Vitamin D plays an important role in bone, teeth building and maintaining. Because it is relatively stable in foods, many countries fortify milk with vit D to prevent symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. However, significant loses may result from fortified milk being exposed to light.
Being a fat soluble vitamin, this is absorbed from the upper part of the small intestine, along with dietary fat, and stored in the liver.
Vitamin D benefits :
1. It helps body absorb calcium. Active vit D helps body regulate blodd levels of calcium and phosphorous. Vit D increases absorption of these minerals. In combination with parathyroid hormone, it enhances their reabsorption from kidneys and their mobilization from bones into blood.
2. Adequate vitamin D has lately been linked to a reduced risk of developing breast, colon, and prostrate cancers.
Insuffcient supply of this to the body results in a various symptoms of vitamin D deficiency such as serious bone abnormalities,
1. Rickets (bones that are soft and malformed ) in childern.
2. Osteoporosis or osteomalacia ( softening of bones ) in adults.
Like vitamin A , this vitamin is also fatsoluble. So taking large doses of vitamin D supplement increases the vitamin D toxicity in the body.
Some of the vitamin D toxicity signs
Drowsiness
Diarrhea
Loss of appetite
Headche
High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Calcium deposits through out the body ( including heart, kidney, and blood vessels )
Foods with vitamin D :
Plants provide least of vitamin D, so complete vegetarians should derive their vitamin D through exposure to sunlight, fortification and supplementation.
Below are a few vitamin D rich foods
1. Fortified milk, fortified margarine
2. Dairy products
3. Fish liver oils, cod liver oil
4. Fatty fish
5. Egg yolks
6. Synthesized by ultraviolet light upon exposure to sunlight.
Vitamin D tablets in the form of supplementation should be taken if your sources of vit D are not adequate but given its toxicity, you should consult a doctor for its supplementation.