Do you know which vitamin deficiency causes rickets? If you do not own this information, then we will present it right now.
General information about the disease
Before you tell you about the lack of a vitamin leads to rickets, you should tell what this disease is.
Rickets is a disease that occurs mainly in young children. The occurrence of this deviation should immediately alert parents and doctors. Indeed, very often it indicates that the child does not receive the necessary substances from the food he consumes. In this regard, it is recommended to review his diet.
What changes are observed with the disease
To avoid the development of this deviation, parents should be sure to know which vitamin deficiency leads to rickets. After all, the only way to protect your child from this dangerous disease.
As you know, with rickets, the bones of the upper and lower extremities of the child begin to gradually soften and deform. By the way, the human spine is often exposed to this process.
Children's rickets are called social disease. This fact is due to the fact that such a disease is most often found in babies with extremely unfavorable living conditions. And, despite the improvement in the level of care for such children, this deviation is a serious danger, especially if the child is 6-18 months old.
Main symptoms
All people who have small children should know about the lack of which vitamin leads to rickets. After all, if you miss this information from view, then it is likely that the child’s bones will begin to collapse very soon. As a rule, with such a disease in a person, the following symptoms are observed:
- constant pain in the joints;
- delay in the formation of teeth;
- tooth deformation;
- slow growth;
- muscle cramps and cramps;
- spinal deformity, as well as other bone deformities;
- weight loss;
- slouch;
- weakness.
If at least one of the above symptoms is observed in your child, then you should definitely visit a doctor. If you do not have such an opportunity, then you should definitely find out which vitamin deficiency leads to rickets (a photo of the disease is presented in this article). This is the only way you can begin to treat this disease yourself.
By the way, with timely diagnosis and treatment of the presented disease, the risk of serious complications is minimal.
What vitamin deficiency leads to rickets: C or D?
To answer this question, it is necessary to consider the properties of both vitamins in more detail. After all, this is the only way to understand whether its deficiency in the body causes the development of such a serious disease as rickets.
Vitamin C
Ascorbic acid is an organic compound that is related to glucose and is the main substance in the human diet that helps the normal functioning of bone and connective tissue. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that performs the biological functions of a metabolic reductant.
What causes the deficit?
In nature, ascorbic acid is found in many vegetables and fruits. Its deficiency in the body leads to the emergence of a disease such as scurvy.
The main symptoms of this disease are a weak immune system, bleeding gums, slow tissue repair after damage (wounds, bruises), dryness and pallor of the skin, brittle nails, hair loss and tarnishing, quick fatigue, lethargy, rheumatoid pains in the limbs and sacrum, loss and loosening of teeth, as well as fragility of blood vessels.
Vitamin D
What vitamin deficiency causes rickets? The answer to this question is contained in this section of the article.
Vitamin D is a group of biologically active substances. They can be synthesized in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet rays or can enter the human body with food.
The main function of vitamin D is to ensure the absorption of phosphorus and calcium from food. This happens in the small intestine. In addition, a number of clinical studies have proven that vitamin D is actively involved in all metabolic processes, the regulation of cell reproduction and stimulation of the synthesis of a number of hormones.
It is impossible not to say that the presented element, accumulated by the human body during the summer, can also be used up in the winter months.
Consequences of deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency is a fairly common occurrence that affects a large number of people on Earth every year. Vitamin deficiency of this substance plays a major role in the development of rickets in young children. Moreover, long-term vitamin D deficiency often leads to cancer, as well as to an increased likelihood of developing osteoporosis.
In the course of research, experts also revealed that a lack of vitamin D can cause a weakening of immunity, as well as the development of serious cardiovascular diseases.
To summarize
So, the lack of which vitamin leads to rickets: vitamin C or D. In connection with the foregoing, we can safely say that both of these substances are directly related to the strength of bones and teeth in young children and adults. However, such a serious disease as rickets can occur only because of a deficiency of vitamin D. That is why it should be included in your diet every day and from a young age.
What foods contain vitamins C and D?
Now you know about the lack of which vitamin leads to rickets. Fish or lemon - what to choose in order to make up for the lack of the required substance? Of course, the first product. After all, it is no secret to anyone that all varieties of fish, as well as fish oil, contain a large amount of vitamin D. But to get it, you can use a not quite standard way. To do this, you should only be more often in the sun or sunbathing. In this case, your skin will produce the required substance by itself, all the signs of beginning rickets will gradually disappear.
As for vitamin C, it should also be taken in the required amounts. If you do not want to purchase ascorbic acid in the form of dragees or tablets, we suggest including special products in your diet.
As you know, vitamin C is found in fruits such as tangerines, oranges, lemons, grapefruits and others. However, they are highly not recommended for those who have high acidity of the gastric juice, gastritis or ulcer. In this case, it is better to replace the mentioned products with cranberry juice, baked potatoes and other ingredients.
Who is more likely to have the disease?
Most often, rickets develops in:
- Children who were born earlier than the due date, or full-term, but with low weight (not reaching three kg).
- Artificial children. Despite the fact that the composition of milk mixtures includes vitamin D, phosphorus and calcium are absorbed several times worse from such food than from mother’s milk. Due to a deficiency of minerals, rickets occur.
- Children who suffer from food allergies, atonic diathesis, liver diseases, exudative enteropathy, and biliary tract diseases. All of these conditions complicate the process of absorption of vitamin D, calcium and phosphorus.
- People taking certain medications that make it difficult to absorb vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus.
- People who are unable to actively and often move.