Vitamin D Deficiency Causes and Cures
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Several years ago I found myself suffering from extreme fatigue for no apparent reason, and experiencing pain in all my major joints, also for no apparent reason. I found myself unable to function, and fearful that something medically serious had taken control of my failing body. The fatigue and pain continued to increase daily, forcing me to a doctor’s office. After running blood tests, it was determined that my vitamin D levels were seriously low.
Take 8 Pills and Call Me in a Month
The doctor gave me a prescription for 50,000 I.U.’s of vitamin D to be taken twice a week followed by testing again in a month. Only experiencing very minimal improvement, the doctor continued this regimen for another month. By the middle of the second month I had found two things to be true. First, if I took the pills on Sunday and Wednesday, then I felt pretty good on Monday and Thursday. And second, the pain returned with a vengeance on Tuesday and Friday. This cycle repeated itself the following week. I called the doctor’s office and explained to them what was happening and that I felt this was not working. And since I had only one more week on this regimen perhaps we needed to consider other options. What do you think happened?
That’s right! They brushed me off and told me to continue taking the medication just as the doctor had prescribed. Now I ask you this, why would I want to do something even if a doctor is telling me to when it only makes me feel better 2 out of 7 days? And we are talking about the kind of fatigue that sends you to bed because movement hurts, and pain that keeps you from sleeping. What I didn’t share with you earlier is the incident that finally forced me to go see the doctor in the first place.
One of Those Embarrassing Moments
I had literally been forcing myself through sheer will power to accomplish the things I was able to accomplish each day. But that forcing always came at a price - sometimes a steep price. I had gone outside and was pulling weeds in one of the raised vegetable beds in my yard. After just a few minutes, I was so tired, I just curled up beside the bed to rest. The cool grass felt very refreshing to my aching and tired body. When my neighbor who was driving by saw me laying out in the yard . . . well, you can imagine . . . it was embarrassingly obvious that something needed to be done.
After 7 1/2 weeks, I felt that I had done my part, but also felt that my doctor was letting me down. So I decided to take things into my own hands. I began reading articles about how much vitamin D was enough and how much was too much. One thing I discovered was that although vitamin D is a water soluble vitamin, vitamin D toxicity is very rare. So I had very little to fear in that realm, especially since the doctor was prescribing 50,000 I.U. at one time and that was considered to be safe. After much study, I decided to take 20,000 I.U. two times a day.
What Causes Vitamin D Deficiency?
After just a couple days I started experiencing major improvements in my symptoms, and after 3-4 weeks, my energy levels resumed and my pain levels returned to my normal every day aches and pains. But doctors have never figured out what caused the problem. My studies had indicated that normal causes for vitamin D deficiency were:
- Not enough time out in the sun - the sun provides most people with adequate amounts of vitamin D in less than 20 minutes per day. Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin because it is created by the body’s reaction to sunlight.
- Having naturally dark skin
- Milk allergies –most milk is fortified with vitamin D to help with the absorption of calcium
- Vegetarian diet – Most natural sources of vitamin D are animal based: fish, fish liver oils, and egg yolks
- Problems with the kidneys can prevent them from converting vitamin D into a useable form
- Medical problems such as Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease affect the body's ability to absorb vitamin D
- Obesity - fat cells pull vitamin D out of the blood making it unavailable to the rest of the body
There are also other substances that affect the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D. These include:
- Antacids – can make vitamin D less available for the body to utilize
- Calcium Channel Blockers – prescription medications used to treat high blood pressure and heart conditions can decrease the body’s ability to produce vitamin D
- Cholestyramine – this cholesterol-lowering medication interferes with the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D
- Phenobarbital, phenytoin, and other anticonvulsant medications – may accelerate how the body uses vitamin D.
- Mineral oil – interferes with the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D
- Weight loss products containing orlistat may interfere with the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D
- Foods containing olestra may also interfere with the body’s ability to absorb vitamin D
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Not Alone in My Vitamin D Deficiency
I had none of these causes to blame for my deficiency. After several months, I tapered off the vitamin D supplementation and was doing fine . . . for about a year. The symptoms returned and the doctors still had no explanation and no other treatment other that what had previously been tried. And we know how well that worked. But I tried it her way for a month, after which point I returned to my way and soon once again obtained relief from my symptoms.
But what amazed me was that over the next few months, I ran across several other women ranging in ages between 25-60 who were also vitamin D deficient for unknown reasons. And up until I had first experienced it, I had never heard of anyone having this problem, at least not in the U.S.
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Health Problems Caused by Vitamin D Deficiency
How important is vitamin D? Obviously for me, I experience fatigue and joint pain. But not having enough vitamin D can also lead to a disease called rickets. Rickets causes soft bones and bone deformities. Remember, earlier I mentioned that vitamin D helped with the absorption of calcium. Not having enough calcium causes soft bones, osteopenia and osteoporosis.
My studies found that bone pain (joint pain) and muscle weakness (extreme fatigue) can indicate a vitamin D deficiency. Maybe you could say that I was one of the lucky ones. For others, the symptoms can be much more subtle and sneaky. Low blood levels of vitamin D have been linked to include:
- Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
- Cognitive impairment in older adults
- Asthma in children
- Cancer
Additionally, research is also suggesting it to have an impact on the prevention and treatment of:
- diabetes (type 1 and 2)
- high blood pressure
- glucose intolerance
- multiple sclerosis.
Pretty serious stuff any way you look at it.
In March of 2011, I saw an article that stated, “24% of people in the U.S. are at risk for inadequate blood levels of Vitamin D.” It also stated that only 1% of the population had blood levels that were considered to be too high. But I still saw nothing new for the cause of my vitamin D deficiency. The article did indicate that males were less likely to have a deficiency.
So I still remain in limbo, as do the other ladies I know who share in my perplexity. But I have been able to control the problem with the regimen that I have laid out for myself. I do occasionally take breaks from my supplementation in order to reduce my chances of toxicity. It has probably been six months and I can tell that it is time to begin again.
A Light Comes On
As I write this, I have had a revelation. I see that I might be at risk for some of the symptoms that are more subtle, and I think it will be wise for me to continue my vitamin D supplementation indefinitely but at a lower dose. I fear if I wait until it becomes bad enough to exhibit such drastic symptoms that I am putting myself at risk for some of those more subtle problems.
If you find yourself suffering from vitamin D deficiency, I wish I had a better answer for you. I wish the doctors had a better answer for me. But, if you feel that you are in the 24% of people who are at risk, and you are noticing any of these symptoms, please see your doctor. Don’t wait until your neighbor sees you laying out in the yard!
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Copyright © 2011 Cindy Murdoch (homesteadbound)
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Resource Sites:
- Vitamin D Deficiency: Symptoms, Causes, and Health Risks
Vitamin D is essential for healthy bones, and a lack of it can cause serious medical problems. Learn how you can get plenty of vitamin D, and how to treat a vitamin D deficiency. - Most Americans Get Enough Vitamin D
Two-thirds of Americans are getting enough vitamin D, according to a new analysis by researchers from the National Center for Health Statistics. - Possible Interactions with: Vitamin D
Possible Interactions with: Vitamin D, If you are currently being treated with any of the following medications, you should not use vitamin D supplements without first talking to your health care provider.Vitamin D levels may be increased by the foll
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Comments: "Vitamin D Deficiency Causes and Cures"Loading...
Sue B - Some of the issues you mentioned, I had mentioned such as the vegetarian diet, exposure to sunlight was mentioned, having dark skin was mentioned. I thought I had discussed the obesity issue, but I was having computer issues last night, and it appears that one of the times I went down, that was not saved. As for the vitamin D blockers, I will have to check them out. Once I do, I will definitely add this information to the hub. Thanks for your input on how I can make this a better hub, and provide others with the complete picture. It will be a few days ... before I have time to do it justice. But thanks for bringing this to my attention. Thanks for stopping by.
Right after I posted I realized I was including some information you touched upon!
Good luck with what sounds like a long-term battle. I hope you get to the root of the issue so you are not continually battling with something so serious.
Great hub. I too have Vitamin D deficiency. I have few symptoms but I am worried that when I get older, I will start having problems. My doctor gave me the Vitamin D pills and I took them for 4 months. I just took another blood test and ,my level went from dangerously low to low. My doctor will give me another prescription for 4 more months. It does puzzle me how I can have Vitamin D deficiency. I eat healthy, I exercise and I live in a city with plenty of sunshine. I am not overweight and I don't have dark skin. Just another unsolved mystery, isn't it?
Sue B. Thank you for returning and commenting. I still have to do the research to include the inhibitors and will try to get to it the first of this week.
netracer87 - Yes, it is a mystery. All of the ladies I spoke of are also white, young and we all live in Texas, meaning we get lots of sun. It will be interesting to see if they can figure out what is causing this issue for so many of us.
Interesting hub! I think as long as we have practiced balanced diet and gone outdoors at least once a day, our body should get sufficient vitamin D supply.
Sue B, you have mentioned an interesting point on weight loss product orlistat. It does affect the fat soluble absorption but does not cause significant fat soluble vitamin deficiency in our body, and if a person would like take multivitamin supplement, take it two hours before or after orlistat administration.
canadian supplements play a vital role in keeping individuals fit and fine. The reason is that these supplements compliment the diet to ensure that users are getting right vitamins and nutrients necessary for their body to perform various metabolic activities.
Aeron Wright - I agree with you, that should be enough. But for me that is not the case. In Texas, we get plenty of sunshine, and I am frequently outdoors, and do not use sunscreen. I also like to eat, so I get plenty of nutrients. And I am not a vegetarian. I really don't know the cause and neither do the doctors. Thanks for stopping by and for the comments.
seron - I have not heard of these supplements before. Thanks for stopping by and for commenting.
I also was told by my doctor after blood tests that I was Vitamin D deficient and to take 5000 I.U. daily until my next blood work which will be in November. I'm anxious to see what the follow-up reveals.
Hello, jodiejay71! It seems to be going around. Hope everything turns out okay! Thanks for visiting!
Great hub. I actually have vitamin D and should be taking it. Super dislike when the gel vitamins start aging. I will get on them!
festersporling1 - You're right about gel pills getting old. I plan on getting on mine also. Thanks for stopping by!
Sue B. - I have made the additions that you suggested. Thanks for helping me make this hub even better for everyone who reads it!
great hub,,, voted up!!! Get a lot of sun here in tucson, but take potassium (offset to blood pressure meds), a "senior mens" multi vitamin, that has a lot of extra vitamin D,,, and seven other pills (both prescription and over the counter) I only hope that any extended life resulting therefrom is accompanied by a sense of physical and psychic well-being.. vitamins and medications may extend life to the degree that we suffer ailments of old age that cannot benefit from any kind of medicine,, sort of counter-intuitive to the old saying "If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself"
So have you checked your email?
lundmusik - It is so good to see you here again! I'm sure you do get quite a bit of sun, as do we. But I know what you are saying about quality of life as we live longer, only too well with my caregiving biz. Yes, I checked my email, and thank you. I was off investigating what you had mentioned. Thanks for stopping by and for the votes!
Knowledge is truly powerful! I glad you took matters in your hand and did some research for yourself. Thank you for sharing this informative hub. I have voted up and useful.
jean2011 - sometimes I think that I get to practice medicine too, especially when it comes to my own body. No one knows it better than me. Thanks for stopping by and for the votes.
Sunshine is the best way to get Vitamin D and it is free! Thanks for the Thorough Hub homesteadbound.
MaxFueled - It might be for most people, but it doesn't work for me. I garden (flowers and veggies) and take care of the koi pond that I built, and walk and play with the dogs, and don't use sunscreen, but I still don't get enough! Thanks for coming by and for commenting.
Another great well written useful article Homesteadbound. Glad you are doing much better. I saw this and wanted to investigate because I haven't felt the same as I use do, feel tired and drained. I have learned to manage my pain mentally, but here lately, it is much to deal with. Motrin doesn't help and I will not take a pain pill. I have not felt well in a month, but I am stressed also. I believe I may look into this just in case. I rarely see the sen, little veggies and little milk. Thanks for this useful knowledge.
thelyricwriter - I'm glad I'm doing better also. It was a horrible place to be, and tylenol did not even touch the pain. Let me know what you find out. I sincerely hope that it is nothing serious and something very easy to remedy. Blessings!
Thank you so much. I hope not. I just found a job today after 2 months so my stress level is much lower now. I will let you know though and thanks for your caring actions dear homesteadbound.
thelyricwriter - congratulations on the new job. That has to be better for your stress levels. It would be great if that was it. Stress sure can make you feel miserable. We'll keep our fingers crossed.
I made the connection right away between your HubPages name "homesteadbound" and your issue with vitamin D deficiency.
As you mentioned in this hub, lack of sunlight from being homebound is definitely a reason for the deficiency. I live in a norther latitude and we don't get much sunlight in the winter months. So throughout the winter I take vitamin D capsules.
I hope your health improves and you find a way to get the right amount of D for your needs. I voted up on this very well written and well-detailed hub.
Sorry, Glenn, but the two are not related. Homesteadbound is because my husband and I dream of being able to move to a homestead some day. In fact he thought up the name.
I get outside and live in Texas, so I have no reason for my deficiency. I just take vitamin D on a constant basis.
Thanks for stopping by!
Oh! Well that's good news. Sorry for the misunderstanding. Silly me, homesteadbound and homebound are two different things. At least you know you have a vitamin D deficiency so you know what to try to do.
No problem. It is good news, because for a time I was totally incapacitated by the deficiency. Thanks for stopping back by!
Great Hub! I live in Vancouver Canada and I take 1000 IU when I start to get joint pain and feel awful and it helps, then I usually forget when I feel great, and pick it up again later when the symptoms of extreme fatigue and body aches come back.
Yuck... I really need to remember to take it more often. I thin d deficiency is probably more common than most people realize. We live in a convenience society and spend more time indoors than we all should.. as well as the types of foods a lot of people eat are probably not sufficient to deliver what the body needs.
Great Hub I really enjoyed the read; and now I am going to go take my D supplement!
PeanutButterWine - It is easy to forget to take it when you aren't hurting.
I think the kinds of foods we eat may also be vitamin D stealers or blockers, maybe.
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
A very interesting hub. I was also told I was deficient in vitamin D after lots of weird symptoms, (fatigue, joint pains, rashes, feeling too hot, painful lymph nodes). I tried the tablets the doctor recommended for several months and noticed no difference at all.
Interestingly though, over the summer my symptoms improved a lot, and now that it's colder again I have started to have a few of them again. I'm going to start taking the supplements again, especially since reading your article.
I also read about it a lot about this when it was happening to me, and saw reports on studies of people who like you were from very hot countries, but still had low vitamin D levels despite all the sunshine they had access to. There was also some disagreement amongst medical people about the "optimal" intake of vitamin D, since many of those whose levels were on the low side were in perfect health.
I found it all rather confusing, and felt that it's an area that those in the medical field had only recently began to look at. More research needs to be done on this especially as it seems to affect so many people.
Moon Daisy - That's true. Vitamin D deficiency has lots of weird symptoms, mine being the overwhelming fatigue and the joint pain.
It makes sense that your symptoms would improve in the summer when we all get more sun.
And I too believe that Vitamin D research has a long way to go to explain what is happening. My mother-in-law who also lives in Texas has recently been diagnosed.
Thanks for stopping by and for sharing your valuable insight.
I just found out I have Vitamin D deficiency. The doctor gave me a prescription for 50,000 IUD. I haven't started taking them yet. I'm glad I found this. I was online looking for information about symptoms and causes and found this. Very good information!
K Nicole Smith - Maybe if yours was caught early enough the pills will help. And maybe if the reason for the deficiency is known. I hope you are feeling better soon as I know how bad you can feel. Thanks for stopping by!
2yrs. ago I was diagnosed with MS. My nuerologist had suggested that I have a blood test taken, to check my vitiman D level. I found that my Vitamin D level was extreemly low. All the orther issues that were mentioned ie fatigue, pains in the joints and parts of the body. I noticed, I never would've contracted MS. I started to take vitamin D to bring my level back to normal. I was told not to take to much vitamin D, because it can cause problems to your kidneys.
fdm213 - thanks for sharing your experiences with us. Thanks for stopping by!
It is rare that a doctor can prescribe 50,000 IU of vitamin D3. Much more likely that 50,000 of D2 was prescribed, which is not nearly as good, and has been proven to not provide any benefit to other primates - and in some cases causes harm
Learn more about D3 better than D2 - with photos of pills to avoid at:
I no longer have the bottle, so I cannot say whether it was D3 or D2. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
This hub was a terrific piece that I can share with people in my life! It shares a lot of important imformation that could be useful! Voted up!
iamaudraleigh - I am glad that you found the information useful. Thanks so much for stopping by!
I can definitely relate. Thank you for sharing. I too have vd def. I have been on a regimen of 5000 ius of vd for three months with no improvement. I am looking in to an absorbtion query because I had several polyps removed two years ago from the duodenum, which I believe is where the absorption occurs...I will check in after my scan to let you know.
deejay - It can be a frustrating thing to combat, but I have been able to do it with the methods I have mentioned. I have not taken any in a while and I can feel that it is getting time to start doing it again. Thanks for sharing your experience.
cindy - I can't believe I came across this hub tonight. I've been seeing a Doctor for severly low Vit. D for 2-3years now. Finally my Dr. sent me to a Rhumetologist 2 days ago who diagnosed me with osteoporosis and rhumetoid arthritis. My joints are so painful! I was put on 50,000 units of Vit. D (again) and had both blood work and xrays taken. Now we wait for results.
I also have to give myself injections twice a day for 2 yrs. Uuuuugh! The fatigue has been terrible too.
Until I read your hub, I thought I was going nuts. So thanks so much for confirming I'm not completely crazy.
Audrey - We are not nuts - just sick and tired of being sick and tired. I was able to go off of the vitamin D supplementation for a few months, but I have started to feel very fatigued again, so I have started taking it again this week. I am sorry to hear that you are going thru so much - I know it is not easy. When you are so tired, it is hard to function. Thanks so much for sharing your story.
useful one. voted up!!! :)
bhargvi sharma - I am glad you found it to be useful!
Comprehensive and well written. I'm going to read more of your hubs. I was low in Vitmin D too. I recommend this book on Vitamin D, I don't know if the author is crazy or is a genius. Maybe both.
http://www.amazon.com/MIRACULOUS-EXTREMELY-SUNSHIN
It's just packed with Vitamin D info. Did you know that Vitamin D isn't actually a vitamin but a hormone? I take 10,000 IU a day now and get my levels tested periodically.
Good hub! However, vitamin D is fat soluble, not water soluble. That makes it one of the vitamins that you can overdose on (A, D, E, and K). However, as too many Americans are low in vitamin D, the RDA needs to be raised anyway. I have mild Celiac disease so I take 2,000 a day. Have you ever been checked for Celiac disease? Christiane Northrup says that as women age, more and more of us have mild Celiac disease without knowing it (studies have shown that 2 out of 5 women over 55 show villi damage in their intestines). The absorptive villi in your small intestine could be damaged enough that you aren't absorbing vitamins appropriately, but not badly damaged enough to make you have terrible digestive issues. Good luck with this problem!
Useful one...voted up
This is a very interesting read and you have covered the topic so well. I have written about this subject myself before on one of my websites and I could certainly add to that with your coverage. thank you for sharing.
This was very useful for me I to fell like this some times so I will have to try some vit.D and see if it works for me thanks for the great info I vote you up GOD BLESS!!!!
Chris Hugh -I am glad you found this to be beneficial. Thanks for the book recommendation. More and more women especially are having this issue pop up.
Healthy Pursuits - You are right about it being fat soluble. I am not sure what I was thinking when I wrote that. I have not been checked for celiac disease, so the next time I go to the doctor, I will have to have that done. Thanks for the information and for correcting me in my error.
mrs rao - thanks so much for stopping by!
STEVEW13 - I am pleased that someone knowledgeable in the subject felt that I had done it justice. Thank you.
Miss Paula - Just remember that it is fat soluble and to make sure you know what the symptoms are for overdosing. It is always best to be followed by a doctor even when you are trying more natural methods for anything.
Dear Gotta- so glad you stopped by. In addition to what you stated, we definitely have the ability to be more in tune with our bodies and know what is working and what isn't.And if something is not working, and we have to live with the results, sometimes we just have to take things into our own hands. At least, that is how I feel. But it is always good to get a doctor's opinion.
Yes, I agree! We need doctors and medicine, and thank God we have them, but we also need to be in tune with our bodies!
I agree with you, Gotta! It is because I was in tune with my body that I had to do something, because what the doctors were doings was not adequate. Thanks again. And welcome to hubpages.
Homesteadbound,
Thanks for this well written and informative article. I was suffering from fatigue/exhaustion and after a trip to the doctor was told to take vitamin D as well. I am not consistent about taking it so maybe that is why I am still felling exhausted. I can relate to your experience of resting outside, sometimes it is so hard to fight this feeling of wanting to rest. I too push myself very hard but I don't really have a choice since life's demands can be so great. Nice to know I am not alone and maybe after reading this I will make a better effort to take the vitamin regularly.
Tracy
Not having enough sunlight has always been a worry for me ever since I began working. I sit and work in front of the computer, and to top it off, I was addicted to video games for years. It's been better lately. I go out for walks during daytime. So hopefully, that will alleviate some Vitamin D deficiencies.
Thanks, I found your hub very informative. Personally I have never had problems with Vitamin D deficiency, but I have a cousin who has and has type 1 diabetes. Voted up!
Tracy Lynn - I am not always as consistent as I should be about taking them as I should be either. I get so tired of taking so many pills sometimes. I understand what you are saying, but sometimes I push myself so hard and so far, that there just is nothing left.
reagu - I have my deficiency despite getting more than an adequate amount of sunshine, since I like to do extensive gardening and I do not use sunscreen.
Shannon - I am glad to hear that you have not had this problem as it can affect your life profoundly. thanks so much!
Homestead - Except for people like yourself who have an extreme deficiency in Vitamin D, doesn't it also help to add foods in our daily diet which are high in Vitamin D?
Gottabegod - I would say, even for people like myself, adding foods that are high in vitamin D is important for those suffering from this deficiency. Milk is often fortified with vitamin D. Other foods such as mackerel, herring, sockeye salmon, and sardines come by it naturally.
This is a great hub Cindy. I have known about issues with vitamin D deficiency for a while and yet there is a lot I didn’t know about here. I did not realise it can cause joint pain for instance and this is very useful information as several people in my extended family have that problem, including myself at times. We definitely don’t get enough from the sun here in Scotland so I take a supplement and so do other members of my family.
was really interested to notice how rapidly you improved when taking it, so that you could even tell the difference on days of the week you didn’t have the supplement.
Thanks for writing this very useful hub.
Melovy -As we have become more industrialized, we all spend more time indoors. This has been part of the problem. More and more people are having to deal with this issue. It will be interesting to see if taking a larger dosage could improve the joint pain for you and other members of your family. Glad to be of help!
Hello Homesteadbound,
I read with great interest your story of extreme fatigue and how you are dealing with the issue. If I were a person who believes in coincidence I would say it is a coincidence that a)I ran across your hub and b)that after the last blood work my husband had following major surgery in Jan., the nurse called and started to tell me that hubby is Vitamin D deficient. Once we got the actual report and reviewed it with the PCP he started to say the same thing, then realized the Vitamin D reading was at the low end of the range but not below.
My husband has the same symptoms with the EXTREME fatigue, dragging himself around, still using his walker even months after the back surgery. His feet are so painful he can't wear normal shoes and must wear his lace up sneakers even to business meetings. His HGB was at critical low reading for the past few months and has been diagnosed with anemia which is rare for a man his age so they said "take iron". Now you've given me something to think about and we are desperate for answers at this point. Sleeping in the garden and while driving is not a good thing. Thanks for all your information. This will give us some hope for recovery. Peg
Peg - Obviously I must advise you to follow your doctor's orders, but the story I have shared is true, and the results I obtained worked for me. The fatigue that I felt was extreme - everything took a tremendous amount of will power and effort to accomplish. It would have been so much easier to just do nothing. And the pain was extreme. Between the two, I did spend a lot of time in bed. I feel tired just thinking about it! I wish your much hope and I will pray for his recovery. It is hard to live like this. I was convinced that I was dying.
Thank you, Homesteadbound, for your kind thoughts and for the ideas that you presented here along with your prayers. That will certainly be of help and I wish you the best of luck on your continued improvement.
Peg
Thank you Peg! And the best of luck to both you and your hubby!
1m 24 yrs girl from india. I was suffering from muscle and joint pain, went to rehumatologist. he tested me for arthritis. but not medical symptoms for arthritis. then now from last 1 yr im going to a different doctor. he diagnosed me with vitamin d3 deficency. im in intake of vitamin tablets. now the stiffness and muscle pain gone off. but joint pain still persist if i do any physical activities......Any suggestions for me
amy - I am pleased to hear that you are doing better. As far as the continued joint pain goes, only a doctor could diagnose what it is the result of. You are young to be having joint pain on a continued basis. I am sorry to hear about this and advise you to continue to search for the answer with your doctor. Best of luck to you.
great article, i'm actually suffering from vd deficiency
I know someone exactly the same. The doctor prescribed 50,000 units of over the counter vitamin D supplements. His count did go up but he was still deficient and extremely fatigued.
webdesignseoppc09 - I hope you are able to gain some relief for the condition!
Anne Losch - It can make you very tired!
Thanks to both of your for stopping by and sharing a comment!
Wonderful hub on vitamin D! Thank you!
I asked my doctor recently if the vitamins I was taking were good enough.(I take Trader Joe's women's formula). Well, she told me I should probably take vitamin D supplement, and I saw that it was not in my multiple vitamin & mineral supplement, so I got the vitamin D & take it every day now. She also mentioned that 15 minutes in the sun per day is normally enough vitamin D. I voted this hub up, interesting & useful! Excellent writing!
Take care,
Helen
I am glad that you brought out the frequency of this problem. I didn't realize that it was so prevalent. Both my husband and I were diagnosed with Vit. D deficiency. We suffered from some health problems and didn't get out in the sun much for about five years. We started doing more outside activities last year, and wouldn't you know it, I popped up with more precancerous lesions on my face and arms. I used to live in West Texas and bake in the sun, so now I'm paying for it. Please, homesteadbound, use sunscreens or you may end up like me. Sunscreens block the absorbsion of vitamin D, so what is one to do?
@ Healthy Pursuits: Do you know if barium destroys the villi in the intestines?
oceansider - I think that 15 minutes a day in the sun is good for most people, but that is not the case for me. It is interesting that many more people are suffering from vitamin D deficiency than they used to, but then again, it could be that people felt these things and it was not being checked therefore went undiagnosed. Or it could be as our soil becomes depleted, we are eating food that is less nutritious overall. I am glad you enjoyed the hub.
MizBejabbers - I grew up in the panhandle of Texas and spent all summer out in the fields chopping cotton and other crops so I too have had alot of sun exposure. But you are right, if the sunscreen blocks it, what are we to do. I do try to avoid getting burned though as I know that is not healthy and it is pretty darned uncomfortable. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for your concern.
Sue B. Level 4 Commenter 7 months ago
Good hub.
I'm surprised you didn't include any of this:
Vitamin D deficiency can occur for a number of reasons:
You don't consume the recommended levels of the vitamin over time. This is likely if you follow a strict vegetarian diet, because most of the natural sources are animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, cheese, and beef liver.
Your exposure to sunlight is limited. Because the body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, you may be at risk of deficiency if you are homebound, live in northern latitudes, wear long robes or head coverings for religious reasons, or have an occupation that prevents sun exposure.
You have dark skin. The pigment melanin reduces the skin's ability to make vitamin D in response to sunlight exposure. Some studies show that older adults with darker skin are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency.
Your kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form. As people age their kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form, thus increasing their risk of vitamin D deficiency.
Your digestive tract cannot adequately absorb vitamin D. Certain medical problems, including Crohn's disease, cystic fibrosis, and celiac disease, can affect your intestine's ability to absorb vitamin D from the food you eat.
You are obese. Vitamin D is extracted from the blood by fat cells, altering its release into the circulation. People with a body mass index of 30 or greater often have low blood levels of vitamin D.
Vitamin D blockers:
Antacids -- Taking certain antacids for long periods of time may alter the levels, metabolism, and availability of vitamin D.
Calcium channel blockers (such as verapamil ) -- These medications, used to treat high blood pressure and heart conditions, may decrease the production of vitamin D by the body.
Cholestyramine -- This cholesterol-lowering medication, known as a bile acid sequestrant, interferes with the absorption of vitamin D (as well as other fat-soluble vitamins).
Phenobarbital, phenytoin, and other anticonvulsant medications -- These medications may accelerate the body's use of vitamin D.
Mineral oil -- Mineral oil also interferes with absorption.
Weight loss products -- Orlistat (also known as alli), a medication used for weight loss, and olestra, a substance added to certain food products, are both intended to bind to fat and prevent the absorption of fat and the associated calories. Because of their effects on fat, orlistat and olestra may also prevent the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins such as vitamin D. Given this concern and possibility, the Food and Drug Administration now requires that vitamin D and other fat-soluble vitamins (namely, A, E, and K) be added to food products containing olestra. How well the body absorbs and uses vitamin D from such food products is not clear. In addition, physicians who prescribe orlistat add a multivitamin with fat soluble vitamins to the regimen.