Vitamin D deficiency: The sensations on the breastbone or shinbone signalling low levels

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Vitamin D deficiency during this time becomes all too common. With the distinct lack of sunshine, the body begins to lack the essential vitamin. Unusual sensations felt in the breastbone or shinbone could indicate low levels with an at-home test to determine your risk.

Vitamin D deficiency affects persons of all ages.

Common manifestations of vitamin D deficiency are symmetric low back pain, proximal muscle weakness, muscle aches, and throbbing bone pain.

According to studies, any aches and painful tenderness in your bones could be due to a vitamin D deficiency.

This is especially true when feeling any discomfort when putting pressure over your breastbone or shinbone areas.

If you have felt unusual pain in your breastbone or shinbone but not sure if it’s something to be worried about, the sternum test can help.

By taking your thumb and pressing it against either the breastbone or shinbone you can do the test yourself.

If it feels tender or it hurts when you press, it may be attributed to a vitamin D deficiency. Why the bones are affected due to low levels of vitamin D.

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In a study published in the American Family Physician, recognition of vitamin D signs on the body was further investigated.

“Vitamin D plays an important role in skeletal development, bone health maintenance, and neuromuscular functioning,” began the study.

It continued: “Because the signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are insidious or nonspecific, it often goes unrecognised and untreated.”

Without the presence of activated vitamin D, normal bone metabolism is altered so that only 10 percent of calcium and 60 percent of phosphorus is absorbed.

“As a result, the skeleton becomes the body’s primary source of calcium, with osteoclasts dissolving bone to raise serum calcium.

“These actions lead to osteomalacia, and they precipitate and exacerbate osteopenia and osteoporosis causing unusual pain and symptoms felt on the body.”

How much to take

In adults, vitamin D deficiency is defined as a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of less than 20 ng per mL (50 nmol per L), and insufficiency is defined as a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of 20 to 30 ng per mL (50 to 75 nmol per L).

There are two forms of vitamin D: vitamin D2, which comes from irradiation of the yeast and plant sterol or ergosterol.

Vitamin D3 is the other type which is obtained from oily fish and by skin synthesis.

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