10 facts about Vitamin D

10 Facts About Vitamin D

1. Vitamin D is labelled as the "sunshine vitamin," as it is produced in the skin on sun exposure
2. Vitamin D is required to maintain serum calcium concentration within the normal physiologic range for musculoskeletal health.
3. Vitamin D deficiency in children causes rickets and prevents children from reaching their peak bone mass and genetically determined height
4. In adults, vitamin D deficiency results in abnormal mineralization of the collagen matrix in bone referred to as osteomalacia.
5. Deficiency of ViataminD is attributed to an increase in the incidence of obesity, a decrease in milk consumption and use of sun protection.
6. Aching bones is a common complaint in vitamin D deficient individuals.
7. Vitamin D deficiency also results in muscle weakness and muscle pain
8. obese people require larger units of vitamin D supplementation to maintain an adequate level of vitamin D in the body.
9. Very few foods are a natural source of vitamin D. These include oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines.
10. It is recommended that the level of the circulating form of vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) is checked at least twice a year