Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine Vitamin, can be produced in the body with mild sun exposure or consumed in food or supplements. India being tropical country with lot of sunlight round the year, Vitamin D deficiency was thought to be very rare amongst Indians. But it is not so. We have a large population of all age groups having Vitamin D deficiency with varied clinical presentation.<\/p>\n
Adequate\u00a0Vitamin<\/a>\u00a0D intake is important for the regulation of\u00a0calcium<\/a>\u00a0and phosphorus absorption, maintenance of healthy bones and teeth, and is suggested to supply a protective effect against multiple diseases \u00a0such as\u00a0cancer<\/a>,\u00a0diabetes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Vitamin D deficiency is frequently documented because of lack of exposure to sunlight, high level of pollution and increased rate of detection.<\/p>\n Recent studies have suggested that up to 50% of adults and children worldwide are Vitamin D deficient.<\/p>\n In spite of the name, Vitamin D is considered a pro-hormone and not actually a Vitamin. This is because the body is capable of producing its own Vitamin D through the action of sunlight on the skin, while Vitamins are nutrients that cannot be synthesized by the body and must be acquired through the diet or supplements.<\/p>\n Vitamin D has multiple roles in the body, helping to:<\/p>\n Vitamin D is produced when sunlight converts\u00a0cholesterol<\/a>\u00a0on the skin into calciferol(Vitamin D3). Vitamin D3 is then converted into calcidiol (25-hydroxyVitamin D3) in the liver. The kidneys then convert calcidiol into the active form of Vitamin D, called calcitriol (1,25-hydroxyVitamin D3). As such, statins and other medications or supplements that inhibit cholesterol synthesis, liver function or kidney function can impair the synthesis of Vitamin D.<\/p>\n sun exposure on bare skin for 5-10 minutes 2-3 times per week allows the body the ability to produce sufficient Vitamin D, but Vitamin D has a half-life of only two weeks, meaning that stores can run low, especially in winter.<\/p>\n 1) Vitamin D for healthy bones<\/strong><\/p>\n Vitamin D plays a substantial role in the regulation of calcium and maintenance of phosphorus levels in the blood, two factors that are extremely important for maintaining healthy bones. We need Vitamin D to absorb calcium in the intestines and to reclaim calcium that would otherwise be excreted through the kidneys.<\/p>\n Vitamin D deficiency in children can cause\u00a0rickets<\/a>, a disease characterized by a severely bow-legged appearance triggered by impaired mineralization and softening of the bones. 2) Reduced risk of flu<\/strong><\/p>\n Children given 1,200 IU of Vitamin D per day for 4 months during the winter reduced their risk of\u00a0influenza<\/a>\u00a0A infection by over 40%.2<\/p>\n 3) Reduced risk of diabetes<\/strong> 4) Healthy pregnancy<\/strong> 5) Cancer prevention<\/strong> 6) Vitamin D and weight loss <\/strong> Sunlight is the most common and efficient source of Vitamin D. The richest food sources of Vitamin D are\u00a0fish oil<\/a>\u00a0and fatty fish.<\/p>\n Potential health risks of consuming Vitamin D<\/strong><\/p>\n The Upper Level (UL) limit recommended for Vitamin D is 4000 IU per day. However, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has suggested that Vitamin D toxicity is unlikely at daily intakes below 10,000 IU\/day. My experience with Vitamin D:<\/strong><\/p>\n In my 40\u00a0 years of practice as an orthopaedic surgeon, I have observed varied clinical presentations of Vitamin D deficiency<\/p>\n Paediatric age group<\/strong> : typical rickets picture of pot belly, faulty dentition, bowing of legs was observed.<\/p>\nRole of Vitamin D : <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Vitamin D synthesis in the body<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nDeficiency of \u00a0Vitamin D <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Health benefits of Vitamin D<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nIn adults, Vitamin D deficiency manifests as osteomalacia or osteoporosis<\/a>. Osteomalacia results in poor bone density, muscular weakness and often causes small pseudo fractures of the spine, femur and humerus. Osteoporosis is the most common bone disease among post-menopausal women and older men.
\nVitamin D deficiency has been seen in up to 80% of hip\u00a0fracture<\/a>\u00a0patients.
\n800IU of Vitamin D per day reduces the risk of fracture by 20% in the elderly<\/p>\n
\nSeveral observational studies have shown an inverse relationship between blood concentrations of Vitamin D in the body and risk of\u00a0diabetes<\/a>. In diabetics, insufficient Vitamin D levels may have an adverse effect on insulin secretion and glucose tolerance<\/p>\n
\nPregnant women who are deficient in Vitamin D seem to be at greater risk of developing\u00a0preeclampsia<\/a><\/p>\n
\nVitamin D is \u00a0important for regulating cell growth and for cell-to-cell communication. Some studies have suggested that calcitriol (the hormonally active form of Vitamin D) can reduce cancer progression by slowing the growth and development of new blood vessels in cancerous tissue, increasing cancer cell death and by reducing cell proliferation and metastases.<\/p>\n
\nResearchers at the University of Minnesota found that Vitamin D levels in the body at the start of a low-calorie diet predict weight loss success, suggesting a possible role for Vitamin D in weight loss.
\nRecommended intake of Vitamin D
\nVitamin D intake can be measured in two ways: in micrograms (mcg) and International Units (IU). One microgram of Vitamin D is equal to 40 IU of Vitamin D. The recommended intakes of Vitamin D throughout life were updated by the US Institutes of Medicine (IOM) in 2010 and are currently set at:<\/p>\n\n
Vitamin D food sources<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\nExcessive consumption of Vitamin D can lead to the over calcification of bone and the hardening of blood vessels, kidney, lungs and heart. The most common symptoms of hyperVitaminosis D are\u00a0headache<\/a>\u00a0and nausea but can also include loss of appetite,\u00a0dry mouth<\/a>, a metallic taste, vomiting,\u00a0constipation<\/a>, and\u00a0diarrhoea<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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