Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?
by Jennifer Bunn, RNVitamin D is often referred to as the “sunshine vitamin”. It is also well known for increasing the absorption of calcium. Beyond these facts, most people are not aware of what important functions vitamin D plays in the body.
What does vitamin D do?
- aids the body to use vitamin A and to absorb calcium and phosphorus
- can be helpful in treating eye infections, such as conjunctivitis
- can help in preventing colds, especially when taken with vitamins A and C
- essential for maintaining normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the body
- helps build healthy bones and teeth
- necessary for growth
- aids in the ability of blood to clot
- helps to regulate the heartbeat
- helps to prevent osteoporosis
How do I get it?
There are two main ways to obtain vitamin D: diet and sunlight. Dietary forms of vitamin D are vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and D2 (ergocalciferol). These two forms of vitamin D are inactive. Absorbed vitamin D must be transformed by the kidneys and liver to the active form of vitamin D. Foods that are high in vitamin D are cod liver oil, oily fish, milk, eggs and cereals.
Most of our vitamin D comes from ultraviolet irradiation (sunlight exposure) of the skin. Sunlight is absorbed through natural oils present on the skin, and is then absorbed into the body. Dietary intakes of vitamin D are only critical when there is little or no skin exposure to ultraviolet light or when the body’s requirements are particularly high, such as in young, growing children or during pregnancy.
Vitamin D has been implicated in the prevention of many disorders, including multiple sclerosis, premature birth, osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer and colorectal cancer.
Source: Vitamin D
