Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin which is naturally very little food, to others, and is available as a dietary supplement. It is also produced when ultraviolet rays endo of sunlight strike the skin and causes the synthesis of vitamin D. Vitamin D obtained from sun exposure, food and supplements is biologically inert and must undergo two hydroxylations in the body for activation. The first step in the liver and is converted to vitamin D-25-hydroxyvitamin D is also known as calcidiol. The second takes place mainly in the kidneys and the physiologically active form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D is also known as calcitriol.

vitamin d sources

Vitamin D Functions

Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the intestine and maintain adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations normal mineralization of bone to enable hypocalcaemia and tetany prevention. It is also necessary for bone growth and bone remodeling by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Without enough vitamin D, bones can become thin and brittle, or misshapen. The adequacy of vitamin D prevent rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Together with calcium, vitamin D also helps protect older adults from osteoporosis.

Not only bone health to maintain vitamin D also helps protect the body against flu and prevent depression. So not only have a positive impact on fitness, vitamin D is also good for your mental health.

Vitamin D has other functions in the body, including the modulation of cell growth, neuro muscular function and immune systems, and reducing inflammation. Many of the genes that encode proteins that regulate cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis is modulated in part of vitamin D.

The major biological function of vitamin D is normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus to maintain. Vitamin D aids in calcium absorption, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Recently, research also indicates vitamin D may protect against osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer and various autoimmune diseases present.

Sources of vitamin D

Vitamin D is found in many dietary sources such as fish, eggs, fortified milk and cod liver oil. The sun also contributes significantly to the daily production of vitamin D, and only 10 minutes of exposure is probably sufficient to avoid shortages. The term “vitamin D” refers to the various forms of this vitamin. Two forms are important in humans: ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3).Vitamin D2 is synthesized by plants. Vitamin D3 is synthesized by humans in the skin when exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Food can be fortified with vitamins D2 or D3.

There are many ways to the needs of vitamins to meet D. If you do not want to drink milk, try to intake of vitamin D supplement by eating the following four:

1. Oily fish

In order to meet the intake of vitamin D, can you eat fatty fish. Like salmon, mackerel, tuna and eel. Three ounces of salmon steak contains about 450 IU of vitamin D (international units). A good part of the recommended 600 IU per day.Another advantage is that your heart is healthy, because the content of omega-3 fatty acids is high in fatty fish.

2. Mushrooms

Fungi can also produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight is. Some types of fungi deliberately bred in the sun to produce vitamin D. encouraging to find out, you can buy mushrooms in the container. Usually there is no nutritional information.

3. Fortified orange juice can also vitamin D by taking fortified orange juice. The juice is extra nutrients in it, including vitamin D. Usually about eight glasses of orange juice contains about 100 IU vitamin D. But it depends on the brand, take a look at the nutritional information on packaging.

4. Egg yolks you eat is the easiest way to get Vitamin D Sources of vitamin D in the egg yolk, which means that about 40 IU

Vitamin D deficiency

Rickets and osteomalacia are classic vitamin D deficiency diseases. In children, vitamin D deficiency causes rickets, which leads to skeletal abnormalities. In adults, vitamin D can lead to deficiency osteomalacia, which results in muscular weakness in addition to weak bones. People who may be at a high risk of vitamin D deficiency include the elderly, obese, exclusively breastfed infants and those with limited sun exposure. Moreover, those fat malabsorption syndromes (eg cystic fibrosis) or IBD (eg Crohn’s disease), is in danger.

Vitamin D Overdose

Vitamin D toxicity can cause nonspecific symptoms such as anorexia, weight loss, polyuria, and cardiac arrhythmias. More seriously, it can also raise blood calcium levels which leads to calcification of vascular tissue, and consequent damage to the heart, blood vessels and kidneys. The use of calcium supplements (1,000 mg / day) and vitamin D (400 IU) in postmenopausal women was associated with a 17% increase in the risk of kidney stones more than 7 years in the health initiative of Women. A serum 25 (OH) D concentrations consistently> 500 ng / L (> 200 ng / ml) are considered potentially toxic.

Excessive sun exposure is not due to vitamin D intoxication due to the constant heat in the skin is believed to previtamin D3 and vitamin D3 photodegrade because it is formed [6]. Moreover, the thermal activation of previtamin D3 in the skin results in various non-vitamin D shapes that reduce the formation of vitamin D3 itself. Some vitamin D3 is also inactive form [1]. Intake of vitamin D from foods that are high enough to cause toxicity is very unlikely. Toxicity is more likely to avoid a high intake of dietary supplements with vitamin D.

Tags: calcium, deficiency, fish, normal blood levels, osteoblasts and osteoclasts, sources of vitamin d, vitamin d foods, vitamin d sources