terrible complications, parents should monitor the diet of the crumbs. It is important that up to a year he receives a certain amount of useful products (through mother's breast milk or as part of a mixture) necessary for this age.

The main source of vitamin D is sunlight, do not be afraid to walk with the baby in the sun, just choose the right time. If the doctor has prescribed vitamin drops for the baby, do not neglect this wish, especially for children born in winter, when you can wait for the sun for weeks.

Watch a video about vitamin D deficiency:

Adults, in turn, should also not forget that it is important to nourish the body with the “sunshine vitamin” in order to avoid problems with bone deformation, brain disorders and the appearance of cancer after 50 years.

Unlike other nutrients, it is almost never found in food, but it is produced in maximum doses when our skin is exposed to heat and light. But given the typical Russian summer, of which three months are hot and sunny for thirty days (at best), it is not necessary to talk about a sufficient amount of vitamin in the body of an average person. Who is to blame and what to do? Let's figure it out right now.

Who is at risk

In an interview with Healthista, nutritionist Kim Pearson notes that there are several factors that put a person at risk. Firstly, it is dark skin, which synthesizes vitamin D in the body much more slowly than light skin. Secondly, this is when vitamin D must be supplied to a woman’s body from supplements in order to avoid any possible risks. Also at risk are:

Elderly people who rarely go outside;
Office workers who spend most of the day indoors;
People who work night shifts and therefore sleep during the day.

“I regularly test my clients' vitamin D levels. And people with optimal levels tend to be those who take vitamin supplements or spend a significant amount of time in sunny countries,” Pearson says.

Signs of a Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency is a major public health problem, as long-term lack of vitamin D in the body has been shown to increase the risk of developing and potentially increase the risk of cancer. Below are five signs that should alert you.

Frequent infections

Vitamin D is vital for the normal functioning of the immune system. “Without adequate amounts of the vitamin, our immune cells will not be able to respond appropriately to a threat, making the body as a whole more susceptible to infections,” notes Kim Pearson. At the same time, vitamin D affects the quality of both innate and adaptive immunity.

Lack of mood

“In addition, vitamin D plays a key role in maintaining healthy levels of serotonin in the brain,” Pearson adds. Recall that we are talking about neurotransmitters that we need for a great mood and lust for life. Interestingly, a 2014 compilation study published in Medical Hypotheses found a link between vitamin D deficiency and (seasonal depression).

Constant fatigue

“Vitamin D is also needed by our bodies to convert food into energy,” continues Kim Pearson. “If you are, this may mean that the body is not absorbing nutrients from food, which, in turn, can be triggered just by a vitamin D deficiency.” The good news is that you can fix the problem quickly (a study published in 2016 in the journal Medicine showed that vitamin D supplementation can correct the situation in as little as 7-8 days).

Weak bones

In addition to all of the above, vitamin D is needed to regulate the level of calcium and phosphate in the body, which - and everyone knows this - are important for bone health and. Adequate levels of vitamin D have been shown to help prevent osteomalacia (softening of the bones) and osteoporosis (loss of bone density) in adulthood. A 2014 study found that people over the age of 50 who were deficient in vitamin D were more likely to suffer from hip and knee pain.

Pain in the muscles

Vitamin D also supports muscle function, as receptors for it are located throughout the body. “If you have muscles for no particular reason, you should think about a possible vitamin D deficiency in the body,” warns Kim Pearson. The fact is that, getting into the cells of muscle tissue, vitamin D increases the frequency of muscle contractions, helping the muscles to remain strong and elastic. This protects them from tears and minor damage, including during training.

How to Get Vitamin D

Most people can get enough vitamin D by spending 15 to 20 minutes in the sun daily. The optimal time for this is the period from 11:00 to 15:00. Moreover, in order to provide your body with vitamin D, you need to stay in the sun without a cream with SPF, which is all dermatological recommendations.

And here is a more rational option - food. Although they will never provide you with the same amount of vitamin D as sunlight, they will work quite well in the company of supplements. So in the fall and winter, make sure your diet includes oily fish (salmon, mackerel, tuna), liver, and vitamin D-fortified dairy products and cereals.

Vitamin balance in the body is the key to health and longevity. Lack of vitamin D can significantly worsen the general condition, especially in women. The first symptoms of deficiency and excess will allow you to correct the situation in time.

Vitamin D is a high molecular weight compound called calciferol.

There are 2 main subspecies of this component:

D 2 - ergocalciferol;
D 3 - cholecalciferol.

Ergocalciferol is produced naturally by plants and fungi. Only with food it enters the human body. Vitamin D 3 is produced by the human body under the influence of ultraviolet rays. Moreover, the body has the ability to store calciferol in the liver, adipose tissue and spend it as needed.

In the body, the vitamin is converted to the steroid hormone calcitriol. It is he who promotes the absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium, maintaining their level in the optimal amount. As a result, vitamin D has a serious impact on bone formation, growth and strength, the functioning of the heart muscle, blood vessels, liver and kidneys.

What is the daily allowance of calciferol for women

Lack of vitamin D (symptoms in women are manifested in brittle hair, nails, increased fatigue) often occurs in the autumn-winter period. To determine the amount of calciferol in the body, a special blood test “25 OH (D)” is performed, according to the results of which a deficiency or excess of the vitamin is diagnosed.

Normally, both in women and in men, the content of calciferol in the blood plasma should be within the range of 30 to 125 nanograms per 1 ml. Values below these indicate a deficiency of vitamin D, figures exceeding the norm indicate hypervitaminosis.

The amount of calciferol that should be ingested daily with food is 15 micrograms for healthy adolescents and adults, for children under one year old - 10 micrograms. For the elderly, the daily rate increases to 25 micrograms.

Particular attention should be paid to the control of the content of vitamin D in the body:

children
people with dark skin color,
pregnant women,
women during breastfeeding and menopause,
people in the elderly and senile age.

The need for pregnancy in women

During the period of bearing a child in women, the need for calciferol increases. The body gives most of its own reserves of the vitamin to the fetus. If a woman does not replenish calciferol daily, vitamin D hypovitaminosis may develop.

Deficiency can result in:

preeclampsia,
premature birth,
pathology of the formation of the skeleton of the fetus,
gestational diabetes,
underweight newborn.

A lack of vitamin D in a pregnant woman is stated if the content of calciferol in the blood plasma falls below 30 ng / ml.

Vitamin complexes for pregnant women contain an insufficient amount of the substance. Therefore, preparations containing vitamin D are recommended to be taken separately. The daily requirement during pregnancy is 800-1200 IU.

The amount of the active substance in multivitamin complexes and individual preparations should be summarized in order to prevent overdose. It is better if the obstetrician-gynecologist calculates the daily rate, based on the results of a blood test and ultrasound screening of the fetus.

Reasons for deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency (symptoms in women occur in half of the population in the European territory of the country) is caused by a lack of sunlight during the long autumn-winter period. But there are no less influential factors contributing to the development of hypovitaminosis.

First of all it is:

Pathology of the liver. When the body malfunctions, the production of the hormone calcitriol is disrupted.
Diseases of the digestive tract, intestines. The process of splitting and absorption is disturbed.
Overweight. With obesity, calciferol is deposited in adipose tissue, the amount of a substance absorbed into the blood is reduced.
Unbalanced and insufficient (exhausting diets) nutrition.
Irregular working hours indoors.
Life in industrial areas, with constant man-made smog.
Abuse of sunscreen cosmetics.

Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in women also develop with hormonal disruptions: during puberty, menopause, pregnancy and lactation.

Vitamin D deficiency symptoms

Vitamin D deficiency (symptoms in women are pronounced) is caused by the fact that the female body, unlike the male one, consumes calciferol more actively.

Lack of vitamin D negatively affects the body

External signs:

dry skin, peeling on the face;
fragility, thinning and hair loss;
the skin of the hands looks older than biological age, the nails become brittle, grow more slowly;
slow healing of cuts, wounds.

Internal signs:

decrease or complete loss of appetite, frequent bouts of nausea;
fatigue, drowsiness;
depressed neuropsychic state, depressive syndromes, emotional instability;
back pain, muscle pain, cramps;
decreased visual acuity;
intestinal dysfunction: constipation replaces diarrhea.

The presence of several of these symptoms should encourage a person to take the 25 OH (D) test.

Why is a deficit dangerous?

The lack of calciferol leads to a violation of calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus metabolism in the body.

Due to a long-term deficiency of vitamin D, serious diseases can develop:

From the side of the cardiovascular system, the risk of heart failure, atherosclerosis, and hypertension increases.
The musculoskeletal system will react with increased fragility of the joints, arthritis, and myopathy. The skeleton is threatened with deformation, osteomyelitis, osteoporosis and osteomalacia.
The response of the immune system will manifest itself in a decrease in the protective properties of the body, activation of autoimmune diseases, failures in the program, up to the development of oncology.

Treatment

The best way to make up for the lack of vitamin D is the sun. Daily sunbathing for 10-15 minutes is an excellent prevention of hypovitaminosis. If a vacation falls on a cloudy time of the year, then you need to spend it as close to the equator as possible. 10 days at the beach will replace a couple of packs of multivitamins.

In the case of a mild deficiency of calciferol, a diet rich in animal food will help to fill it. Special dietary supplements have been developed for vegetarians.

Severe vitamin D deficiency is treated with cholecalciferol and ergocalciferol. High doses of the vitamin are permissible only on the recommendation of a doctor, after an examination. It is important during treatment to refuse to take alcoholic beverages, limit the amount of coffee and strong tea consumed.

Foods rich in vitamin D

The leader in the content of vitamin D is fish oil. 100 g of vitamin D contains 25 times the daily requirement. In second place in terms of calciferol content is cod liver. Further in descending order: fatty herring, mackerel, pink salmon, canned sprats. In any marine fish, the content of calciferol is higher than in the liver of land animals.

In animal products, egg yolk contains the largest amount of calciferol. Dairy Derivatives: Butter and cheeses contain lower amounts of the vitamin. Vitamin D 2 is the richest in chanterelle and morel mushrooms. Parsley, potato tubers, oats also contain provitamin.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine advises to increase the level of calciferol in the blood with salads from fresh dandelion leaves and nettles. To begin with, the leaves are doused with boiling water, then finely chopped, green onions, parsley, walnuts are added. Salad should be dressed with olive or corn oil.

In winter, the daily intake of horsetail decoction helps to support the body. To prepare it, 1 tbsp. herbs brew 1 tbsp. steep boil. You need to drink the infusion as soon as the liquid has cooled at room temperature.

What is dangerous overdose

An excess of vitamin D causes intoxication of the body.

Depending on the severity of the symptoms, there are 3 degrees of poisoning:

I degree. It is characterized by causeless nervousness, irritability, sleep disturbances. A person is constantly thirsty, urination becomes more frequent, the stool becomes irregular, sweating increases, pain in the muscles appears.
II degree. Intoxication intensifies. First of all, the cardiovascular system suffers. The level of magnesium in the blood drops sharply, tachycardia begins, jumps in blood pressure. There is incessant nausea, vomiting, weight loss.
III degree. Severe intoxication. Frequent bouts of vomiting lead to dehydration. The skin is pale. The person feels constant weakness, drowsiness. Periodically there are convulsions, shortness of breath. Cold feet and hands. BP is elevated, arrhythmia. Immunity decreases, various infections join.

In the acute course of the disease, symptoms appear within the first three days due to the short-term use of additional calciferol preparations. Long-term use of drugs causes chronic intoxication, in which the symptoms proceed in an erased form and an overdose of calciferol can be determined by analyzing blood and urine.

Magnesium decreases in the blood, calcium increases in the urine. If symptoms of a lack of vitamin D in women or its overabundance appear, a medical examination should be performed.

Vitamin D deficiency video

Features of deficiency D:

Foods rich in vitamin D: