Narag, Vinix Matthew A.

BSN 1st yr

Vitamin D/Fat soluble

 Function(s) – Role it plays in the Body:

- Intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphorus depends on the action of vitamin D. This
vitamin also affects bone mineralization and mineral homeostasis by helping to regulate
blood calcium levels.

 Food sources:
- The few sources of natural preformed vitamin D are the fat of animal-related foods of butter,
egg yolks, fatty fish, and liver. Milk, although containing fat, is not a good source; it is,
however, a good vehicle for vitamin D fortification because it contains calcium and
phosphorus, which need vitamin D for absorption.

 Deficiency symptoms/ Diseases:

- A deficiency of vitamin D can lead to the disorders of Rickets and Osteomalacia; the extent
of vitamin D deficiency among children and adults in the united states may be more
widespread the previously suspected.
- Rickets is a skeletal disorder that's caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate.
These nutrients are important for the development of strong, healthy bones. People
with rickets may have weak and soft bones, stunted growth, and, in severe cases, skeletal
deformities.
- Osteomalacia is a disease in which softening of the bones caused by impaired bone
metabolism primarily due to inadequate levels of available phosphate, calcium, and vitamin
D, or because of resorption of calcium. The impairment of bone metabolism causes
inadequate bone mineralization.

 Who is Most at Risk?

- Because the body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, you may be at risk
of deficiency if you are homebound, live in the northern latitudes, wear long robes or head
coverings for religious reasons, or have a occupation that prevents sun exposure.
Case Study

- We herein report the case of a 41-year-old half Japanese half Nigerian female an call center
agent who developed symptomatic hypocalcemia with severe vitamin D deficiency. The
patient’s hypocalcemia was mainly caused by vitamin D deficiency due lack of sleep and
experiencing back pain, unbalanced diets and inadequate exposure to sunlight in addition to
the resolution of hyperthyroidism.

- The 41-year-old half Japanese half Nigerian female call center agent was admitted to our
hospital for further examination of hypocalcemia in winter. She had no family history of bone
and mineral metabolism disorders and never been drunk. She had a previous history of
symptomatic gallstones 8 years before admission, since then, she had restricted intake of fat-
rich foods such as meats, oily fish, and milk, for preventing abdominal pain due to gallstones.
One year before admission, she visited a local hospital with complaints of palpitation, tremor,
and weight loss.
Vitamin or Mineral Slogan Food Sources Important Info