{"id":18482,"date":"2023-03-10T21:09:29","date_gmt":"2023-03-10T21:09:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.easly.nl\/blog\/symptomen-vitamine-d-tekort-2\/"},"modified":"2025-06-27T17:52:08","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T16:52:08","slug":"vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms-and-prevention","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.easly.nl\/en\/blog\/vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms-and-prevention\/","title":{"rendered":"All about vitamin D: what it does, symptoms of deficiency and how to prevent it."},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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For good health, adequate vitamin D is important. Yet many people struggle with vitamin D deficiency, often without realizing it. We list all about this essential vitamin in this article.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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What is vitamin D and what does it do?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that stimulates the absorption of calcium and phosphate from the intestines. With that, vitamin D is important for building bones and joints, the immune system and muscles, among other things, and thus a deficiency can lead to (serious) health problems.<\/p>

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Vitamin D is found in a variety of foods and is available in the form of dietary supplements. However, the most important source of vitamin D is sunlight. UV-B radiation from the sun causes the formation of vitamin D in the skin, which is then stored in the body’s tissues. The degree of exposure to sunlight determines about 90% of the amount of vitamin D in the body.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Vitamin D deficiency<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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It is estimated that a significant portion of the Dutch population has a vitamin D deficiency, also known as vitamin D deficiency. The main reason for the large-scale shortage, is the fact that the Netherlands has relatively few sunshine hours. This is particularly problematic in the winter months. People who (can) get outside little are more at risk of deficiency. Consider the elderly or people who should not overexpose their skin to the sun. People with dark skin are also at greater risk of vitamin D deficiency because vitamin D is less easily absorbed in dark skin. These groups often need extra vitamin D.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Recommended daily dosage<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The recommended daily amount of vitamin D depends largely on age. The Nutrition Center<\/a> recommends a vitamin D intake of 10 micrograms per day for people younger than 70. For people older than 70, the recommended daily intake is 20 micrograms per day. Vitamin D is mainly found in fatty fish, meat, eggs and butter. Vitamin D is added extra to low-fat margarine, margarine and baking and frying products in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency and associated consequences?<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Vitamin D deficiency in adults leads primarily to bone and muscle problems. This may manifest itself in: <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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  • muscle pain and cramp<\/li>\n
  • muscle weakness especially of upper legs<\/li>\n
  • bone pain especially in the hips<\/li>\n
  • difficulty walking<\/li>\n
  • loss of bone density and higher risk of bone fractures after a fall<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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    In addition, several studies show that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, colon cancer, infections and autoimmune diseases. However, a causal relationship has not been proven to date, and it is unclear whether supplementation of vitamin D lowers the possible risk.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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    Related tests<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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