Ask The Doctor

Dear Ask The Doctor: What foods can i eat to increase vitamin d deficiency?

Dear Stacy: There are no foods that you can ingest just to cause Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency can result from a variety of causes, including inadequate exposure to sunlight, malabsorption problems, lack of vitamin D in breast milk, ( this is for kids) and the effects of certain medications. Inadequate exposure to sunlight - This causes a deficiency in cutaneously synthesized vitamin D. Adults in nursing homes or health care institutions are at a particularly high risk. Vitamin D malabsorption problems - People who have undergone resection of the small intestine are at risk for this condition. Diseases associated with vitamin D malabsorption include celiac sprue, short bowel syndrome,and cystic fibrosis. For kids, Minimal amounts of vitamin D in human breast milk - The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends vitamin D supplementation starting at age 2 months for infants fed exclusively with breast milk. Some medications are associated with vitamin D deficiency. Drugs such as “Dilantin”, phenobarbital, and rifampin can induce  to accelerate the catabolism of vitamin D.