The Lifelong Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency: When and How to Supplement for Children and Adults

[Voice of Hope January 1, 2024](Editor: Li Wenhan) Many parents have heard of the importance of supplementing vitamin D to their children. However, most parents still don’t quite understand when to supplement and how long to supplement. Changes in modern lifestyle and environment have generally reduced children’s time for outdoor activities, making vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency increasingly common.

Many parents have the misconception that they only need to supplement vitamin D when their children are very young, and do not need to continue supplementing when they are older or enter kindergarten.

Vitamin D (Synthesized by Voice of Hope)

01

The effects of vitamin D deficiency last a lifetime

The health status of bones is represented in medicine by “peak bone mass”. Many scientific studies have shown that insufficient vitamin D in childhood will lead to insufficient peak bone mass in adolescence; and insufficient peak bone mass in adolescence will increase the risk of osteoporosis in adulthood and old age.

Therefore, vitamin D deficiency is a “chain reaction” that affects the entire life process from childhood to adulthood and old age.

02

The effects of vitamin D deficiency can affect the entire body

In addition to the well-known promotion of calcium absorption and bone growth and development, more and more extra-skeletal effects of vitamin D are being discovered and confirmed.

Insufficient vitamin D increases the risk of respiratory infections.

Insufficient vitamin D increases the risk of intestinal infections and diarrhea.

Insufficient vitamin D increases the risk of allergies and asthma.

Insufficient vitamin D increases the risk of diabetes.

Vitamin D is associated with cardiovascular disease, reproductive dysfunction, and the occurrence of tumors.

Vitamin D (public domain)

03

Vitamin D supplementation is no longer just for children

The “Practical Guidelines for Clinical Issues Related to Vitamin D Nutrition in Chinese Children” compiled by experts from the Child Health Care Group of the Pediatric Branch of the Chinese Medical Association recommends that vitamin D supplementation from infancy to adolescence requires at least 400 international units (IU) per day.

The “Consensus on the Clinical Application of Vitamin D and Its Analogues” compiled by experts from the Chinese Medical Association’s Osteoporosis and Bone Mineral Diseases Society recommends: High-risk groups for vitamin D deficiency, such as office workers who sit for long periods of time. People whose jobs require frequent night shifts, pregnant and lactating women, obese children and adults, and the elderly with a history of falls and injuries all need to supplement vitamin D.

Editor in charge: Li Zhi

This article or program was edited and produced by Voice of Hope. When reprinting, please indicate Voice of Hope and include the original title and link.

2024-01-01 10:47:09

#vitamin #supplementsSupplementation #life #cycle #Vitamin #Vitamin #deficiency #Vitamin #supplementation