Health Vitamins and Minerals Guide

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Scientists have known for some time about vitamin D’s role in helping the body absorb calcium, in maintaining bone density, and in preventing osteoporosis. But new research suggests it may also help protect against chronic diseases such as cancer, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune diseases.

The consequences of vitamin D deficiency are low calcium and phosphate producing secondary hyperparathyroidism, a further reduction in phosphate levels and increased plasma levels of bone-derived alkaline phosphatase.

Clinically, this produces poor bone mineralisation - rickets in children, osteomalacia in adults:

children with rickets classically present with bony abnormalities such as leg-bowing and knock-knees.

may also be bony deformities of the chest, pelvis and skull, fractures in severe cases, delayed dentition, poor growth, and, rarely, bone pain.

Vitamin D Deficiency Called Major Health Risk

Pediatricians scattered around the country have been surprised to see children suffering from rickets, a bone disorder caused by vitamin D deficiency that had been largely relegated to a bygone era. A few doctors have come across adults who were disabled by severe muscle weakness and pain, sometimes for years, until they were treated for undiagnosed vitamin D deficiency.

Supplemental doses of vitamin D (taken together with calcium and magnesium) and sensible sun exposure could prevent deficiency in most of the general population” according to Holick.  A few comments on choosing the best vitamin d supplement are noted toward the bottom of this web page.

Vitamin D - the surprising deficiency

If we totally avoid the sun, our bodies require around 4,000 International Units (IU) i.e. 100 micrograms of Vitamin D per day. Approximately 20-30 minutes of strong sunlight on bare, non-sun screened skin will produce approximately 20,000 IU of Vitamin D - providing a ready reserve of stores. Once these levels are achieved, the skin combines with ultra-violet light to limit Vitamin D production; corrupting excess Cholecalciferol so it cannot be further converted. According to Vieth (1999) there has never been a substantiated case of Vitamin D toxicity from sun exposure alone

Related Post

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• Deficiency in Vitamin D and Rickets
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• Vitamins For Acne - Helpful In Acne Skin Care

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