Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

One of the well-known vitamin d facts is that vitamin D can be obtained primarily by sunlight. Sunlight contains ultraviolet ray that can cause production of vitamin D in our skin. Vitamin D belongs to the category of fat soluble and it can be obtained from food. Exposure to the ultraviolet or UV rays of sunlight can also produce vitamin D in the human body.

One Vitamin D facts is that it helps to prevent children from getting rickets. Sufficient amount of vitamin D can prevent vitamin d deficiency syndrome such as osteomalacia. Both rickets and osteomalacia are forms of Vitamin D deficiency syndrome that worsens the condition of the bone.

Vitamin D fact number two is that Vitamin D may also play a role in keeping the body’s self defense system in check. Studies have also shown that vitamin D may facilitate regulation of cell growth and differentiation. Differentiation is when the future of the cell is being determined.

With the aid of other vitamins, hormones and minerals, vitamin D sustains bone mineralization. It promotes the uptake of calcium by the bones and thus the bones are kept strong. If deficiency of vitamin D occurs in the body, the structure of the bones will be weakened, easily damaged and higher risk of fracture. In terms of biology, vitamin D plays a role in balancing blood levels of phosphorus and calcium in the body.

Another Vitamin D fact is that it has many forms, and each functions differently in the body. Calciferol is the most active form of vitamin D in the body when compared to other forms of vitamin D. The liver and kidney helps to convert vitamin D into its active form. Vitamin D obtained from food intake or the skin requires the help of the kidney and liver to convert into dihydroxylvitamin D, which is the usual active form of vitamin D. The vitamin, also a hormone, send signals to the intestine and in turn increases phosphorus absorption by the body.

Now many foods can be found to be supplemented with vitamin D. Milk is one of them, but not its related products like dairy products as they contain little or none vitamin D. There are few foods which are good sources of vitamin D. Fatty fish is one of them which is of higher content.

The sun is the most noteworthy sources of Vitamin D, as the skin produces this vitamin when it is exposed to sunlight. Simple as it sounds, many factors do affect the effectiveness of this process such as time of the day, condition of the cloud, season, geography, sunscreens and fog. For those with little or no exposure to the sun, it is highly recommended to add foods which are good sources of vitamin D in their daily menu.

200 IU of Vitamin D is the recommended dosage for people from birth to their fifties. The dosage doubles up for those who are fifty one to seventy. Next, 600 IU would be the recommended quantity to be taken by those who are seventy and above.