BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuOsteomalaciaVitamin D deficiency - osteomalacia; Calcium - osteomalaciaOsteomalacia is softening of the bones. It most often occurs because of a problem with vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium. Your body needs calcium to maintain the strength and hardness of your bones.Vitamin DVitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body's fatty tissue and liver.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article In children, the condition is called rickets.RicketsRickets is a disorder caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. It leads to softening and weakening of the bones.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes A lack of the proper amount of calcium in the blood can lead to weak and soft bones. Low blood calcium can be caused by low vitamin D level in the blood.Vitamin D is absorbed from food or produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight. Lack of vitamin D produced by the skin may occur in people who:Live in climates with little exposure to sunlight Must stay indoors Work indoors during the daylight hours Wear clothes that cover most of their skin Have dark skin pigmentation Use very strong sunscreen You may not get enough vitamin D from your diet if you:Are lactose intolerant (have trouble digesting milk products) Do not eat or drink milk products (more common in older adults) Follow a vegetarian diet Are not able to absorb vitamin D well in the intestines, such as after gastric bypass surgery or due to a gastrointestinal diseasePrevious imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / Other conditions that may cause osteomalacia include:Cancer -- rare tumors that cause low phosphate level in the kidney Kidney failure and acidosis Kidney failureAcute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article AcidosisAcidosis is a condition in which there is too much acid in the body fluids. It is the opposite of alkalosis (a condition in which there is too much ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lack of enough phosphates in the diet Liver disease -- the liver cannot convert vitamin D to its active form Side effects of medicines used to treat seizuresSeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms Symptoms include:Bone fractures that happen without a real injury Muscle weakness Muscle weaknessWeakness is reduced strength in one or more muscles.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Widespread bone pain, especially in the hipsBone painBone pain or tenderness is aching or other discomfort in one or more bones.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms may also occur due to low calcium level. These include:Numbness around the mouth NumbnessNumbness and tingling are abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in your body, but they are often felt in your fingers, hands, feet, arms, or le...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Numbness or tingling of the arms and legs Spasms or cramps of the hands or feetSpasms or cramps of the hands or feetSpasms are contractions of the muscles of the hands, thumbs, feet, or toes. Spasms are usually brief, but they can be severe and painful.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests Blood tests will be done to check vitamin D, creatinine, calcium, phosphate, electrolyte, alkaline phosphatase, and parathyroid hormone levels.PhosphateThe phosphorus blood test measures the amount of phosphate in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bone x-rays and a bone density test can help detect pseudofractures, bone loss, and bone softening. More importantly, osteomalacia can look like weakening of the bones from osteoporosis on bone density testing.Bone x-raysA bone x-ray is an imaging test to look at the bones.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bone density testA bone mineral density (BMD) test measures how much calcium and other types of minerals are in an area of your bone. This test helps your health care...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article OsteoporosisOsteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break (fracture).ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article In some cases, a bone biopsy will be done to see if bone softening is present.Bone biopsyA bone lesion biopsy is the removal of a piece of bone or bone marrow for examination.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Treatment may involve vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus supplements taken by mouth. People who cannot absorb nutrients well through the intestines may need larger doses of vitamin D and calcium. This includes people who have some types of weight loss surgery.People with certain conditions may need regular blood tests to monitor blood levels of phosphorus and calcium. Outlook (Prognosis) Some people with vitamin deficiency disorders will get better within a few weeks. With treatment, healing should happen within 6 months. Possible Complications Symptoms can return. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have symptoms of osteomalacia, or if you think that you may be at risk for this disorder. Prevention Eating a diet rich in vitamin D and calcium and getting sufficient exposure to sunlight can help prevent osteomalacia due to vitamin D deficiency.Open ReferencesReferencesBhan A, Rao AD, Bhadada SK, Rao SD. Rickets and osteomalacia. In Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 31.Chonchol M, Smogorzewski MJ, Stubbs JR, Yu ASL. Disorders of calcium homeostasis. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 18.Demay MB, Krane SM. Disorders of mineralization. In: Jameson JL, De Groot LJ, de Kretser DM, et al, eds. Endocrinology: Adult and Pediatric. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 71.Weinstein RS. Osteomalacia and rickets. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 231.AllVideoImagesTogCalcium benefit - illustration Calcium requires adequate vitamin D in order to be absorbed by the body. In the United States, many food sources of calcium such as milk are fortified with vitamin D.Calcium benefitillustrationVitamin D deficit - illustration Because vitamin D is essential for the body's utilization of calcium, a deficiency may result in severe loss of calcium and consequently a softening and weakening of bones.Vitamin D deficitillustrationCalcium benefit - illustration Calcium requires adequate vitamin D in order to be absorbed by the body. In the United States, many food sources of calcium such as milk are fortified with vitamin D.Calcium benefitillustrationVitamin D deficit - illustration Because vitamin D is essential for the body's utilization of calcium, a deficiency may result in severe loss of calcium and consequently a softening and weakening of bones.Vitamin D deficitillustrationRelated Information Rickets(Condition)Vitamin D(Nutrition)Malabsorption(Condition)Acute kidney failure(Condition)Acidosis(Condition)Seizures(Symptoms)Lactose intolerance(Condition)Vitamins and Phytonutrients - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 4/29/2022 Reviewed By: Sandeep K. Dhaliwal, MD, board-certified in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Springfield, VA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
OsteomalaciaVitamin D deficiency - osteomalacia; Calcium - osteomalaciaOsteomalacia is softening of the bones. It most often occurs because of a problem with vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium. Your body needs calcium to maintain the strength and hardness of your bones.Vitamin DVitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body's fatty tissue and liver.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article In children, the condition is called rickets.RicketsRickets is a disorder caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. It leads to softening and weakening of the bones.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Causes A lack of the proper amount of calcium in the blood can lead to weak and soft bones. Low blood calcium can be caused by low vitamin D level in the blood.Vitamin D is absorbed from food or produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight. Lack of vitamin D produced by the skin may occur in people who:Live in climates with little exposure to sunlight Must stay indoors Work indoors during the daylight hours Wear clothes that cover most of their skin Have dark skin pigmentation Use very strong sunscreen You may not get enough vitamin D from your diet if you:Are lactose intolerant (have trouble digesting milk products) Do not eat or drink milk products (more common in older adults) Follow a vegetarian diet Are not able to absorb vitamin D well in the intestines, such as after gastric bypass surgery or due to a gastrointestinal diseasePrevious imagePlay SlideshowStop SlideshowNext image / Other conditions that may cause osteomalacia include:Cancer -- rare tumors that cause low phosphate level in the kidney Kidney failure and acidosis Kidney failureAcute kidney failure is the rapid (less than 2 days) loss of your kidneys' ability to remove waste and help balance fluids and electrolytes in your b...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article AcidosisAcidosis is a condition in which there is too much acid in the body fluids. It is the opposite of alkalosis (a condition in which there is too much ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Lack of enough phosphates in the diet Liver disease -- the liver cannot convert vitamin D to its active form Side effects of medicines used to treat seizuresSeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms Symptoms include:Bone fractures that happen without a real injury Muscle weakness Muscle weaknessWeakness is reduced strength in one or more muscles.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Widespread bone pain, especially in the hipsBone painBone pain or tenderness is aching or other discomfort in one or more bones.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms may also occur due to low calcium level. These include:Numbness around the mouth NumbnessNumbness and tingling are abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in your body, but they are often felt in your fingers, hands, feet, arms, or le...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Numbness or tingling of the arms and legs Spasms or cramps of the hands or feetSpasms or cramps of the hands or feetSpasms are contractions of the muscles of the hands, thumbs, feet, or toes. Spasms are usually brief, but they can be severe and painful.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests Blood tests will be done to check vitamin D, creatinine, calcium, phosphate, electrolyte, alkaline phosphatase, and parathyroid hormone levels.PhosphateThe phosphorus blood test measures the amount of phosphate in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bone x-rays and a bone density test can help detect pseudofractures, bone loss, and bone softening. More importantly, osteomalacia can look like weakening of the bones from osteoporosis on bone density testing.Bone x-raysA bone x-ray is an imaging test to look at the bones.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Bone density testA bone mineral density (BMD) test measures how much calcium and other types of minerals are in an area of your bone. This test helps your health care...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article OsteoporosisOsteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break (fracture).ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article In some cases, a bone biopsy will be done to see if bone softening is present.Bone biopsyA bone lesion biopsy is the removal of a piece of bone or bone marrow for examination.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment Treatment may involve vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus supplements taken by mouth. People who cannot absorb nutrients well through the intestines may need larger doses of vitamin D and calcium. This includes people who have some types of weight loss surgery.People with certain conditions may need regular blood tests to monitor blood levels of phosphorus and calcium. Outlook (Prognosis) Some people with vitamin deficiency disorders will get better within a few weeks. With treatment, healing should happen within 6 months. Possible Complications Symptoms can return. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have symptoms of osteomalacia, or if you think that you may be at risk for this disorder. Prevention Eating a diet rich in vitamin D and calcium and getting sufficient exposure to sunlight can help prevent osteomalacia due to vitamin D deficiency.Open ReferencesReferencesBhan A, Rao AD, Bhadada SK, Rao SD. Rickets and osteomalacia. In Melmed S, Auchus RJ, Goldfine AB, Koenig RJ, Rosen CJ, eds. Williams Textbook of Endocrinology. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 31.Chonchol M, Smogorzewski MJ, Stubbs JR, Yu ASL. Disorders of calcium homeostasis. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 18.Demay MB, Krane SM. Disorders of mineralization. In: Jameson JL, De Groot LJ, de Kretser DM, et al, eds. Endocrinology: Adult and Pediatric. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 71.Weinstein RS. Osteomalacia and rickets. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 231.