Tuesday, September 20, 2011

4 Common Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency

ByWilliam Doe

Lack of Vitamin D is said to affect over 80 percent of United States population in one form or another. Once you know some of the causes of Vitamin D deficiency, you will see why. The purpose of this article is to educate you so you will know what to look out for in the event you or someone you know should suffer from this.

The most common causes in most people who are affected usually come from plain and simple not getting enough Vitamin D in their daily lives, whether it be in dietary or supplemental form. Not getting enough exposure to the sun is another. And more often than one may think, sometimes the kidneys just won't convert Vitamin D into the active form that our bodies need.

1. Diet lacking in Vitamin D: When it comes to our basic daily diets, it is darn near impossible to receive the Recommended Daily Allowance that is called for and that is one of the main causes of Vitamin D deficiency. The only foods we tend to consume that have any significant amount are beef liver, fish oil, fish which is wild caught and oily, and egg yolks. Not exactly daily staples in the daily nutrition regimen of most people.

2. Not enough exposure to sunlight: I know there are those who rant and rave about avoiding the sun and what it can do your skin. However, avoiding or not getting enough of it is yet another of the causes. Vitamin D3 is created by our skin when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Now the amount of exposure needed and what the impact is varies by individual. Factors could include skin color, body fat percentage, the time of year. So, while overexposure to the sun is not a good thing, a certain amount is necessary and not getting enough constitutes one of the causes of Vitamin D deficiency. So, a person basically needs to find and strike a healthy balance between the two.

3. Kidneys Aging: Well-functioning kidneys are necessary to convert Vitamin D into the body's active form. And it does not matter what form the Vitamin D is received in, be it supplemental in nature, in dietary form, or by sunlight. However, as we age our kidneys become less capable of fulfilling this task, making this one of the causes of Vitamin D deficiency.

4. Lack of supplements: This is definitely high on the list of causes. Since sufficient amounts of Vitamin D are so hard to come by from our daily diets, and with people being leery about overexposure to the sun, the importance of supplements in battling this deficiency is greatly magnified.

There are plenty of Vitamin D and D3 supplements to choose from to combat the causes of Vitamin D deficiency. It may take a little experimentation to find the right one, but when you consider the importance of getting enough Vitamin D, it is well worth it.

To learn more about Vitamin D deficiency, visit Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert