The Importance Of Vitamin D

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Vitamin D is important for the body’s health as it helps regulate the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. Its main roles can vary from giving strength to bones by absorbing calcium, keeping teeth and muscles healthy and maintaining a healthy immune system. Sources of Vitamin D include sunlight and vitamin D rich foods. Vitamin D obtained from sunlight is then converted into a hormone known as calcitriol or activated vitamin D by the body. Vitamin D is a hormone which has a primary function to simply promote the use of calcium and phosphorus around the body (VanPutte, Regan and Russo, 2016). These nutrients are essential for healthy muscles, strong bones, bone healing, and teeth. Calcium homeostasis: Vitamin D plays a significant role in calcium and phosphate metabolism and also ensures a sufficient amount …show more content…

Parathyroid hormone ‘reabsorbs bone tissue’ which is what causes bones to become thin and fragile. (Cleveland Clinic, 2015) With an increase in vitamin D, the levels of parathyroid hormone decrease - which in turn keeps bones and teeth strong and healthy. Immune system: Vitamin D can regulate the ‘innate and adaptive immune responses’. Vitamin D receptors are ‘expressed on immune cells’ such as B cells, T cells and antigen presenting cells (Aranow, 2011). Pregnancy: During pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding, having adequate levels of vitamin D is essential to ensure that the developing baby is receiving enough calcium and phosphate - which are vital for the development of the infant. Vitamin D presents itself in 5 different forms D2 and D3 are the most common derived from cholesterol Vitamin D2 produced by plants is called ergocalciferol Vitamin D3 (chocalciferol) is made in skin. The skin is irradiated by ultraviolet rays from sunlight, which meets 7-dehydrocholesterol, as a result cholecalciferol is made. (Reaction in plants is similar and produces

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