A fat-soluble substance, Vitamin D plays a major role in supporting and maintaining the organs of our body.
Vitamin D controls the levels of phosphorous and calcium in the body by helping in the absorption of food in the intestines and in the re-assimilation of calcium in the kidneys. It plays a major role in bone formation and mineralization and helps in the building of a healthy skeletal structure. It prevents secretion of parathyroid hormone from the parathyroid gland.
Vitamin D can be found in many kinds of food like eggs, fortified milk, fish, and cod liver oil. The sun helps in producing Vitamin D naturally. Fish and fish liver oils are the best source of vitamin D. Salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines are rich in
vitamin D. Other sources of Vitamin D are ready to cook cereals, liver, egg and beef. If you are exposed to 10 minutes of sun, then it is more or less enough to protect you against vitamin D deficiencies. Though sun helps in the synthesis of Vitamin D, it is advisable not to have your skin exposed to long hours of ultra-violet rays as there can be lifetime damage of the skin due to UV rays. In fortified foods, you can get
Vitamin D in two forms namely D2 known as ergocalciferol and D3 called cholecalciferol. These two have equal ability to cure rickets, the most important Vitamin D deficiency.
Deficiencies are mostly due to inadequate dietary intake, reduced absorption and use, and increased excretion.
Vitamin D deficiency takes place when there is low intake of Vitamin D than the required level, very little exposure to sunlight, failure of the kidneys to transform vitamin D to its active form or when there is inadequate absorption of vitamin D from the digestive tract. It is often associated with vegetarianism, milk allergy, and lactose intolerance.
The important vitamin D deficiencies are rickets and osteomalacia. Rickets is common in children as a result vitamin D deficiency. Rickets is characterized by brittle bones and skeletal deficiencies. Rickets occur in children especially in dark-skinned children who are breast fed for a prolonged period by mothers who do not have sufficient
vitamin D. Other causes include children who spend long hours in daycare and not much exposed to the sun and extensive use of sunscreen lotions. In adults, vitamin D deficiency can result in osteomalacia and are accompanied by weak muscles and bones.
For many getting dietary supplements of vitamin D becomes more important than others. Breastfed infants form an important group where dietary supplements are required to fulfill the daily dose of vitamin D. Older people in the age group of 50 are prone to
vitamin D deficiency as the skin is unable to synthesize vitamin D sufficiently and the kidney also fails to effectively convert vitamin D to its active form. People with limited sun exposure are prone to vitamin D deficiency.
Vitamin D supplements are also said to react with certain medications like steroids and some weight loss and cholesterol lowering drugs.
