Building Strong Bones: The Importance of Vitamin D in Teenagers
Vitamin D is important during the teenage years because it helps the body absorb
calcium, which is needed to build strong bones (National Institutes of Health [NIH],
Office of Dietary Supplements, 2025). One national study found that about 9% of
children and young people ages 1 to 21 were vitamin D deficient, representing about 7.6
million people at the time of the study (Kumar et al., 2009). Adolescence is an important period of bone development. During these years, bones grow and gain minerals such as calcium, which can affect bone strength later in life (Stagi et al., 2013). Vitamin D also supports normal muscle and nerve function. Teenagers ages 14 to 18 should get about 15 micrograms, or 600 international units (IU), of vitamin D each day (NIH, Office of Dietary Supplements, 2025).
Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency
There are several reasons teenagers may not get enough vitamin D. One cause is
limited sunlight exposure because the skin makes vitamin D when it is exposed to
sunlight. Season, location, skin pigmentation, clothing, and time spent outdoors can
affect how much vitamin D the body makes (NIH, Office of Dietary Supplements, 2025).
Diet can also play a role because few foods naturally contain large amounts of vitamin
D. Good sources include fatty fish such as salmon, trout, and tuna. Egg yolks contain
smaller amounts, and foods such as milk, breakfast cereals, yogurt, orange juice, and
some plant-based drinks may be fortified with vitamin D (NIH, Office of Dietary
Supplements, 2025). Certain health conditions can also increase the risk of vitamin D deficiency by affecting the body’s ability to absorb or use vitamin D (NIH, Office of Dietary Supplements, 2025).
Effects of Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency can interfere with normal bone development. Severe deficiency in
can cause rickets, a condition in which growing bones become soft and weak. Rickets
can cause bone pain, muscle weakness, slower growth, bone deformities, and a greater
risk of fractures (Soliman et al., 2014). Vitamin D deficiency may also cause muscle cramps, bone discomfort, or difficulty with activities such as walking, climbing stairs, or running. However, some people may have few or no noticeable symptoms (Soliman et al., 2014).
Researchers have also found a relationship between vitamin D levels and bone mineral
density, which is the amount of minerals in the bones. However, bone health is also
affected by factors such as nutrition, physical activity, age, and growth (Karimian et al.,
2022).
Prevention and Treatment
Teenagers can help prevent vitamin D deficiency by eating foods that contain vitamin D,
including vitamin D-rich and fortified foods. The body can also make vitamin D from
sunlight, although the amount produced varies depending on factors such as season,
location, skin pigmentation, and time spent outdoors (NIH, Office of Dietary
Supplements, 2025). Some teenagers may need vitamin D supplements if they do not get enough from food or if a healthcare provider determines that they are deficient. Very large amounts of vitamin D can be harmful, so supplements should be taken according to medical advice (NIH, Office of Dietary Supplements, 2025). Doctors can diagnose vitamin D deficiency with a blood test that measures 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Routine testing is not necessary for every healthy teenager, but a healthcare provider may recommend testing for someone who has symptoms or risk factors for deficiency (Golden et al., 2014).
References
Golden, N. H., Abrams, S. A., & Committee on Nutrition. (2014). Optimizing bone health
in children and adolescents. Pediatrics, 134(4), e1229–e1243.
Karimian, P., Khoshnezhad Ebrahimi, H., Jafarnejad, S., & Aghajani Delavar, M. (2022).
Effects of vitamin D on bone density in healthy children: A systematic review. Journal of
Family Medicine and Primary Care, 11(3), 870–878.
Kumar, J., Muntner, P., Kaskel, F. J., Hailpern, S. M., & Melamed, M. L. (2009).
Prevalence and associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in US children:
NHANES 2001–2004. Pediatrics, 124(3), e362–e370.
National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. (2025). Vitamin D: Fact
sheet for health professionals. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-
HealthProfessional/
Soliman, A. T., De Sanctis, V., Elalaily, R., Bedair, S., & Kassem, I. (2014). Vitamin D
deficiency in adolescents. Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 18(Suppl.
1), S9–S16. https://doi.org/10.4103/2230-8210.145043
Stagi, S., Cavalli, L., Iurato, C., Seminara, S., Brandi, M. L., & de Martino, M. (2013).
Bone metabolism in children and adolescents: Main characteristics of the determinants
of peak bone mass. Clinical Cases in Mineral and Bone Metabolism, 10(3), 172–179.
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