Vitamin D | Why should you see your GP about your levels. | 10 October 2023

Vitamin D: Why should you see your GP about your levels.

What is vitamin D and why is it so important?

Vitamin D is required by the body as it helps to absorb calcium and phosphorus which are essential for bone, tooth and muscle health. Chronic vitamin D deficiency can lead to hypocalcaemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism. This can cause your body to take calcium from your bone resulting in osteomalcia (soft bones) and rickets in children.

The majority of vitamin D is acquired through exposure to summer sunlight. It is not known how much sunlight is needed to absorb adequate levels of vitamin D, but if you are out in the sunshine it is important to cover your skin with sunscreen or clothing before you start to turn red or burn.

If you are worried about how sunscreen can impact your absorption of Vitamin D, don’t be. While evidence does suggest it can block your uptake, in practice, it does not have a meaningful impact. So you can confidently apply your SPF and headout to catch those important rays!

Vitamin D is also present in certain foods such as oily fish, eggs and red meat. Also there are some foods that have been fortified with vitamin D such as milk and some cereals.

Who is at high risk of vitamin D deficiency?

There are 2 main causes of vitamin D deficiency:

• Not getting enough in your diet
• Not properly absorbing or using vitamin D.

Medical conditions that can cause vitamin D deficiency:

• Conditions that affect your intestines – Crohn’s disease, coeliac disease, cystic fibrosis.
• Obesity – Fat cells keep vitamin D isolated so it is not released to be used appropriately.
• Liver and kidney disease – due to these conditions reducing enzymes that are required to change vitamin D to a form that can be used.

The following groups of people are at risk of vitamin D deficiency:

• All pregnant and breastfeeding women, especially teenagers and young women.
• Infants and young children under 5 years of age.
• Older people aged 65 years and over.
• People who have low or no exposure to the sun, for example those who cover their skin for cultural reasons, who are housebound or confined indoors for long periods.
• People who have darker skin, for example people of African, African-Caribbean and South Asian origin, because their bodies are not able to make as much vitamin D.

Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency often causes no symptoms but some complain of:

• frequent illnesses or infections
• fatigue and tiredness
• bone and back pain
• depression and anxiety
• impaired wound healing
• bone loss
• hair loss
• muscle pain
• weight gain

How to test for vitamin D deficiency?

GPs and family physicians don’t usually order routine checks of vitamin D levels, but they might need to check your levels if you have certain medical conditions or risk factors for vitamin D deficiency and/or have symptoms of it.

Your GP can order a blood test to measure your levels of vitamin D. There are two types of tests that they might order, but the most common is the 25-hydroxyvitamin D, known as 25(OH)D for short.

How do you treat vitamin D deficiency?

It is normally treated with supplements and the dose is dependent on how low your levels are. It is a good idea to take magnesium supplements as well as it helps activate vitamin D. Those who are in the high-risk groups are recommended to take a supplement every day.

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for Vitamin D 

There are some foods that are high in vitamin D, however, if you are in the high-risk category then a supplement may still be required as you may not be able to absorb or convert vitamin D so that it can be used in the body. Food sources include:

• fatty fish
• egg yolks
• fortified cereals
• fortified milk and juices
• yogurt
• beef liver

Vitamin D for babies and children

 Severe lack of vitamin D in children causes rickets. Symptoms of rickets include:

• Incorrect growth patterns due to bowed or bent bones.
• Muscle weakness.
• Bone pain.
• Deformities in joints.

This is very rare. Children with a mild vitamin deficiency may just have weak, sore and/or painful muscles.

Breastfed babies receive vitamin D from their mother’s milk however this is not in adequate quantities for their needs. Therefore they should be given supplements of vitamin D from birth until 1 year old. They should be given 8.5-10mcg per day. This is given in the form of drops which can be added to expressed milk or given on their own. Babies who are bottle fed do not need supplements as the formula milk is fortified with adequate amounts of vitamin D.

The department of health in the UK advises that children from 1-4 should be given a supplement of 10mcg of vitamin D daily.

For an appointment with Dr Ruhil Badiani, British GP, located at Cornerstone Clinic, please email us on info@cornerstoneclinic.ae

www.cornerstoneclinic.ae

10 October 2023