Facts About Vitamin D

Did you know vitamins were first recognized by the effects of their absence? Some vitamin deficiencies were identified centuries ago. The early part of the twentieth century brought about exciting advances in science making it possible for vitamins to be studied in great detail. Nutrition science is a discipline of biochemistry, the study of chemical processes in a living organism.

There are literally thousands of chemical processes happening in your body at any given moment. Processes such as, growth, maintenance of health, and metabolism are regulated by vitamins, which are supplied wholly or partially by diet. Vitamins are regulatory compounds. You can think of a vitamin as a key that locks or unlocks a bodily function.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is actually a steroid and is directly associated with skeletal growth and strong bones. Childhood deficiency results in the disease, Rickets, whereas adult deficiency results in Osteomalacia and Osteoporosis. The early twentieth century found that a diet containing sufficient qualities of Vitamin D and exposure to the ultra-violet rays of the sun would prevent this disease from occurring. Thus many of the foods we buy are fortified with Vitamin D. Foods naturally rich in Vitamin D are foods that are from animal origin, especially eggs, liver, butter, and fatty fish.

One of the factors contributing to the escalating rate of people being identified as having low levels of Vitamin D is lack of sun exposure. In general, people spend less time outdoors. Another contributing factor is the use of sunscreen. While prolonged sun exposure can damage the skin, limited sun exposure without sunscreen (15-30 minutes per day depending upon skin type) is actually good for you!

Vitamin D3 is naturally occurring in the body that starts out as an oily secretion (7-dehydrocholestrol) that is distributed along the skin. During exposure to sunlight 7-dehydrocholestrol is converted to pre-Vitamin D3 (precalciferol) and the further irradiation causes the precalciferol to be converted into Vitamin D3, cholecalciferol. Cholecalciferol through complex chemical processes targets tissues of the intestine, bone, and kidney, playing a critical role in regulating blood-calcium concentrations.

What about Vitamin D2? Vitamin D2 is a plant steroid that does not occur in animals. As far as supplementation goes, it is the opinion of this clinician that Vitamin D3 is preferred over Vitamin D2.

If you have been diagnosed as having low levels of Vitamin D be sure you are supplementing your diet under the supervision of your healthcare practitioner and get outdoors!

Disclaimer:
The information in this newsletter is for educational use only. Do not attempt to self-diagnose or treat any condition. Please consult your healthcare practitioner if you believe you may have any of the signs or symptoms discussed above before using any of the nutrients discussed.

You should also consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, before taking any medication, or if you have or suspect you might have a health problem.