How to Suspect Vitamin D Deficiency in Children and Adults
Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor Larisa Danilova, in the talk show “PRO ZDOROVIE” on the YouTube channel “SMOTRI I ZHIVI,” spoke about the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency in children and adults.
According to Larisa Danilova, in children, vitamin D deficiency is more often manifested by decreased muscle tone, as well as an increased frequency of respiratory diseases:
— A sufficient number of studies have been conducted, including summary analyses, which have shown that vitamin D deficiency in a child is associated with higher risks of respiratory infections. Moreover, this is more common in boys — there are such gender characteristics. In adulthood, men are likely protected by their hormones. However, as a man ages, the frequency of falls and gait instability in the older age group may also be related to vitamin D deficiency.
The specialist also discussed whether there are contraindications to taking vitamin D:
— There are diseases that are themselves associated with the formation of high concentrations of vitamin D in the body. For example, sarcoidosis, and sometimes this is described in tuberculosis. It is in such diseases that it is justified to assess the total fraction of vitamin D in the serum.
At the same time, Larisa Danilova added that there are factors that hinder the absorption of vitamin D:
— Vitamin D affects calcium absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, all gastrointestinal diseases related to impaired passage through the intestines (malabsorption syndrome), as well as a disease like celiac disease (quite common in the modern world), worsen the absorption of calcium and products containing vitamin D.
Vitamin D deficiency is not just a “minor” problem, but a factor that can affect health at different periods of life. In children, it is associated with an increased risk of respiratory infections. With age, vitamin D deficiency reasserts itself — it can contribute to balance disorders, increase the risk of falls, and worsen gait stability.