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Article: Vitamin D Deficiency
- Article from:
- Gale Encyclopedia of Children's Health: Infancy throughAdolescence
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Thomson Gale. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Vitamin D deficiency
Definition
Vitamin D deficiency exists when the concentration of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25-OH-D) in the blood serum occurs at 12 nanograms/milliliter (ng/ml) or less. This is one-half to one-fourth the amount normally present. When vitamin D deficiency continues for many months in growing children, the disease commonly referred to as rickets occurs.
Description
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning it can be dissolved in fat. While some vitamin D is supplied by the diet, most of it is made in the body. To make vitamin D, cholesterol, a substance widely distributed in animal tissues, the yolk of eggs, and various oils and fats, is necessary. Once cholesterol ...