Low vitamin D and deficiency: are you at risk?
Low levels of vitamin D may have no obvious symptoms but without treatment, can have significant health effects.
Low vitamin D and deficiency causes bone and muscle pain, poor bone mineralisation (softer bones) causing rickets (bone deformity) in children and osteomalacia in adults. The evidence is unequivocal – vitamin D is crucial for bone and muscle development and in the prevention of osteoporosis. There have also been links with an increased risk of bowel cancer, heart disease, infections and auto-immune diseases, although more research is needed for any conclusive evidence to be derived.
Some people are at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency. If you are concerned about your vitamin D levels, visit your doctor. Levels can be tested with a simple blood test and options such as supplements can be discussed depending on your individual circumstances.
Solariums should never be used to boost vitamin D levels as they emit dangerous levels of UV which increase your risk of skin cancer.
The following groups may be more at risk of vitamin D deficiency:
- People with naturally very dark skin; the melanin in their skin affects UV penetration so they need more UV exposure to make vitamin D
- People with little or no sun exposure including:
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older adults, especially the frail, who are in medium to long-term residential care, aged care or are housebound
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people who wear concealing clothing for religious or cultural purposes
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people who deliberately avoid sun exposure for cosmetic or health reasons
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people at high risk of skin cancers and who therefore avoid exposure to the sun
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people hospitalised for a long time
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people with a disability or chronic disease
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people with conditions (obesity, end stage liver disease, renal disease and fat malabsorption syndromes such as cystic fibrosis, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel disease) or medications affecting vitamin D metabolism)
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people in occupations such as taxi drivers, factory workers and night-shift workers where they have limited incidental UV exposure throughout the day
- Breast fed babies who fall into the risk categories above or have mothers with low vitamin D. Breast milk contains little vitamin D and infants depend on maternal stores initially. (Formula milk is fortified with vitamin D).
Also refer to:
- Sun protection for people with naturally very dark skin for advice about taking care in the sun.
- Vitamin D and UV radiation [pdf 103K] for more information. The information sheet is also available in languages other than English.
