I suffer from leg pains at night and I know it has been mentioned that vitamin D deficiency could be associated with this. Is there any more evidence that this is correct? Is it advisable to supplement vitamin D? What are the other possible treatments, for example massage or Calpol?
Low vitamin D levels are very common in the UK mainly because you need to spend at least 8 hours a day out in bright sunshine in order to have adequate vitamin D levels. Vitamin D levels are even lower as you go north, to Sweden and places like that. So, if your child is under the age of 5, they should really be taking some sort of vitamin supplement if they’re fussy and not eating well. Leg pains are very common in childhood so what I always recommend is that you go and try just going onto normal vitamin supplements. If leg pains persist, particularly if leg bones start looking bowed or bent, that sort of thing, then it’s worth getting Vitamin D levels checked. But your vitamin D levels really have to be quite low to get a high dose of vitamin D to bring them up again – it’s better in childhood to make sure you take your childhood vitamins. And then the other thing is to try to spend some time outside and then have a diet that’s got plenty of vitamin D in it – things like eggs, fish, vegetables – all those things that children like eating!
