Enough Isn’t Enough: An epidemic of vitamin D deficiency
By Ben Harder
Many U.S. women of childbearing age, particularly those of African descent, lack sufficient vitamin D even though they consume the recommended amount, a new study suggests. Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency can be subtle among adults, but infants born to these women could be marked for major health problems.
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for proper bone growth, and children who get too little can develop rickets, a skeletal disease. A newborn’s quotient of the vitamin is largely determined by the concentration in the mother’s blood.