THE SUNSHINE VITAMIN FOR BONE HEALTH AND OVERALL WELLNESS.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which helps increase the absorption of Calcium, Magnesium and Phosphorous to make our bones strong. It also has many other functions, which are essential for overall health and wellbeing.

The most important compounds of this group are Vitamin D3, also known as Cholecalciferol and Vitamin D2, known as Ergocalciferol.

Vitamin D3 or Cholecalciferol is made by the skin when exposed to sunlight, and Ergocalciferol is used as a supplement to prevent and treat Vitamin D Deficiency.

What are the benefits and functions of Vitamin D?

1. Vitamin D makes your bones strong.

Vitamin D aids the absorption and increases the intake of Calcium and Phosphorous. Vitamin D deficiency can reduce intestinal Calcium absorption to as less as 15%. When not deficient, an individual may absorb between 60 to 80%. Both Calcium and Phosphorous promote healthy growth and remodelling of bones and teeth. And strong bones reduce our chances of fractures, helps us stay pain free and also improves our posture.

2. Vitamin D may reduce anxiety and depression.

Vitamin D encourages the production of Serotonin, our body’s natural feel good chemical, which helps boost our mood, reduces anxiety, helps us sleep better. This in turn makes us a happy person, and also improves our productivity.

3. Vitamin D helps boost immunity.

People with low levels of Vitamin D often have a weaker immune system which makes them fall sick frequently with fever, cold, cough and infections . Vitamin D can modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses. Thus enhancing the functions of the immune system including T cells and macrophages, which protect our body against pathogens.

Innate immunity is what we are born with. It is the first line of defence, and shields us against all antigens.

Adaptive immunity requires specialized immune cells and antibodies that are developed by our immune system, as a response to attack and destroy foreign invaders like certain substances or microorganisms, healing after an infection or vaccination.

4. Vitamin D may help with weight loss.

Low levels of Vitamin D is associated with metabolic disorders like Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus etc. Following a weight loss diet plan along with an exercise regime and an increased intake of Vitamin D, as prescribed by a doctor, is known to give faster weight loss results. Vitamin D improves bone density and also aids the absorption of Magnesium which improves metabolism, especially that of carbohydrates, and thus aids weight loss.

What are the Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms?

The symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency, are as follows:

• Feeling of weakness, tiredness, lethargy.
• Bone deformities, bone pain and muscle pain.
• Prone to fractures even due to minor injury and falls.
• Anxiety, irritation, depression and mood swings.

Vitamin D deficiency is diagnosed through a blood test. Children with severe deficiency of Vitamin D may have Rickets which may cause bowing of legs. In adults, it may cause softening of bones or Osteomalacia.

People with Vitamin D deficiency, should consult with a medical practitioner and accordingly follow the doctor’s advice on supplements as excess amounts of Vitamin D is toxic and can be harmful.

For your body to function optimally, it is important to have your Vitamin D levels in the normal range.

What should be the ideal range of Vitamin D.

Vitamin D levels are determined through a blood test post recommendation by your doctor.

Deficiency	Less than 20
Insufficiency	20 to 29
Sufficiency	30 to 100
Toxicity	More than 100

Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency.

Vitamin D deficiency is very common, and can happen due to:

• Reduced sun exposure – This can be due to staying indoors, use of sunscreens or wearing clothes that cover the body completely.
• Darker skin shade – Melanin in the skin hinders Vitamin D synthesis, due to which dark skinned people are less efficient at making Vitamin D.
• Kidney or Liver disease – Vitamin D3 or Cholecalciferol is made from cholesterol in our skin, when it is exposed to the UV Rays of the sun. However, this synthesis, as well as the Vitamin D we consume in dietary form, is inactive. It is first carried to the liver and then to the kidney where it gets transformed into active Vitamin D. Hence any liver or kidney disease hampers Vitamin D production in our body.

Foods with Vitamin D

The RDA or Recommended Dietary Allowance for Vitamin D is 400 i.u to 600 i.u (international units) per day. Apart from exposure to sunlight, where the body synthesizes Vitamin D, dietary supplements and certain foods are other ways to get Vitamin D.

Here are a list of Vitamin D foods:

• Fish
• Fortified Milk
• Fortified Cereals
• Butter
• Fortified Yogurt
• Egg Yolk
• Mushrooms

Vitamin D Toxicity.

Vitamin D is considered more a hormone, than a Vitamin. Deficiency is more prevalent and excess is uncommon, as excess levels of Vitamin D does not happen due to natural sources like food or sunlight.

Excess Vitamin D, happens mostly due to overdose of Vitamin D supplements. Excess of Vitamin D is highly toxic for the body and can cause bone pain, fractures even from a slight trauma, Hypercalcaemia, Nausea and Kidney stones.

Correct amount of Vitamin D is very essential to keep us in the best of health. In case of deficiency, always check with your doctor for the dosage that you should consume. Never practice self medication and do not take a non medical professional’s advice on dosage of Vitamin D supplements as it can be harmful. When it comes to your health always rely on trustworthy sources.