﻿ Does Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Symptoms? by MedicineNet.com

Does Vitamin D Deficiency Cause Symptoms?

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Yes, deficiency of vitamin D can cause bone pain and muscle weakness. However, mild vitamin D deficiency is not necessarily associated with any symptoms. Vitamin D has been referred to as the "sunlight vitamin" because it is made in our skin when we are exposed to sunlight. It can also be obtained through dietary sources, but the main source of vitamin D in our diet is foods that have been fortified to include the vitamin (such as in milk and other dairy products). Vitamin D is only found naturally in significant levels in a few foods, including fatty fish, cod-liver oil, and eggs.

Vitamin D acts to regulate the calcium and phosphate levels in the body, thus promoting healthy bones. The characteristic vitamin D deficiency state is called rickets. Rickets causes softening and poor mineralization of the bones, leading to skeletal deformities. While rickets is the term typically used to describe the condition in children, osteomalacia refers to the weakening of bones seen in adults who are severely deficient in vitamin D.

The many roles of vitamin D in maintaining health and well-being are a subject of active and ongoing research. Even subclinical (not producing signs or symptoms) deficiencies in vitamin D have been linked to significant health problems. Preliminary studies have shown that in addition to weakening of the bones, vitamin D deficiency may be associated with conditions as varied as cancers, asthma, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmune diseases.