Vitamin D – Benefits and Side Effects

Vitamin D, also known as calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be produced by your body after being exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. This vitamin takes on several forms, with each form performing a different activity.

Vitamin D is important for keeping the body’s blood levels of calcium and phosphorus normal. It is important for calcium absorption and, in conjunction with other nutrients and hormones, promote the mineralization of bones. If you lack Vitamin D, your bones can turn brittle, soft, thin or misshapen. An acute lack of Vitamin D causes rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, both which are bone diseases that weaken the bones.

Vitamin D Sources

Fortified milk is a major dietary source of Vitamin D. Before milk products were fortified in the 1930s, rickets was a major health problem in the US. Milk in the US fortified with 10 micrograms of 400 IU of Vitamin D per quart. However, other dairy products like cheese, ice cream and yogurt are generally not Vitamin D-fortified.

One cup of fortified milk supplies around one-fourth of the RDA for adults. There are only a few food sources that naturally contain significant amounts of this vitamin. These include fatty fish and fish oils.

Exposing yourself to sunlight should be a major part of your routine. Exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays synthesizes the Vitamin D in the skin. This synthesizing effect is affected by the season, latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and sunscreen.

Too Much Vitamin D

Taking in too much Vitamin D through supplements like cod liver oil can cause constipation, nausea, poor appetite, vomiting, weakness, and weight loss. A Vitamin D overdose can also raise calcium levels in the blood and cause hearth rhythm abnormalities.