Vitamin D is essential for proper growth of bones in our body, as well as playing a large role in preventing our bodies from contracting serious health conditions.
Health Benefits:
- The primary function of Vitamin D is to maintain normal Phosphorous and Calcium levels in our bodies. This function promotes strong and healthy growth of bones, nails, and teeth. By controlling the Calcium levels in our bodies, the vitamin D is supporting bone mineralization, a process done by remodeling osteoblasts and osteoclasts, hardening the bones.
- Vitamin D can prevent rickets in small children, as well as osteoporosis or osteomalacia in adults. It can also play a large role in combating depression, diabetes, obesity, and various other problems, such as high blood pressure or cardiovascular diseases.\
- All cell growth is derived from the reproduction of existing molecules, so cell activity is ramped up during periods such as pregnancy, illness, would healing, and body growth. These cells are actually immature during these stages, and require vitamin D to develop fully.
- Vitamin D promotes antitumor activity, particularly breast and prostate cancer.
Process:
- When vitamin D is absorbed from the sun or foods, it is biologically inert, and it must undergo two hydroxylations in the body in order to function properly. The first hydroxylation occurs in the liver, converting vitamin D to 25 hydroxyvitamin D, more commonly known as calcidiol. The second hydroxylation occurs in the kidney, converting the 25 hydroxyvitamin D to 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D, also known as calcitriol. This new form of vitamin D is physiologically active, and can properly function in the body. The new micronutrient 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D serves as a coenzyme because it is an organic molecule.
Vitamin D 