Vitamin D deficiency (ICD-10 CM Diagnosis Code E55.9) is an overlooked diagnosis for a number of alarming symptoms and afflictions.  Depression, fatigue, anxiety, kidney disease, weakened immune system, and even psoriasis have been known to manifest as a result of vitamin D deficiency.  Vitamin D is classified as fat-soluble secosteroids that enhance the absorption of several minerals essential to maintaining homeostasis within the body.  Vitamin D is found in a number of foods, including some varieties of fish and milk, but it remains common for people to not meet their daily requirements through diet alone.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient in children and adolescents.  Vitamin D can help with bone growth and the prevention of some autoimmune diseases. Vitamin D’s extensive list of functions within the body means that when someone has a deficiency, their health is truly suffering.  The mother of a ten-year-old boy grew concerned when her son was presenting signs of depression, sleeplessness, anxiety and sudden weight gain. Rather than mistaking these symptoms as early signs of pre-teen angst, she took her son to the doctor and discovered that a Vitamin D deficiency was to blame.

The solution was simple: her son was to take 400IUs of Vitamin D daily.  The difference in his personality changed once the vitamins had been properly absorbed into his system.  His weight reduced back down to normal, and he was more engaged than he had been in the past.  His energy levels increased, and he was happier than he had been in a long time.  The mother truly felt as though she got her son back once the vitamins took effect. Supplemental vitamins have been known to make drastic changes in the health and every day performance of many people who don’t meet their nutritional requirements through diet alone.

If you or your children are experiencing similar symptoms, don’t panic.  Get an appointment with a doctor to find the cause of the issue.  Even with a list of alarming signs of illness, the solution could be as simple as taking a daily vitamin.  Doctors will help you determine what dosage of which vitamins will be most effective in maintaining the health of you and your family.

Every day doctors are discovering new functions for vitamin D within the body, and it very well may be the next (not-so) new miracle vitamin.