Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and foods that are fortified with vitamin D are often inadequate to satisfy either a child’s or an adult’s vitamin D requirement.
Symptoms that point to vitamin D deficiency are muscle spasms, bone pain and joint pain. Lesser degrees of deficiency may be characterized by loss of appetite, a burning sensation in the mouth and throat, diarrhea, insomnia, visual problems, and weight loss.
Vitamin D deficiency causes bone to demineralize. In children, vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, a disease in which the bones become soft, weak, deformed, and painful.
Adults with osteomalacia may experience global bone discomfort and muscle aches, often leading to a misdiagnosis of fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or arthritis.
Long-term shortages of vitamin D and calcium cause human bones to become fragile and break more easily. This condition is called osteoporosis.
Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency
