Signs Of A Vitamin D Deficiency

Muscle Weakness

Patients with a vitamin D deficiency might experience ongoing or intermittent muscle weakness. This may also be paired with other symptoms like bone weakness or muscle aching. Studies have shown the muscle weakness tends to be reversible once patients are treated for vitamin D deficiency. In particular, older adults who have vitamin D deficiencies tend to have a higher risk of falling or experiencing proximal weakness. What's more, the bone health problems caused by vitamin D deficiencies mean a fall is more likely to result in broken bones. Muscle weakness and pain tend to present non-specifically in individuals with vitamin D deficiencies, meaning there's not one particular muscle group or part of the body that's more likely to be targeted. Some patients have found adding vitamin D supplements to their diet helps reduce the amount of muscle weakness they feel. However, for those who have severe deficiencies, it might be necessary to get much higher doses of prescription-strength supplements.

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Muscle Aches And Cramps

Muscle aches and cramps are often a key sign of vitamin D deficiency, especially when they're combined with bone weakness and muscle weakness. With that said, some individuals might experience muscle pain without any other symptoms and still have a vitamin D deficiency. Doctors need to keep vitamin deficiencies in mind when talking to patients who are dealing with ongoing and widespread muscle pain without any apparent cause. Multiple studies have been done indicating vitamin D deficiencies may cause muscle pain in both adults and children. In fact, a study done of individuals with chronic pain found seventy-one percent of the participants had a deficiency. The receptor for vitamin D is in the nociceptors, nerve cells responsible for sensing pain. If an individual is deficient in this vitamin, their nociceptors can't function as well, which may lead to a heightened sensitivity to painful stimuli. For those who are deficient, supplements have been shown in multiple studies to help reduce overall pain. For children with the deficiency, a study indicated taking supplements could help reduce overall pain by fifty-seven percent.

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