You may have heard doctors and people talking about the importance of Vitamin D. And you may have found yourself wondering if it is just another health fad. Is it really possible to be deficient in Vitamin D and is it really all that bad? 

The answer is yes to both questions. Let’s find out more about what this vitamin is, where we can get it from and why we need it in the first place.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, naturally present in some foods and also available as a dietary supplement. Another indirect source of vitamin D is sunlight. It is indirect because vitamin D obtained from sun exposure, foods and supplements is biologically inert. Bioinert materials refer to those substances that, when introduced to the body, don’t cause a reaction with the host. Thus, the body has to create vitamin D when exposed to direct sunlight. 

When vitamin D enters the body as an inert material, it undergoes two oxidation (chemical) reactions, once in the liver and the other in the kidneys,^[1].

Vitamin D deficiency is usually treated with supplements, but you may need a doctor’s advice to get the right dosage. Increasing your sun exposure and eating more vitamin D-rich foods, such as fatty fish and fortified dairy products, can also help.

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

Role of Vitamin D in the body

Extensive studies conducted on the role of vitamin D suggest fascinating possibilities that go just beyond bone health, such as reducing cancer cell growth and help controlling inflammations and infections. Some important functions of Vitamin D are listed below ^[2]:

• Vitamin D aids the body in absorbing and retaining two minerals-phosphorus and calcium, which are vital for bone development.
• Vitamin D is also required for bone remodelling and bone growth by osteoclasts (a cell that breaks down bone tissue important for repair, remodelling and maintenance of bones) and osteoblasts (large cells important for bone formation and later bone remodelling). Without Vitamin D in the body, bones can become brittle, thin or misshapen.
• Vitamin D can lower the development of rickets in children and osteomalacia (a condition that softens the bone) in adults.
• Vitamin D, along with calcium, can help adults from developing osteoporosis.
• Vitamin D also supports strong immunity, helping the body fight several infections and autoimmune conditions.
• Vitamin D also helps regulate mood and helps reduce the chances of anxiety.
• Vitamin D is important for muscles, nerves and the functioning of other hormones and enzymes in the body. 

 Sources of Vitamin D

Aside from sunlight, the other two sources of vitamin D are food and supplements. With respect to food, there are two categories; there are some foods that naturally contain vitamin D and others need to be fortified with it. Food sources of vitamin D, along with their serving (micrograms per serving), are provided below^[3]:            

It is believed that India, despite being a tropical country, has approximately 490 million people who are vitamin D deficient. Of this number, around 31% are children and adolescents people [4]. Although it is important to be Vitamin D sufficient in order to lower chances of developing broken bones and osteoporosis, it will also be prudent to measure the amount and intensity of sunlight exposure that one subjects themselves to during the day as too much of it can also lead to other serious conditions such as skin cancer. 

Obtaining vitamin D from food and supplements is the best solution with limited early morning sun exposure when the intensity of the sunlight is softer for about 30 minutes daily. Talk to your doctor about nano vitamin D supplements and take them as advised.  

Disclaimer: The information included on this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.

Sources:

^{1.          https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/}

^{2. https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-9-65}

^{3. .https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/}

^{4.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-21279-0#:~:text=It%20is%20estimated%20that%20about,are%20children%20and%20adolescents7}

https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-vitamin-d#food-sources