Vitamin D is essential for our health
Vitamin D is of fundamental importance as it regulates calcium metabolism and favors bone calcification. It also helps maintain normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood.
Vitamin D comes in the form of ergocalciferol, which is taken with food, and colecalciferol, which is synthesized by our body.
Functions of vitamin D
Vitamin D is synthesized by our body through the absorption of the sun's rays. It is a vitamin of fundamental importance as it regulates calcium metabolism and promotes bone calcification. It also helps maintain normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood.
In which foods vitamin D is found
Vitamin D is present in small quantities in foods (some fatty fish, milk and dairy products, eggs, liver and green vegetables). The only exception is represented by cod liver oil, a good source of vitamin D. Through exposure to UV rays, it is accumulated in the body but must be supplemented during growth, pregnancy, breastfeeding and in all those cases in which its value is insufficient.
Daily requirement of vitamin D
The daily requirement for vitamin D is 400 units per day, and varies according to age. The doses can vary and reach up to 1,000 units per day in the presence of risk factors or deficits.
Vitamin D deficiency negatively affects bone calcification causing rickets in children, bone deformations of various kinds and osteomalacia, which occurs when the calcium content inside the bones is insufficient. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency weakens the teeth making them more vulnerable to tooth decay.
Excess vitamin D can cause calcifications in various organs, vomiting, diarrhea and muscle spasms.
What can cause a vitamin D deficiency
A deficiency of this vitamin can result from a reduced exposure to the sun, which frequently happens in autumn and winter when you wear very heavy clothing and stay indoors for many hours a day. In these situations it is therefore advisable to take a supplement to ensure that the vitamin D values in the blood remain normal.
Alcohol abuse, the consumption of drugs and the use of some drugs can reduce the quantity of vitamin D stored in our body.
Food supplements, a very valid aid
There are numerous oral cholecalciferol supplements in oil, as recommended by the latest guidelines, divided into weekly or daily doses. Another recommended product is Calcifediol, to be taken in drops or soft capsules.