Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin occurring in several forms, required for normal growth of teeth and bones, and produced by ultraviolet irradiation of sterols found in milk, fish, and eggs.
Benefits of Vitamin C
Vitamin D has many benefits and is easy to add to your diet either through vitamin supplement or in such foods as fish, eggs and milk. Sunlight is a significant source of our daily production of vitamin D, and even as little as 10 minutes of exposure to the sun is enough to help our body absorb it. There are two forms of vitamin D that are important to us; ergocalciferol or vitamin D2 and cholecalciferol or vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 is synthesized by plants, while Vitamin D3 is synthesized by humans in the skin when it is exposed to ultraviolet rays or sunlight.
Recent research has shown that vitamin D offers protection from osteoporosis, high blood pressure and cancer. It assists in absorption of calcium maintaining strong bones. Osteoporosis is a deficiency of vitamin D which contributes to osteoporosis by plummeting calcium absorption. Sufficient levels of vitamin D help maintain bones stability. It can help prevent osteoporosis in older adults especially those that have difficulty with mobility. D3 is known to promote absorption of calcium and phosphorus from food and metabolism of calcium in the kidneys, which will raise the flow of calcium in the bloodstream. It is important in the mineralization of our bones.
People that live in sunny areas can manufacture most of the vitamin D they need from their skin because of their increased exposure to sunlight. In less sunny or cloudier climates the skin manufactures vitamin D at a diminished rate, which can also cause seasonal depression for many people in these areas. Many people that live in areas that lack sunlight take nutritional supplements or multivitamin supplements that add a D vitamin in their diet.
Preventive and Therapeutic uses
Classic Vitamin D deficiency diseases are rickets and osteomalacia. Vitamin D deficiency is known to cause rickets in children and may cause skeletal deformities. Osteomalacia can form in adults due to a lack of vitamin D and can cause muscular weakening. The elderly and obese people are at high risk for vitamin D deficiencies because they typically get less sun exposure than the average person.
Women are more likely to suffer from vitamin D deficiencies, especially in elderly women. Vitamin D is especially recommended in the diet elderly women. It is often seen in post-menopausal women. This deficiency is common in older people having more incidences of hip fractures. People with vitamin D deficiencies also have a higher risk of cancer, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and High Blood Pressure. Daily supplementation of vitamin D may reduce the risk these above ailments.
Conclusion of why you should take vitamin D
In conclusion, taking vitamin D helps in maintaining the immune system, cardiovascular system, skin and helps build our body’s resistance to respiratory and other infections. Vitamin D can be found in milk, fish, and eggs. So as you can see vitamin D can be easily added to your daily diet, taken in some health vitamins, organic vitamins, or even in a good multivitamin daily to increase your overall health and help protect your body from every day infections and sickness.
