Could Low Vitamin D Levels Be Inherited?

by Lisa
(Lockport, NY)

I am 43 and my mom is 63 and my daughter is 12. My mom has suffered with joint & muscle pain, depression, and a multitude of other symptoms for years. I can't begin to tell you the number of doctors and endless tests she has dealt with and still we have no explanation.

With the exception of a recent visit to a young intern, not one physician ever checked her vitamin D level. To her surprise, her level was 7. She has been on Prescription Vitamin D 50,000 units/week for about 2 months now. Her levels are still low (20), but she hasn't felt better in years!

Now for me...I have experienced low levels of energy, depression, insomnia and have been diagnosed with ADHD all in the past year. I never thought about asking if a low vitamin d level could be reason behind my symptoms, but my mom had been hounding me to have MY level checked. So, at my recent annual visit to the OB/GYN, as my mom suggested, I requested to have my vitamin D level checked.

I needed to have some Blood Testing performed anyway, so I asked her if she would check my vitamin D level also. She hesitated, and asked me why...so I explained my mom situation, and thought I could be suffering from the same thing. To HER surprise, and mine also...my level was 7(the same as my mom's)! Do I need to mention the fact...Mom's always know best!!!!!!

Now for my question...Do you think this condition could be inherited? I am worried about my 12 year old daughter. Although she shows no symptoms, should I have her Vitamin D Level checked anyway?

Comments for Could Low Vitamin D Levels Be Inherited?

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Low Vitamin D Levels Inherited
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Lisa,

So, the fact that you and your mother have the same vitamin d levels IS inherited... but not by genetics!

It's inherited by you and your mother's inherited characteristics of:

Living in a house
Working indoors
Not eating pounds of fish or reindeer every day

So, it's interesting that you are so shocked that your level is low because my question for those who are so shocked is, "What have you done to NOT get Vitamin D Deficiency?"

I usually get either a blank stare or a "What do you Mean?" when I ask that.

So, what I mean is why should you NOT be vitamin d deficient? What have you done this week or this month that would get you vitamin d?

If you take a look at my Vitamin D in Winter page, you'll see that you have received ZERO vitamin d from the sun (living in New York) since October!!

And when you read my Vitamin D Foods page, you'll see that there are simply no good food sources of Vitamin D.

And if you read my Vitamin D Requirements page, you'll see that even a multivitamin will leave you far far short of what you need.

So, PLEASE, YES get your daughter checked and your husband and all of your friends and family and you'll find that they are ALL likely to be dangerously low!!

And also be sure to read the Prescription Vitamin D page to see why you and your mom should DITCH that prescription vitamin d and get Vitamin D3 Supplements instead.

Hope this helped.

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

Pseudocholinesterase deficiency
by: Anonymous

I have recently learned my Vitamin D level is a 7, and yes to working indoors; however, I am outside as much as possible.

I inherited the above Liver deficiency from my mother, and my twin sons from me. Could having this deficiency be partially the reason for such a low level?

I do not have any of the same symptoms as the lady prior. I take no medications, am 54 years old and otherwise, perfectly healthy.

Liver deficiency, it's possible...
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Even if your liver deficiency is contributing to your low vitamin d level (you didn't actually say whether you had a low vitamin D level or not), it just means that you might have to take more vitamin D than the 'average' person.

But so many people have such different needs that it's really hard to say what's an 'average' amount that people need.

But if you are low, the REAL answer is not your liver issues, but the fact that you (and millions of people out there) are just simply not getting enough vitamin d!!

You should get your kids tested (and yourself if you haven't already). And you do NOT have to have the symptoms the lady mentioned. Part of the WHOLE POINT that I'm trying to make on this website, is that the MOST COMMON Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency are NO SYMPTOMS at all!!!

Then when you're 60 you have breast cancer (see the page on Breast Cancer and Vitamin D) and you'll say, "But I've always been healthy. Why did I get breast cancer?" and a partial answer is that you've been vitamin d deficient for 20 years and breast cancer ( or Symptoms of Fibromyalgia, or Multiple Sclerosis or Peripheral Neuropathy IS your first symptom of vitamin d deficiency!!

I hope that this makes sense and this helps you to understand how important it is to be and STAY vitamin d sufficient.

Please read my page on Vitamin D Therapy to show you EXACTLY how to get and stay vitamin d sufficient!!

Kerri Knox RN Immune Health Queen

Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune System Queen
Functional Medicine Practitioner
Immune System

PS: Don't forget to get your FREE Ebook when you Sign Up For My Newsletter

I'm 32 yrs. old and recently found out my vitamin d level is 20..
by: Anonymous

I'am 32 years old and recently found out my vitamin d level is 20.. When I was 27 I broke my femur just from walking. Two month's later broke my other hip (femur) and from there had several surgerie's... I'm now 32 and a few month's ago re-broke my femur I had never fallen every break.. I see an endocrinologist and recently been put on 50,000 Iu of vitamin d.. I also, had my son tested and his vitamin d level Is 21.. I'm worried how this Is effecting people's lives and I have a really hard time with everyday life do to my break's... I'm alway's In pain, depressed, hair loss, high blood pressure, high chelesterol etc. I just want people to be aware how Important vitamin d Is.. I also, wanted to know If something else could be going on that nobody know's..

Celiac Disease/Gluten Sensitivity
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

You almost certainly don't 'just' have vitamin d deficiency with all of those problems. Those are not 'just' problems of vitamin d deficiency no matter how much you'd like the problem to be that simple.

You almost certainly have undiagnosed Celiac Disease/ Gluten Sensitivity. If you don't know what that is or have never considered it, or even if you've been told that is NOT the problem, please read my MANY MANY pages on gluten sensitivity to understand why it almost certainly IS the problem.

Kerri Knox, RN

Vitamin D3
by: Anonymous

As you and your mom are also likely to consume a similar diet, it is possible that a combination of low dietary intake and low exposure to the sun are the similar causes for both you and your mother. There are other, genetic, reasons that could explain the coincidence as well, but they are much less likely, especially in otherwise healthy individuals. Vitamin D is very important for many reasons, and so you should continue to discuss this matter with your physician.

My son's Vitamin D was low!
by: Natalie

Hi Lisa. I went to Brockport College with a Lisa from Lockport, wonder if it's you! Anyway, my son (now 17) broke his hip at the age of 13 so I say have your daughter's vitamin D checked.

His level was low and we never knew that. He had also broken a wrist roller skating, but we never thought anything of it. I happen to be wondering if it's hereditary myself so I want to have mine checked (have also experienced depression and was taking vit. D supplements.) I have stopped now, but I want to get checked.

I teach nutrition at Cornell Cooperative Extension in Albion/Medina and I also want to learn more about this stuff for our lesson on strong bones/calcium.

Good luck with this!

Natalie

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