Vitamin D Deficiency
Source: MedlinePlus Health Topics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
What is vitamin D deficiency? Vitamin D deficiency means that your body is not getting enough vitamin D to stay healthy. Why do I need vitamin D and how do I get it? Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium . Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone. Vitamin D also has a role in your nervous, muscle, and immune systems. You can get vitamin D in three ways: through your skin, from your diet, and from supplements. Your body forms vitamin D naturally after exposure to sunlight. But too much sun exposure can lead to skin aging and skin cancer, so many people try to get their vitamin D from other sources. How much vitamin D do I need? The amount of vitamin D you need each day depends on your age. The recommended amounts, in international units (IU), are: Birth to 12 months: 400 IU Children 1-13 years: 600 IU Teens 14-18 years: 600 IU Adults 19-70 years: 600 IU Adults 71 years and older: 800 IU Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 600 IU People at high risk of vitamin D deficiency may need more. Check with your health care provider about how much you need. What causes vitamin D deficiency? You can become deficient in vitamin D for different reasons: You don't get enough vitamin D in your diet You don't absorb enough vitamin D from food (a malabsorption problem ) You don't get enough exposure to sunlight Your liver or kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form in the body You take medicines that interfere with your body's ability to convert or absorb vitamin D Who is at risk of vitamin D deficiency? Some people are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency: Breastfed infants, because human milk is a poor source of vitamin D. If you are breastfeeding , give your infant a supplement of 400 IU of vitamin D every day. Older adults, because your skin doesn't make vitamin D when exposed to sunlight as efficiently as when you were young, and your kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form. People with dark skin, which has less ability to produce vi