Vitamin 'D'
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin required for the absorption and utilisation of calcium and phosphorous by the intestinal tract. The most common form of Vitamin D is Calciferol (Vitamin D3). This vitamin is necessary for growth and the thyroid function.
Vitamin D is produced by your skin in response to ultraviolet radiation exposure from natural sunlight. This production is drastically reduced through the protection of glass and sunscreen.
The nature of vitamin D means that it is difficult to obtain adequate amounts through your diet as the form which we get from our food is not fully active and requires conversion by both the kidney and liver.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with rickets in young people, a bone disease characterised by a failure to properly mineralise bone tissue resulting in soft bones and skeletal deformities. People 50+ can have Vitamin D deficiency due to the skin being less able to synthesize it effectively and the reduced effectiveness of the kidney in converting the vitamin to its active hormone.
Osteoporosis is a disease characterised by fragile bones and increased risk of bone fractures as evidenced mainly in older people. A vitamin D deficiency contributes to this disease by inadequate calcium intake. A high intake of caffeine may also inhibit Vitamin D receptors.
