I went back to the rheumatologist yesterday and apparently I’m severely Vitamin D deficient. He’s putting me on a mega dose of a supplement. It was a very quick visit, of course, so I didn’t get to ask any questions (what is with doctors avoiding the question and answer sessions?). So, I came home and did some research.

Apparently Vitamin D deficiency, the major cause of Rickets, wasn’t a problem for a long time. Now because so many people are warned about staying out of the sun and using massive amounts of sunscreen, they’re getting ill again. But many doctors don’t test for this particular deficiency because it was so rare before- and they don’t like to do new stuff (except for using their prescription pad for new meds, of course).

How do you become Vitamin D deficient?

People are using more and more sunscreen at a higher SPF and many are told to avoid direct sunlight all together. That means that valuable Vitamin D is blocked and avoided too, because the sun produces most of the Vitamin D that we need. And according to some, anyone above 30 degrees North latitude is at greater risk in the winter (of becoming Vitamin D deficient), because the angle of the sun prevents the vitamin from getting through to us. This could be why so many people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

During the winter at latitudes above 35 degrees North and South, very little, if any, vitamin D can be produced in the skin. For example, in Boston (42°N) no vitamin D is produced from November through February.[source]

Another reason for the deficiency is malabsorbtion due to intestinal issues (such as Crohn’s Disease, Celiac Disease, or Irritable Bowl Syndrome) or kidney problems. This can be especially true if you’re like me and avoid direct sunlight at all costs and can’t get the nutrients needed through food. Of course, I rarely eat liver and/or herring, but that’s another story.

What are the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness and muscle aches and pains in both children and adults.[source]

That study states that every person involved with it had pain complaints and was Vitamin D deficient. Other symptoms include fatigue and bone pain. It also states that the problem is getting worse because of warnings and fears of skin cancer. Fair skinned people, such as those of Northern European descent, are better equipped to absorb Vitamin D from the sun, but because of the high use of sunscreen these people are just as susceptible to becoming deficient as those with darker skin.

Vitamin D malnutrition may also be linked to an increased susceptibility to several chronic diseases such as high blood pressure, tuberculosis, cancer, periodontal disease, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, depression, schizophrenia, seasonal affective disorder and several autoimmune diseases [source]

How do you know if you’re deficient?

Have you been tested for any vitamin deficiency? If not, ask your doctor to do a simple blood test. The normal range for Vitamin D is 16.0 to 74.0 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) [source]. My Vitamin D registered at 6 ng/mL, so I’m very low. A simple blood test was all it took to find out that I am deficient. None of my other doctors bothered to include this test in with their other blood tests, so it’s taken almost 2 years to find this out. If you are experiencing chronic bone and muscle pain, fatigue, and any other strange symptoms that your doctor can’t figure out, ask if he or she has done a test for this particular deficiency (or any other vitamin deficiency for that matter). If not, ask for it.

What now?

My doctor has prescribed what he calls a “mega dose” of Vitamin D supplement. I’m to take it only once a week. He’s also advised that I take a calcium supplement because the deficiency causes osteoporosis and calcium helps the body absorb the Vitamin D supplement better. You can safely take up from 300 IU (International Units) to 4,000 IU of Vitamin D a day. Dietary sources of the vitamin can provide up to 250 IU, so when sunlight isn’t available (or in the case of Lupus patients, ill-advised) it’s suggested that you supplement with a pill.

I’m not sure if my deficiency is because of malabsorbtion or because I’ve been actively avoiding sunlight. I’ll find out soon enough because of other tests (if you have gastrointestinal issues you should have a colonoscopy). I’ll also let you know if my symptoms improve with the vitamin supplement I’ve been prescribed.