Introduction

Vitamin D is an important vitamin for the health of bone. It performs many functions in the body. During the span of life bones continues to reform and reshape. Vitamin D is considered to have vital role in the formation and reshaping of bones.  It also helps and promotes other minerals absorption within blood. When sun rays strikes the uncovered skin these UV rays initiates the synthesis of vitamin D in the liver and kidney.

Importance for body

1. It increases absorption of calcium and phosphorus within blood. it assists the absorption of these minerals inside the gut.
2. It allows mineralization of bone and prevents involuntary muscle contraction which may additionally lead to cramps and spasms.
3. It is also needed for bone formation. It helps to prevent thinning or misshaping of the bone.
4. It reduces inflammation and promotes the growth of many processes such as cell growth, metabolic functioning and immune function.
5. It is also suggested that this vitamin has role in regulation of mood and depression control.

Need of vitamin D

As we know that vitamin is very important vitamin for the growth of bones so its sufficient amount is needed for the proper functioning of the body.

Here is general table that depicts how much quantity of this vitamin is needed for the body. The unit in which its intake is measured is International Unit (IU)

Forms of vitamin D

Mainly there are two forms of vitamin.  Both forms have different structural formula.

1.      Vitamin D 2

This vitamin is human made. It is added to foods to make them enrich of this vitamin. It is also present in the supplements which are used to increase its intake. It is derived from fungi and yeast.

2.     Vitamin D3

This form of vitamin is synthesized inside the body. When rays of sun strikes the skin it triggers the syntheses of vitamin D. it is absorbed in inactive form. It passes through two steps to get in inert form. First step occurs in liver and second in kidney. It is also present in animal products. It is more effective than D2.

3.     Vitamin D Complex

It is form of supplement which contains both vitamin D2 and D3. It may contain other nutrients as well which support absorption of vitamin D.

Sources of Vitamin D

Essentially there are 3 main sources to obtain this vitamin. This is fat soluble vitamin.

1.     Food with Vitamin D

There are a few foods which naturally have this vitamin. Including these foods in diet can help to overcome its deficiency. Flash of fatty fish such as trout, salmon have good amount of it.

Liver oil of fish and beef liver also contains this vitamin as their part of nutrition.  Egg yolk, cheese and some mushrooms also have vitamin D.

Some foods are fortifies with vitamin D to make them enrich of this vitamin. For example most of the milk are fortifies with it.

2.     Sun Exposure

One can meet its bodily need of this vitamin by exposing his skin under the direct rays of sun. People with dark skin and older people synthesized less amount of D3. 5-30 minutes are enough to absorb enough of UV rays to synthesize vitamin D.

Although vitamin can be synthesized by exposing skin through direct sun ray but it is not advisable to expose the skin for longer period of time because it can cause other skin diseases such as allergies, irritation and skin cancer.

3.     Supplements

There are supplement which provide a good amount of vitamin D.  D2 is manufactured by uv rays in yeast and d3 is produced in wool of sheep. Lichens are also used for its syntheses.

These supplements are helpful in maintaining level of vitamin inside body.

Deficiency of vitamin D

Deficiency of this particular vitamin can be characterized by fewer amounts present in diet, kidney is not converting it into inert form, exposure to sun is limited or digestive system is not absorbing it.

Children with its deficiency develop a disease called as Rickets. This is a bone disease in which bone mineralization doesn’t occur. Due to which bone becomes weak and soft. And children suffers from bone deformities, delay in growth, dental problems.

Osteoporosis is also bone disease which is caused by deficiency of this vitamin. Bones are continuously reforms throughout the life. When bones deform and muscle fibers associated with them weakens which is the main reason of osteoporosis.

Despite the fact that osteoporosis is due to much less calcium however vitamin D facilitates in absorption of calcium so we are able to say that deficiency of vitamin additionally leads to osteoporosis.

Symptoms of Deficiency

It is very important to have sufficient supply of vitamin for overall health of body. but when body to not gets enough of it may arises some early symptoms. These symptoms are as follows

1. Pain in bones and joints is very common symptoms of its deficiency. Joints and muscles starts to pain when they do not get enough supply of vitamin D.
2. It also affects the health of muscles. They feel tired and fatigued as they gets weaken with its deficiency.
3. It also in some cases it also causes depression because it is involved in the pathophysiology of brain.
4. It also participates in regulation of blood pressure vascular cell growth, and inflammatory and fibrotic pathways. So it may be associated with health of heart and its functioning.

People at Higher of Vitamin D deficiency

There are certain people who do not have sufficient supply of this vitamin… they are at more risk of developing symptoms as compared to others.

These groups are as follows:

1.     Breast feeding infants

Breastfeeding infants are at more risk of its deficiency. The reason is that human milk does not contain enough of it to meet needs of infants. So it is necessary to provide them with vitamin D drops to meet their requirement.  A mother can also take supplements to increase level of vitamin in the milk.

Sun exposure is not good for infants. It is suggested to cover them properly before exposing them to direct sun. so it is advisable here that provide infants with supplements unless they are able to take fortified milk  to meet their bodily needs.

2.     Older adults

With age requirements of vitamin increases because now skin is unable to synthesize enough vitamin D to meet needs of body. After age of 70 they needs more amount of it so it is necessary for older people to take supplements to meet their bodily requirements.

3.     People with less Sun Exposure

When skin is not exposed to sun then it cants synthesize this vitamin. People who live in areas with less sun rays and who prefer to stay inside are more vulnerable to its deficiency. People working in indoor environments and who covers themselves completely while going under the sun may have more chances to develop its deficiency.

4.     Dark Skin people

There’s a pigment in the outer layer of skin known as melanin. This pigment is causes the darkish skin tone. This pigment inhibits synthesizes of vitamin D that results in its deficiency.

5.     Less Fat Absorption

There is certain group of people who suffers from diseases such as liver disease, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis do not have ability to absorb fat soluble substances in the gut. As we know vitamin D is fat soluble vitamin so it does not absorbed by the gut.  It results in less absorption and unavailability of this particular vitamin.