Vitamin D or Cholecalficerol

Vitamin D or Cholecalficerol is a fat soluble vitamin that helps your body to properly absorb the minerals Calcium and Phosphorus. Calcium is very important to your health since it helps build muscles, strong bones and strong and healthy teeth. It also helps with muscle and heart contractions.

Sufficient amounts of Vitamin D may greatly reduce the risks of developing osteoporosis and joint damage. It can slow down the effects of arthritis and keep back pain under control.

Vitamin D is needed for islet cells (clusters of cells in the pancreas) to produce insulin. Insulin is a hormone that allows cells to take up blood sugar.

Research also suggests that since this vitamin helps regulate white blood cells, it may help maintain a healthy immune system and supports the regulation of cell growth.

Vitamin D can be found in food and can also be made in your body after exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. The UV rays trigger vitamin D synthesis in your skin.

Deficiency effects

Without sufficient amounts of vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, or misshapen. Sufficient amounts could prevent two forms of skeletal diseases that weaken your bones; rickets in children (the primary symptoms of this disease are soft bones and bones that develop abnormally) and osteoporosis in adults.

A deficiency may also lead to the development of type 1 diabetes, muscular weakness, tooth decay, improper healing of fractures, lack of vigor, inadequate absorption of calcium and the retention of phosphorous in the kidneys.

Foods high in Vitamin D

Vitamin D is the only vitamin that your body, after exposure to sunlight, is capable of producing on its own. One to two hours sunlight per week is normally sufficient, the rest should come from your diet or from supplements.

Fortified foods are common sources of vitamin D. About 98% to 99% of the milk supply in the U.S. is fortified with 10 mcg (equal to 400 International Units or IU) of vitamin D per quart.

Please note that dairy products made from milk are generally not fortified with vitamin D and contain only small amounts.

There are only a few commonly consumed foods, rich on Omega-3 fatty acids, which are good sources of vitamin D: cod liver oil, mackerel, salmon, tuna fish and sardines. Smaller amounts are for example found in margarine, pudding, egg yolk, liver and beef.

The recommended daily intake for children and adults is 5 – 10 mcg (200-400 IU). The elderly should increase their intake to 10 mcg each day if you are aged 50-70, and 15 mcg each day if you are older than 70.