Vitamin D

VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroid responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, and multiple other biological effects. In humans, the most important compounds in this group are vitamin D₃ and vitamin D₂.

STRUCTURE OF VITAMIN D

There are two chemical forms of vitamin D, namely vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). The natural form of vitamin D for animals and man is vitamin D3; it can be produced in their bodies from cholesterol and 7-dehydrocholesterol.

Structure of Vitamin D

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN VITAMIN D2 AND D3

Vitamin D2 and D3 are the two most important forms for your health. Vitamin D2 is produced by plants, and Vitamin D3 is the one made by your skin when you get enough sunlight. Fortified foods can contain either form.

So either choose a Vitamin D3 supplement, or one which contains optimal levels of both forms.

SOURCES OF VITAMIN D

Foods that provide vitamin D include:

• Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon.
• Foods fortified with vitamin D, like some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals.
• Beef liver.
• Cheese.
• Egg yolks.

Sources of vitamin D for vegetarians

Recommended daily allowance for vitamin D. For those between 1 – 70 years, the daily allowance is 15 micrograms, that is, 600 International Unit (IU).

• Soy products
• Fortified cereals
• Mushrooms
• Sunlight
• Fruits
• Fortified margarine
• Alternative milk

DISEASES RELATED TO VITAMIN D

Vitamin D is essential for strong bones, because it helps the body use calcium from the diet. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with rickets, a disease in which the bone tissue doesn't properly mineralize, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities.

Here are 8 signs and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency.

Hair Loss

• Fatigue and Tiredness. Feeling tired can have many causes, and vitamin D deficiency may be one of them
• Bone and Back Pain
• Depression
• Impaired Wound Healing
• Bone Loss
• Hair Loss. Vitamin D stimulates hair follicles, so a deficiency may lead to hair loss. There is some evidence that having a vitamin D deficiency does cause hair loss and other hair problems. Vitamin D stimulates hair follicles to grow, and so when the body does not have enough, the hair may be affected.
•  Alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that causes patchy hair loss. Research shows that people with alopecia areata have much lower levels of vitamin D than people who do not have alopecia.
• Muscle Pain.
• Infertility