A public health physician, Dr Baba Ahmed, in Abuja, on Thursday, said lack of Vitamin D could cause chronic liver or kidney disease.
Ahmed, who works with the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS), expressed the view in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said the function of Vitamin D was to maintain serum calcium and phosphorus concentration within the range that supported neuromuscular function.
The neuromuscular system is the combination of the nervous system and the muscles, working together to permit movement.
According to him, Vitamin D deficiency was commonly noticed early in children than in adults, adding that its deficiency in children resulted in rickets and osteromalacia for adults.
“Osteromalacia is the softening of the bones caused by defective bone, while rickets is a condition in which the knees touch but the ankles do not touch.
“When a child supposed to be standing could not stand and it is not that the child has any other physical disability, the condition can be described as a high index.
“Again, you may observe that the child’s lower limbs, especially between the knees, begin to knock together,” he said.
The physician said such a condition could require the screening of calcium percentage in the body, to ascertain whether it was normal, adding that “if not normal, it indicates a lack of vitamin D.”
Ahmed, however, said Vitamin D deficiency could be managed if detected early, adding that “discovering it after the damage would not change the condition.
“Even after giving the necessary Vitamin D supplement, it will just stall the progress, but the damage has been done.”
He said Vitamin D sources were basically fatty substances, such as vegetables, plant oil, such as soya oil, sun flower oil, groundnut oil, among others, while he advised against frying of oil.