Vitamin D Deficiency: Frequently Asked Questions

Vitamin D deficiency is a leading cause of osteoporosis. Vitamin D is necessary for the body to properly process calcium. New research has shown that the Vitamin D epidemic in American adults today, suggesting that up to 90% of North Americans are deficient and Vitamin D deficiency has significant implications on human health.

The dose of vitamin D in Sprinkles is meant to meet the RDA for vitamin D, rather than provide a therapeutic intervention. Thus, for rickets treatment, the recommended dose of vitamin D is significantly higher than the dose present in Sprinkles. However the dose of vitamin D in Sprinkles is adequate to prevent rickets.

At the turn of the century, vitamin D deficiency led to an epidemic of rickets (softening of the bones) in U.S. urban centers. We solved the vitamin D deficiency largely through the fortification of foods. However, this fortification proved to be too much as peanut butter, hot dogs, soda, bread, and even beer were fortified with vitamin D. Excessive amounts of vitamin D also were added to some milk products, causing toxic amounts of vitamin D to reach infants and young children. ...

The amount of sun exposure for vitamin D depends on a large number of factors, such as latitude, skin pigmentation, sunscreen use, and air pollution. For a Caucasian with medium skin pigmentation, exposure of the face, hands and arms for five minutes two or three times a week for three-fourths of the year actually eliminates the need for dietary intake.

UV exposure is the main source of vitamin D production. Just a few minutes on a sunbed 2-3 times a week, will enable your body to produce sufficient vitamin D. From October - May it is impossible to produce vitamin D from UK sunshine exposure, as the sun is too weak. It is also very, very difficult to get enough daily vitamin D from diet and multi-vitamins, as these usually contain the wrong type of vitamin D that the body actually needs.

"Rickets" will come in children due to deficiency of Vitamin D & Calcium. Calcium is available in morning sunrays. Green leafy vegetables and Raagi.

Rickets is not easily diagnosed in an infant who has not yet begun to walk. It is a disease of the bones and an X-ray is used to diagnoses the condition. When a child suffering from rickets walks there is excessive bowing of the legs accompanied by swelling of the wrists and ankles. Infants with vitamin D deficiency have a slow growth rate and some may suffer from breathing and heart problems.

Come on now…that’s like saying why should I try to be healthy? New research has shown that Vitamin D deficiency is epidemic in American adults today, up to 90 percent of Americans are Vitamin D deficient. It is likely that over-usage of sunscreen in climates and seasons when sunburn is not a possibility has contributed to this epidemic. ...