E64: Sequelae of malnutrition and other nutritional deficiencies

E64.3: Sequelae of rickets

Vitamin D is important for bone strength. Calcium and phosphate are stored in the bones by vitamin D. Bone thus hardens. Vitamin D is also important for the maturation of immune cells and muscular strength.

The body can create vitamin D itself. This requires direct sunlight. You can also take vitamin D with food. However, this only makes up a small part of your body’s vitamin D. There is vitamin D in fatty sea fish and offal, for example.

A lack of vitamin D can cause problems in the bones, for example. If you are growing and have too little vitamin D, your bones may not grow properly. The bones may then not grow evenly or be too soft and break. It can cause permanent deformation of some bones. These changes may persist even when there is enough vitamin D in the body once more. You may then have pain in the affected area, for example.