Vitamin D Benefits

An introduction to Vitamin D benefits

The sole vitamin that is not taken in from the foods we eat, is the D vitamin. Sunlight that is on the skin is where we get vitamin D from. Although the media has long touted the harm that sun can cause to the skin, we do need some sunlight everyday to be certain that we are getting enough vitamin D in our bodies. This is one of the greatest sources of vitamin D. To be honest, it only takes a few minutes each day, which is a tiny amount for a person to be in the sunlight, to receive enough vitamin D that the body needs. By doing this, you will not get any damage from the sun, since you will not be in UV light for a long time period.

To aid in the absorption of calcium from the food we eat, vitamin D is needed. Most of the calcium that we consume is used to create strong teeth and bones, but it also has uses for the nerves to be able to send messages. And it is an aid to muscles, such as allowing heart muscles to contract. For these things to be carried out in the body, vitamin D is the one responsible for making sure that there is enough calcium in the blood. The immune system is another bodily function that needs vitamin D to thrive and it is as well believed, that by consuming vitamin D, the risk of cancer is lowered, and colon cancer in particular.

The type of vitamin D that is made underneath the skin is called cholecalciferol, or D3. When the ultraviolet light from the sun reacts with the type of cholesterol that is naturally found in skin, vitamin D3 is made. D3 is then changed into a form of vitamin D that is more active, and found in the liver, where it is then sent to the places in the body it is most needed. To be able to reabsorb the calcium from the blood, a portion of the vitamin D stays in the kidneys and liver. The remaining vitamin D is spread out to the bones, so that they can keep the calcium they have, and also to the intestines, to help in the absorption of calcium from food.

There exist a few foods that have naturally occurring vitamin D, although most of the vitamin D is made from being exposed to sunlight on the skin. Ergocalciferol, also known as vitamin D2, is this form of the D vitamin. This kind, is what is mostly used to make vitamin D supplements, and it is generally used the same way as the other forms of the vitamin. This is another of the many vitamin D benefits.

Sources of Vitamin D