Welcome To Your Vitamin D Information Source!

A look at Autism Today (online directory) has us wondering about the increase in autism, or at least the diagnosis says Dr. Wendy Roberts. She says the public ought to be cautious, and we’re in agreement especially because this particular topic involves pregnant women and the very young. When it comes to these two groups moderation is the best policy.

We’re of a mind that nutritional needs are intensely individual. It’s wonderful that we are all completely different and therein lies the challenge as well. It seems to us that the path laid out is fraught with danger and lined with the beauty of nature all at the same time. We want to enjoy our lives but be smart, too. Be wary of “being led down the garden path” as well as lead a carefree life, and at least allow our children to be children. The persuasive among us have a charge to be well-informed and make sure our stance is based on fact.

To be true, Vitamin D and autism is speculation from the standpoint of the most comprehensive resource for the cause of autism. There is a wide range of hope, despair and cool-headed truth…and the truth is: we don’t know. We do know that the stats are showing an increase, we know that autism is trendy, if a disease can indeed be called trendy. When we think of media we think news and what captures the attention of the masses–so the longer you’ve been privy to the daily news the wiser you become, as far as trends go.

Here are three powerfully opposing viewpoints…and don’t get us wrong, we invite and are glad for discussion because a spotlight can show up what we had not considered before or even endorse what our best guess is based on:

1) Autism may be caused by mercury (vaccinations, plus other sources)

2) Autism may be caused by what is called Vitamin D deficiency

3) Autism may be caused by something else

The question-asking teenagers who are fascinated by law will tell you that some facts are circumstantial. In fact, the ever-popular Sherlock Holmes would say that when you eliminate the impossible what you have left, however improbable, is the answer. So, collectively we’re actually in the process of elimination of theories which takes time. In fact we would all surely love to see long-term controlled studies on Vitamin D so that short-term studies do not sway too quickly the minds and hearts of the vulnerable in our society.

In light of practical treatment, Dr. Mercola has received unsolicited letters from mothers who found through trial and error an amazing decline of the worst symptoms of childhood autism through Vitamin D.

Right or wrong there are early adopters (those of us who act first) and there are those who are careful to go forward only after enough facts are in. Most of us fall somewhere in between.

Together there will be a consensus, together an answer will be found and until then let’s be synergistically minded and let our intake be based on toxin-free food, plus fresh air, sunshine and regular sleep. Moderation for the nation.

To hear what world renowned researcher Dr. Michael Holick has to say download his interview here

Cathy Fletcher

Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency

Benefits of Vitamin D

Tags: Vitamin D, Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamin D Dosage

The proper Vitamin D dosage has a wide range of recommended levels depending on who you talk to or research you’ve completed yourself. Through our research we found this to be true and also extremely frustrating. We felt the recommended dosage levels were too low and not current with the cutting edge research coming out. 

 

The current unit of measurement for vitamin D levels in the blood is expressed in nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). The optimal blood levels for disease prevention is in the 50  – 100 ng/ml range.

 

Our team decided to pose a question to Dwight McKee M.D., a leading authority on the latest recommended dosage levels for Vitamin D supplements. We asked him what he recommended as the proper dosage levels of Vitamin D supplements for children and adults. Below are his recommendations:

• Take 1,000 IU of Vitamin D per 25 pounds of body weight per day. It can be taken daily, once a week, or on a monthly basis. Please see the table below for an easy to read conversion table.

• Don’t take any Vitamin D on days when you will experience significant summer, tropical or winter sun exposure without sun block.

• People with granulomatous diseases (sarcoid, TB, Chrohn’s disease, etc.) and lymphoma, should only take Vitamin D with a knowledgeable physician monitoring their blood levels, as they can easily get toxic with these kinds of doses. These are rare conditions, but are probably what led to the medical myth of the dangers surrounding vitamin D toxicity.

Body Weight in Pounds	Recommended Daily Dosage (IU)	Recommended Weekly Dosage (IU)	Recommended Monthly Dosage
25	1,000	7,000	30,000
50	2,000	14,000	60,000
75	3,000	21,000	90,000
100	4,000	28,000	120,000
125	5,000	35,000	150,000
150	6,000	42,000	180,000
175	7,000	49,000	210,000
200	8,000	56,000	240,000
225	9,000	63,000	270,000
250	10,000	70,000	300,000
275	11,000	77,000	330,000
300	12,000	84,000	360,000
325	13,000	91,000	390,000
350	14,000	98,000	420,000
375	15,000	105,000	450,000
400	16,000	112,000	480,000

 

International Unit (IU) – The international unit (IU) is a unit of measurement based on an accepted standard and on biological activity of the substance. The substance for vitamin D has its own unique IU. What this means is that 100 IU of vitamin D does not equal 100 IU of vitamin E. Note: It takes 1000 IU of vitamin D to equal 25 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin D.

  

 

Dr. Michael Holick is a leading researcher at the Boston University Medical Center and is a high-profile member of the vitamin D research community. To get a FREE copy of an EXCLUSIVE interview with Dr. Holick click on the link below.

Click here for FREE Interview 

 

 

Recommended reading: Vitamin D supplements

 

Tags: Vitamin D Dosage, vitamin d dosage levels, vitamin d recommended daily dosage, Vitamin D Recommended Dosage, vitamin d recommended dosage for adults

Studies show that there is some kind of connection between Vitamin D and diabetes. Even though, scientists still don’t know what exactly it is. Type 1 diabetes is a condition that usually starts in infancy and it’s possible that Vitamin D deficiency may play an important factor in it.

The high levels of sugar in the bloodstream are what define the health condition called diabetes. It presents itself in two ways: type 1 and type 2. Ninety percent of the diabetics are included in type 2 and they mostly adults. In the case of type 2 diabetes, either the insulin is too high or it’s not working properly, causing the blood sugar to rise.

Type 1 diabetes happens because of inadequate levels of insulin. It usually starts in childhood or the teen years. Doctors agree that type 1 diabetes develops when the beta-cells, the pancreatic cells that responsible for producing insulin, are destroyed. This destruction occurs because of some kind of immune system dysfunction. Therefore, type 1 diabetes may be considered to be an autoimmune disease.

Researchers did some epidemiological studies to see the relationship between Vitamin D supplementation in infancy (up to 1 year of age) and the future risk of developing type 1 diabetes. They found that supplementing with Vitamin D was associated with 29% less risk of developing this disease.

Those epidemiological studies cannot prove that Vitamin D is actually protecting against type 1 diabetes. However, the researchers see a strong relationship between the high levels of Vitamin D and the lower risk of developing type 1 diabetes.

Other researches support the evidence that individuals who were diagnosed as having type 1 diabetes also showed low levels of Vitamin D. It’s also true that there’s more incidence of type 1 diabetes in countries that are colder, in other words, there’s not enough production of Vitamin D in the skin.

There are Vitamin D receptors on both the beta-cells in the pancreas and some cells in the immune system. So, scientists believe that Vitamin D probably helps normalize the immune system, which in turn possibly decreases an overreaction on the beta-cells, protecting them from damage. Animal experiments suggest that this is true: Vitamin D is able to protect against type 1 diabetes while normalizing the immune system.

While other medical doctors are waiting for volunteers to conduct some randomized trials, i.e. the children would be treated with Vitamin D or placebo, it’s safe to say that there is a strong evidence that there’s a connection between Vitamin D and Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is really a significant public medical condition, accounting for considerable precocious deaths. The growing incidence of this problem seems to be directly associated with overweight problems. However, during the last five years, a variety of substantial, observational research has indicated a strong connection between the onset of type 2 diabetes and Vitamin D insufficiency.  Studies have shown that Vitamin D affects insulin activity beneficially, correcting  processes in the body that might be significant in the development of type 2 diabetes. Despite the fact that there are data linking Vitamin D deficiency to type 2 diabetes, scientists still want to do additional investigation to make sure whether Vitamin D supplementation carries a role in the avoiding type 2 diabetes.

If you would like to listen to a 10-minute free interview with Dr Holick, a Vitamin D expert,  please click here.

To your health!

Ligia Fleckenstein

Tags: type 1 diabetes, Vitamin D and Diabetes, Vitamin D Deficiency

There are benefits of Vitamin D for Menopause as there are for any other stage of life. The truth is that Vitamin D is much more than a drug, a supplement, a nutrient. It is a powerful steroid hormone that is naturally produced in our bodies when we have sufficient exposure to the sun without sunscreen.

You might be thinking “what about the danger of getting skin cancer because of the exposure to the sun?” Well, you’re not supposed to spend the whole day in the sun and get sunburned. The secret here is moderation as in other many things in life. Scientific studies show that a healthy person having unprotected exposure to the sun for 10 to 15 minutes a day, 3 times a week is going to produce sufficient Vitamin D all year around.

However, there are certain circumstances that may interfere in the absorption of the sun such as skin pigment, obesity, kidney disease, age, low estrogen, and geographical location. The darker a person is the harder it is for him/her to make Vitamin D because his skin works as a sunscreen. Someone who is obese cannot make sufficient Vitamin D because this nutrient is fat soluble and gets stuck in it, not giving the person any benefit. Unfortunately, someone with kidney disease cannot naturally make any Vitamin D at all because this vitamin has to go through the kidney before it can be used by the body. As the person ages the harder it is for him/her to naturally make vitamin D. There is a connection between low levels of estrogen and Vitamin D deficiency, even though we still don’t know exactly how this sex hormone affects the synthesizing of Vitamin D. People who live above the equator or far from it cannot make Vitamin D at all during most part of the year, except for summer and perhaps, spring.

There are definite benefits of Vitamin D for menopausal women such as better absorption of calcium; renewal and building of the bones; prevention of bone diseases such as osteoporosis – frail bones or osteomalacia – soft bones; minimizing of mood swings and depression; prevention of age-related illnesses such as cardiovascular diseases, colon and breast cancers, diabetes, and obesity.

The combination of Vitamin D and calcium is translated into healthy bones and no chance for bone illnesses. With the hormonal changes in the body, menopausal women are prone to depression and mood swings which according to medical studies can be minimized with the intake of Vitamin D. Plenty of studies show that prevention of colon and breast cancer is possible for women with sufficient levels of Vitamin D in their bodies. There is connection in adequate levels of Vitamin D and better usage of insulin in the body, minimizing the start of diabetes. There is a connection between calcium and Vitamin D supplementation with prevention of weight gain in women.

It’s good to know that the whole family can benefit from great nutrient. However, the benefits of Vitamin D for menopausal women should be taken most seriously. What I mean is if you have not been supplementing up to this point in life, there is still time to remedy your situation. Supplementing with the appropriate dosages of Vitamin D and calcium will not only help you to prevent the above mentioned age-related diseases, but also allow you to age gracefully without complications.

Come now, women, don’t be like an ostrich burying your head in the sand, pretending you don’t know the truth about the benefits of Vitamin D. The earlier you start your Vitamin D and calcium intake the better.

If you would like to listen to a 10-minute free interview with Dr. Holick, please click here.

To your health!

Ligia Fleckenstein

 

 

Tags: benefits of Vitamin D for Menopause, better calcium absoption, depression, mood swings, prevent age related diseases, strong bones

No studies have been specifically done on what Vitamin D does for menopause as of yet.  It was only in the last decade that doctors and scientists began to pay attention to Vitamin D. Since then, many medical studies have been done on this incredible vitamin and many positive discoveries have been found.  Those medical reports lead us conclude that Vitamin D is an essential element to the body no matter your age or physical conditions.

What does Vitamin D do for perimenopausal and menopausal women? If they take this nutrient and maintain sufficient levels of it in their bodies, it will help them to prevent the following age-related medical conditions:

• Osteoporosis
  As Vitamin D is critical for calcium absorption and proper bone building, women who are starting to lose estrogen are at risk to develop osteoporosis if they don’t get adequate amounts of Vitamin D. The combination of calcium and Vitamin D are imperative for both prevention and maintenance of bone strength.
• Certain Cancers
  Vitamin D has been associated with the prevention of colon, prostate and breast cancers. It is most effective in helping to prevent colon cancer, but nevertheless as it helps slow down malignant cell growth; it will probably work in any part of the body. Unfortunately, as we have been using a lot of sun block to prevent skin cancers, we have also been blocking out the much needed Vitamin D.
• Depression
  It has been shown that Vitamin D has a positive effect on low mood and cognitive performance. Since mood swings are common in the menopause years, anything that minimizes it, is worth trying.
• Diabetes
  Adequate levels of Vitamin D seem to have a strong association with your body’s ability to use insulin. Many studies have shown that this nutrient not only makes your body use the insulin, but it also makes the insulin more effective.  It also seems to prevent and/or minimize types 1 and 2 diabetes. A certain study showed that women who took 1,200 mg per day of calcium along with 800 IU of Vitamin D had a 33% lower risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Cardiovascular Diseases As women start to lose estrogen, they begin to have the same risks for this disease as men do. There is some connection between low estrogen and D deficiency.  And D deficiency may affect your blood vessels leading to high blood pressure and consequently to other heart problems.Vitamin D is the best and the cheapest way to protect your life pump, your heart. If you are considering taking vitamin D to reduce your risk of heart disease, the best thing is to talk to your doctor about it and weigh it against your other risk factors and health concerns.  Studies have shown that supplementing with Vitamin D and calcium can lower blood pressure readings for hypertensive people.
• Obesity
  Women who are overwheight usually have low levels of Vitamin D. We don’t know whether the low levels contribute to obesity or whether obesity lowers the Vitamin D levels. But we do know that there is a link between the two. As research connects calcium and Vitamin D supplements with preventing weight gain for women, I believe that’s an excellent reason for you to start considering the intake of both Vitamin D and calcium as you get into this stage of life.

 

What does Vitamin D do for menopausal women? Can it really prevent so many diseases?  Absolutely!  It may seem unbelievable, but studies show that this is true. It’s really kind of miraculous.  So, let’s take advantage of it. As you get into your midlife, prevention becomes your best defense against those age-related health conditions. You may want to check the appropriate Vitamin D dosages.

If you would like to hear a 10-minute free inverview with Dr. Holick, who an expert on Vitamin D please click here.

Tags: bone building, calcieum absorption, prevents age-related diseases, strong bones, vitamin D is essential

There are several causes of Vitamin D deficiency in women over 50 including:

• Age
• Season
• Latitude
• Obesity
• Use of Sunscreen

As we age our skin begins to lose it’s ability to convert sunshine to Vitamin D, and the older we get the greater the loss of receptors to convert sunshine Vitamin D.  This begins our decline of Vitamin D levels and an increase in disease and illnesses.  Until recently the medical community have not been aware of the value of optimum Vitamin D levels on our health or the causes of Vitamin D deficiency.

The medical community has been adamant about using strong sunscreens whenever we are in the sun so we have all but elimated getting the best Vitamin D which comes from sunlight.  We certainly shouldn’t get sunburned, but according to the top  researchers we need 15 to 20 minutes of sun on bare arms and legs several times a week to raise our Vitamin D levels.

Those of us who live in latitudes north of Atlanta will only be able to get enough Vitamin D for about 5 months of the year.  After that the sun isn’t strong enough to produce Vitamin D on our skin.  Women over 50 are really in short supply because our skin has lost some of the receptors to make Vitamin D.

As we age, some of the causes of Vitamin D deficiency are from aging kidneys that have trouble absorbing Vitamin D to useful forms.

Due to bad eating habits and lack of excerise we have become overweight, some to the point of obesity.  Fat and obese people absorb Vitamin D but it gets trapped in fat cells and cannot easily exit.  Researchers have found that overweight people need about twice the Vitamin D as average weight individuals.

There is very little Vitamin D in our food chain.  Oily fish, fish liver oil, beef liver, and egg yolks are the main sources, milk and a few other foods that have Vitamin D which has been added.  We can barely get enough Vitamin D from these sources to keep us from getting rickets ( which is a childrens disease of soft bones) and osteomalacia ( which is the eqivalent of rickets in adults).

To eliminate Vitamin D deficiecy our only sources are sunlight, and a small amount through our food and supplements.  According to new research we need a minimum of 1000 IU per day to keep optimum levels of Vitamin D.  The only way to know if you are Vitamin D deficient is to have your blood tested by your doctor.  Keep in mind when you go for the test that there are TWO Vitamin D tests 1,25(OH)D and 25(OH)D.  The 25(OH)D is the better marker of overall Vitamin D status.  The correct test your doctor needs to order is 25(OH)D, also known as 25-hydroxyvitamin D.

To read more on Vitamin D  click on the articles below:

Vitamin D Recommeded Dosage

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

What Does Vitamin D Do

To get our expert interview on Vitamin D click here

Vitamin D Facts for women over 50 are very important to our overall health.

For many years it has just been seen as a vitamin to help keep our bones stronger so we would have fewer broken bones.

Recent discoveries suggest it has significantly more far-reaching effects than just your bone health, contrary to popular belief.

Vitamin D Facts are that research suggests 85% of people could be Vitamin D deficient without knowing it, leaving them with less than optimal health.

Current scientific research suggests that all cells and tissues in our bodies have Vitamin D receptors and further concludes that every cell and tissue needs Vitamin D for its well being.   Not only that, but Vitamin D is responsible for the regulation of over 2000 genes in your body.

Our skin naturally produces Vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight for 15 to 20 minutes at midday. But for years we have been told to wear sun screen on all exposed areas of our body or cover them with clothing for fear of getting skin cancer.  The facts are, that skin cancer has increased since we have been using sun screens and covering our bodies.

Vitamin D facts are that we are now Vitamin D deficient instead of having optimal levels and it is affecting our bodies in many ways we have yet to discover.

Having to little Vitamin D (Vitamin D deficiency) may not have any outwardly obvious signs,  yet Vitamin D (specifically Vitamin D3) impacts most of our body.

The following list could be considered Vitamin D deficiency symptoms:

• Poor Immune System
• Heart Disease
  
• Over Weight
• Aging
• Skin
  
• Vascular system
• Weak Bones
• Muscle Weakness and Pain
  
• Depressed Moods
• Poor Digestion

and the list gets longer with new research being done.

Vitamin D Facts are that sunshine is the best way you can get your Vitamin D.  You cannot overdose on Vitamin D with sunshine because when our body has enough our skin just quits making it.  Anyone living in the Northern Hemisphere cannot get enough Vitamin D using the sun, because there is only a short period of time the sun is strong enough to produce Vitamin D in our skin.

Vitamin D Facts are:

• Individuals who are overweight have a greater need for Vitamin D because Vitamin D is oil soluble so it’s hidden in their fat

• Dark skinned people have higher melanin levels which blocks UVB radiation and limits the bodies ability to produce Vitamin D

• Elderly people,  as they age their skin loses the ability to make Vitamin D and also they spend most of their time indoors so they aren’t exposed to any sunshine.
  

Supplementing with Vitamin D3 is our only alternative to our lack of natural sunshine, as Vitamin D is rare in food and is only available in very limited quantities in eggs, liver and fatty fish.

To learn more you might want to read these articles, Vitamin D Information, Vitamin D Recommended Dosage

It is almost impossible to find foods high in Vitamin D.  That is one of the reasons we humans are becoming Vitamin D deficient.

Very few foods in nature contain Vitamin D. The flesh of fish (such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel) and fish liver oils are among the best sources.  Small amounts of Vitamin D are found in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Vitamin D in these foods is primarily in the form of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and its metabolite 25(OH)D3 .  Some mushrooms provide vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) in variable amounts.  Mushrooms with enhanced levels of vitamin D2 from being exposed to ultraviolet light under controlled conditions are also available.

Fortified foods provide most of the Vitamin D in the American diet .  Almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with 100 IU per cup, of Vitamin D (25% of the Daily Value or 50% of the AI level for ages 14-50 years). In the 1930s, a milk fortification program was implemented in the United States to combat rickets,  a major public health problem at that time.  This program virtually eliminated the disorder.  Since a small amount of Vitamin D eliminated rickets it should stand to reason more would keep us healthier.  Other dairy products made from milk, such as cheese and ice cream, are generally not fortified.  Ready-to-eat breakfast cereals often contain added Vitamin D, and some brands of orange juice, yogurt, and margarine.  In the United States, foods allowed to be fortified with Vitamin D include cereal flours and related products, milk and products made from milk,  calcium-fortified fruit juices and drinks .  Maximum levels of added Vitamin D are specified by law.

DVs(DV=Daily Value) were developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help consumers compare the nutrient contents of products within the total diet. The DV for Vitamin D is 400 IU for adults and children age 4 and older.  Food labels are not required to list Vitamin D content unless a food has been fortified with Vitamin D.  Foods providing 20% or more of the DV are considered to be foods high in Vitamin D.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Database, lists the nutrient content of many foods.  A growing number of foods are being analyzed for Vitamin D content.

Since there are so few foods high in Vitamin D we need to use sunshine and Vitamin D Supplements to give us the optimum amount of Vitamin D our bodies need

To find the levels of Vitamin D we need for optimal health read this article Vitamin D recommended Dosages

The words Vitamin D and Rickets usually come to mind when someone asks you to describe a common childhood disease.

Rickets

Rickets is one of the three bone diseases related to Vitamin D Deficiency and can be very debilitating if untreated.

At the beginning of the 20th century, rickets reached epidemic levels among infants and young children in many areas of Asia, North America, and northern Europe. However, with the discovery of the role sunlight in curing rickets and the isolation of Vitamin D, inexpensive methods of preventing and treating nutritional rickets became available. Unfortunately, despite these developments, rickets remains a major public health problem in many developing countries and its prevalence is on the rise in many developed countries.

Firstly, let’s look at bone development in children

During childhood, bones continually grow and develop. Peak growth is through infancy and puberty. Growth stops once your child’s bones and skeleton are fully developed.

The strength of your child’s bones depends on the amount of minerals that are laid down in them. This is done through a process called “mineralisation”. Minerals such as calcium and phosphorus are taken from the food your child eats and deposited in their bones. Vitamin D is important in this process, helping the body absorb calcium and making sure it gets to where it’s needed. During childhood, mineralisation ensures that bones grow and develop, whereas in adulthood it maintains and repairs them.

So what is rickets?

Rickets is a disease that affects growing bones, causing them to soften, weaken and break easily. As your child grows, his/her increased body weight can cause soft, weak bones to become bowed and deformed.

Soft bones can also affect adults (after their bones have stopped growing); this condition is called osteomalacia.

Low Vitamin D and Rickets – how does Vitamin D affect bone development?

In children more than 80 percent of Vitamin D comes from sunlight with the rest from their diet.

The active form of Vitamin D3, calcitriol, acts as a hormone to regulate calcium absorption from the intestine and to regulate levels of calcium and phosphate in the bones. If Vitamin D levels are low, the body is unable to regulate calcium and phosphate levels. The body detects low serum levels of calcium and phosphate and stimulates the release of parathyroid hormone (PTH). PTH helps release calcium and phosphate from the bones to the bloodstream. Decreased amounts of calcium and phosphate prevent the bones from calcifying properly and weak, soft bones are produced.

The long-term consequences of low Vitamin D include permanent bends or disfiguration of the long bones, and a curved back.

How common is rickets?

Although rickets has been uncommon in the western world in recent years, levels of Vitamin D deficiency are on the rise again. Two 2009 studies show that approximately 20% of US children (between 1 and 11 years) and 15% of teenagers are Vitamin D deficient. Rates are higher for children and teens with darker skins, with one study showing that over 50% of African-American female teenagers are Vitamin D deficient.

Data from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2004, which collected information on more than 6,000 children between the ages 1 and 21 has shown an alarming trend. Nine percent (7.6 million) of children are vitamin D deficient. Another 61 % (50.8 million) were vitamin D insufficient. Low levels are especially common in:

• girls,
• African-Americans and Mexican-Americans,
• the obese,
• those who drank milk less than once a week,
• those who spent more than four hours a day watching TV, playing videogames, or using computers.

Studies from the UK show that rickets affects less than 1% of UK children although levels are much higher in children of South Asian or African-Caribbean origin. Approximately 20 children per year are seen at a hospital clinic with a diagnosis of rickets.

In developing countries, rickets is one of the most common childhood diseases reaching epidemic proportions in some countries.

What causes rickets?

Nutritional rickets is the most common type of rickets. It is caused by low levels of Vitamin D or calcium, or a combination of both in your child’s diet. Both these minerals are essential for forming strong, healthy bones.

Typically rickets results from Vitamin D deficiency. Factors causing rickets include exclusive breast feeding, breastfeeding mothers who are Vitamin D deficient, as well as lack of sun exposure due to too much time indoors, covering up due to social and religious customs, or climatic conditions can prevent adequate skin exposure to sun light.

At the other end of the spectrum rickets can be caused by low dietary calcium. This is apparent for older toddlers and children from developing countries such as Bangladesh, Nigeria and South Africa. Low calcium is characteristic of diets that are cereal-based, with little variety, and where there is limited access to dairy products. Research has shown in these countries calcium supplements alone can reduce rickets.

Rickets can also be caused by a combination of low dietary calcium and Vitamin D deficiency. This has been found in Asian children and African American toddlers. The low calcium levels cause excessively high breakdown rates of Vitamin D and this leads to Vitamin D deficiency and rickets.

Famine or starvation during early stages of childhood results in a lack of Vitamin D and/or calcium.

Rickets can be caused by other medical conditions which affect the way the body processes Vitamin D or calcium. Some examples are:

• Problems affecting the gut such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease or malabsorption.
• Some types of liver or kidney disease (the liver and kidneys are involved in processing Vitamin D).
• Medicines which interfere with Vitamin D: carbamazepine, phenytoin, primidone and barbiturates.
• A few rare conditions, including some inherited ones, which affect the way the body uses Vitamin D and calcium.

Which groups of children are at risk from rickets?

Lack of Vitamin D is caused by problems with our lifestyle and diet. Most of our Vitamin D is synthesised when our skin is exposed to the sun.

Children ages 6 months to 24 months are at the highest risk of rickets because their bones are growing very rapidly during this period. Risk groups include:

• Breastfed babies whose mothers lack Vitamin D or breastfed babies where weaning is delayed. (Do not stop breastfeeding just add a Vitamin D supplement.)
• Children who spend too much time indoors, cover up when outside, or wear sunscreen.
• Children with medical conditions which affect the way the body handles Vitamin D.
• Children with dark skins from Asian, African Caribbean and Middle Eastern origin. The dark skin requires longer sun exposure than light skin for the same levels of Vitamin D.
• Children living in higher latitudes where the sun is not strong enough to produce Vitamin D for much of the year.
• Children with a family history of Vitamin D deficiency.
• Children who do not get enough Vitamin D, calcium or phosphorus in their diet.
  • They may have diets that limit certain food groups (for example vegetarians, vegans or macrobiotics).
  • They may have diets lacking in foods that contain Vitamin D (liver, oily fish (such as sardines, herring, tuna, salmon, and mackerel), and egg yolk).
• Children who do not consume milk, such as those who are lactose intolerant.

What the symptoms of rickets?

The symptoms of rickets may include:

• soft skull bones
• delayed closing of the soft spot at the top of your baby’s head (the anterior fontanelle)
• delayed growth (your child may be short for his or her age)
• pain in the bones of the spine, pelvis and legs
• floppiness in the limbs and body due to muscle disease or weakness
• teeth taking longer to come through
• weak tooth enamel which may lead to tooth decay
• bone pain in the arms, legs, spine and pelvis (but this is rare)
• fractures, as the result of a fall

Your child may also have skeletal deformities, such as:

• thickening of their ankles, wrists or knees (“knock-knees”)
• legs that curve outwards (“bow legs”)
• a breast bone that sticks out (“pigeon chest”)
• ribs that stick out – this may look like a set of beads on their chest (“rachitic rosary”)
• an asymmetrically shaped skull
• spinal deformities (eg a hunched back, scoliosis)
• pelvic deformities (eg a beaked pelvis)

If your child has any of these symptoms or skeletal deformities, you should see your GP.

How can my doctor tell if my child has rickets?

Your doctor will ask about your child’s health and diet and your family health history. Your child will need a full physical exam. A physical exam may reveal tenderness or pain in the bones, rather than in the joints or muscles. Blood tests and x-rays of the arms or legs can also help your doctor determine if your child has rickets.

How is rickets treated?

Take Vitamin D supplements. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the preferred form since it is more readily absorbed than Vitamin D2. Check our Vitamin D Dosage chart to find the recommended dosage for infants and children.

If low calcium is part of the problem, calcium supplements can also be taken. These can be liquids or tablets. If calcium levels are severely low and causing problems, calcium can be given by an infusion (a ‘drip’) in hospital.

Your child’s pain and muscle weakness will probably get better within a few weeks of treatment. If your child has inherited rickets or has an illness causing the problem, you may need to see a doctor who specializes in rickets.

If your child has bone deformities caused by rickets, he or she may need braces or surgery to correct the problem.

Are there any side effects of treatment?

It is very unusual to get side effects from Vitamin D or calcium if taken in the correct dose.

What is the outlook?

If treated promptly, the outlook is very good. Most cases of rickets can be cured by Vitamin D treatment. If rickets is untreated for a long time, there is a possibility that bone deformities could result. If these are a problem, they might need surgery.

With prolonged or untreated rickets, the risk of getting osteoporosis (bone thinning and fractures in old age) may be increased. the risks of getting other diseases may well be increased because Vitamin D is involved in preventing some conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

How can I prevent my child getting nutritional rickets?

Babies

All breastfed babies should be given vitamin drops. (Note that formula baby milk contains Vitamin D.) Toddlers who drink cows milk should have supplements, as this milk contains very little Vitamin D.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women

Take Vitamin D supplements, both for your own health and to help prevent rickets in your baby. This is particularly important for mothers of high risk groups. Supplements must be suitable for use in pregnancy and can be either a calcium/Vitamin D tablet, or a multivitamin tablet. Check our article on Vitamin D dosage to see how much Vitamin D you will need.

Note: if you are pregnant, do not take supplements containing large amounts of vitamin A, as too much can harm the baby. Take supplements that are labelled as suitable for pregnancy. Also, do not eat liver which contains large amounts of vitamin A. Vitamin A can be taken if you are breastfeeding.

Children

Supplements: The American Academy of Pediatrics, in its clinical report, Prevention of Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children, and Adolescents, recommends all children, from aged two months, and teens should have at least 400 IU of Vitamin D each day. Check our article on Vitamin D dosage to see how much Vitamin D your child will need.

Supplements are especially important for children and mothers in at risk groups, such as those with darker skins or living in higher latitudes.

Sunshine: Expose your child to 15 minutes of sunshine three times weekly. Darker-skinned people will need more sunshine. Be careful because babies and young children have very sensitive skin and can burn easily. Always apply sunscreen to the face and neck.

Remember that many countries in winter do not have enough sunshine to maintain adequate Vitamin D levels.

Diet: Ensure your child has plenty of foods that are rich in calcium and Vitamin D.

Good sources of calcium include:

• dairy products (eg milk, yoghurt and cheese)
• bread made with fortified flour
• beans and pulses (eg kidney beans and lentils)
• dried fruits
• green vegetables (eg broccoli and cabbage)

Not many foods contain enough of the Vitamin D your child needs, the main source is sunlight. However, it can be found in:

• oily fish
• eggs (cooked, not raw)
• margarine
• breakfast cereals fortified with vitamin D

Rickets and Vitamin D – the two are inextricably linked. Rickets is an exceptionally debilitating bone condition. It can be easily avoided by taking regular supplements of Vitamin D.

As a parent it is exceptionally important to make sure your child gets enough Vitamin D and calcium. Make sure they spend time outside and don’t apply sunscreen on them until they’ve been out in the sun for 10 minutes, so they can synthesise Vitamin D before sun damage.

Please read our article on Vitamin D Supplements or if you would like to find out how to choose the right supplement click here.

Make sure you read the article on Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms in children.

We also have articles on osteomalacia and osteoporosis, the other two bone diseases relating to Vitamin D deficiency.

Here’s to your long-term health!

Claire

Tags: Vitamin D deficiency and rickets; rickets;