Facts You Should Know About Vitamin D
Vitamin D, medically and scientifically known as caciferol, is one of the
fat-soluble vitamins that is also considered a hormone as it assists in keeping
the calcium and phosphorus in the blood at normal levels. There are five forms
of vitamin D: D1 (a molecular compound of ergocalciferol and luministerol), D2
(a molecular compound of eergocalciferol and calficerol), D3 (cholecalciferol),
D4 (dihydroergocalciferol) and D5 (sitocalciferol).
Unlike other vitamins, vitamin D can be produced by the body when the skin is
exposed to sunlight. When the skin is exposed to the sun, the ultraviolet rays
trigger the production of vitamin D in the skin. After only a few minutes of
sunlight exposure, the skin can produce about 20,000 IU (international units) of
vitamin D without any danger of toxicity. However, prolonged exposure to
sunlight will not increase vitamin D levels or cause vitamin D toxicity.
Instead, overexposure to sunlight will destroy vitamin D. This is because the
body has a self-regulating mechanism that detects when the body cannot handle
more vitamin D.
Vitamin D can also be acquired from food sources such as fortified milk, dark
green vegetables, butter, fish like salmon and tuna, eggs, liver and cereals.
However, the sun is considered the best source of vitamin D. Sunlight exposure
10 to 15 minutes a day at least twice a week is recommended. A deficiency of
vitamin D can lead to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
Vitamin D is stored in the bones, spleen, brain and liver. During the summer,
the body stores up vitamin D and utilizes it during the winter months. This is
what makes vitamin D different from the other vitamins. Vitamin D can be stored
in the body today and used up later on, especially when there is not enough
sunlight in the day.
