Health and Medical

Vitamin D is not the only vitamin that is obtained from the food consumed. In contrast, vitamin D is produced by sunlight on the skin. There has been much coverage in the media about the dangers of getting too much sun, but it is essential that the skin is exposed to sunlight to obtain the recommended daily amount of vitamin D. In fact, the amount of time a person has to spend in the sun to receive a sufficient dose of vitamin D is very small and only a few minutes a day is sufficient and not have any adverse effect on the amount of ultra – violet light received.

The most important function of vitamin D to help control the amount of calcium absorbed from food. Most of calcium is used to build strong bones and teeth, but also need to send messages along nerves and muscles to help the heart, such as muscles to contract. Vitamin D is ensuring that there is enough calcium in the blood to carry out these tasks. Other functions that require vitamin D are related to the immune system and cree which is also a contributing factor in reducing the risk of cancer, particularly colon cancer.

Variant of vitamin D that is formed under the skin is known as vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol. This vitamin D is created when ultraviolet sunlight reacts with a type of cholesterol that is located underneath the skin naturally. The D3 is converted into an active form of vitamin D in the liver and then diverted to where it’s needed most. Some of the vitamin D remains in the liver and kidneys to help reabsorb calcium from the blood. The rest of the vitamin D is spread to the bones to help them retain their calcium and the intestines to aid absorption of calcium from food.

Although the majority of vitamin D is formed through skin exposure to sunlight, some foods contain some vitamins naturally. This form of vitamin D is known as vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol. This is used in the same manner as other D vitamins and is the type used to create most of the vitamin D.

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