Misconceptions About Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential substance needed by the human body to function normally.
Vitamin D is generally misunderstood and may be the reason why many Americans do not get the
recommended daily dose.
Misconceptions of how vitamin D is stored and released in the body
Maybe you've heard some things about Vitamin D through the advertising of supplements,
your health teacher, a friend, and on labels on products at the grocery store. It's a vitally
important substance that sometimes gets ignored to some extent, and is misunderstood as to where it
comes from, how it's released in the body, and what the body uses it for.
Among the 13 vitamins, Vitamin D is probably among the most misunderstood..
What is Vitamin D?
- Prohormone - Vitamin D (also known as calciferol) is commonly referred
to as a vitamin, but it's actually both a nutrient we eat and a hormone that our bodies make.
- Comprised of two groups - Vitamin D comprises a group of fat-soluble
seco-sterols in two major forms - vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Vitamin D2 is largely man-made and added
to foods, whereas vitamin D3 is synthesized in the skin of humans and is also consumed from
animal-based foods. Both D3 and D2 are
synthesized commercially and found in
dietary supplements or fortified foods. The two forms differ only in their side chain structure. The
differences do not affect metabolism, and both forms function as prohormones. When
activated, the D2 and D3 forms have been reported to exhibit identical responses in the body, and
the potency related to the ability to cure vitamin D–deficiency rickets is the same.
- Activated from food - Vitamin D is needed as part of a healthy balanced
diet. However, it is mostly produced in the skin in response to sunlight and is also absorbed from food,
but only about 10%.
- Supplementation - The FDA currently recommends the daily dose of
vitamins D to be 400-800 I.U.(International Units), depending on your age. The best source is from
food.
- Milk - It is a common misbelief that milk is a good
source of vitamin D. If one cup of milk contains 100 I.U. of vitamin D, you would need to drink about
20-40 cups a day in order to get a good level of vitamin D.
- Tanning Salons - Tanning beds provide variable levels of UVA and UVB
rays and are therefore not a reliable source of vitamin D.
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