Vitamin D deficiency is becoming more and more common, and experts are concerned about the health impact that this can lead to. This page explains who is at risk of being Vitamin D deficient, various statistics related to Vitamin D deficiency, and the health risks associated.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Medical professionals determine whether somebody is vitamin D deficient or not by doing a simple blood test. Experts define vitamin D deficiency in terms of blood levels. They look for 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D3 or 25(OH)D (calcidiol) – the major metabolite of vitamin D3 found in the bloodstream. Some people lack vitamin D more than others, therefore experts have developed a 'vitamin D nutrition status' scale. The table below describes the range of vitamin D deficiency.
Circulating levels of 25- hydroxyl-Vitamin D or 25(OH)D3 by vitamin D nutrition status1| Serum 25(OH)3 range | Vitamin D nutritional status |
| >600 nmol/L (>240 ng/mL) | Potential hypercalcemia due to excess Vitamin D intake |
| <225 nmol/L (<90 ng/mL) | Physiologic range from exposure to sunlight (or UV light) |
| >75 nmol/L (>30 ng/mL) | Sufficiency (desirable optimal for fracture prevention) |
| <40 nmol/L (<16 ng/mL) | Insufficiency |
| <25 nmol/L (>10 ng/mL) | Deficient (diagnostic of nutrition deficiency, rickets or osteomalacia). |
| Conversion Factor: ng/mL x 2.5075 | |
1 Hospitals In-Common Laboratory Inc.
2Wagner, Carol L et. al. Prevention of Rickets and Vitamin D Deficiency in Infants, Children and Adolescents Paediatrics 2008; vol. 122 No. 5 p. 1142-1152
3Nesby-O'Dell S, Scanlon KS, Cogwell ME, et al. Hypovitaminosis D prevalence and determinants among African American and white women of reproductive age: third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76(1):187-92
4Statistics Canada. Canadian Health Measures Survey. Vitamin D blood plasma concentrations in the population 2007/2008. Cat. No. 11-001-XIE
5Kreiter SR. et al. Nutritional rickets in African American breast-fed infants. J Pediatrics 2000;137(2):153-7.
6Lazol JP, Cakan N, Kamat D. 10-year case review of nutritional rickets in Children's Hospital of Michigan. Clin Pediatr (Phila). 2008 May;47(4):379-84. Epub 2008 Jan 11.
7Ward, LM et.al. Vitamin D-deficiency rickets among children in Canada. CMAJ 2007 vol. 177(2) p.161-6
8Hollick MF. Vitamin D Deficieny. N Engl J Med 2007;357;3:266-81
9Nesby-O’Dell S, Scanlon KS, Cogwell ME, et al. Hypovitaminosis D prevalence and determinants among African American and white women of reproductive age: third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994. Am J Clin Nutr 2002;76(1):187-92
10Kumar, J. et al. Prevalence and Associations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Deficiency in US Children: NHANES 2001–2004, Published online August 3, 2009
11Hollick MF. Vitamin D Deficieny. N Engl J Med 2007;357;3:266-81
12Hollick MF. Vitamin D Deficieny. N Engl J Med 2007;357;3:266-81
13Hollis BW, Wagner CL. Assessment of dietary vitamin D requirements during pregnancy and lactation. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:717-26
14Hollis BW, Wagner CL. Assessment of dietary vitamin D requirements during pregnancy and lactation. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;79:717-26