Vitamin D deficiency

About Vitamin D deficiency

Vitamin D deficiency means the body's stores of 25-hydroxyvitamin D are low enough to impair calcium absorption and bone health. Most people are asymptomatic, but severe or prolonged deficiency causes bone pain, muscle weakness, fatigue, and increases risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Risk is higher with limited sun exposure, darker skin, obesity, malabsorption, and older age. Diagnosis is by a serum 25-OH vitamin D level. Treatment is oral vitamin D3 supplementation at doses matched to severity, with a recheck after 8–12 weeks.