Learn about the benefits of vitamin D

• April 25, 2024

Vitamin D plays an important role in ensuring the health of the body. It is a member of the group of fat-soluble vitamins which means that it can be dissolved and stored in our body fat deposits.

It is the only vitamin that the body can produce with exposure to adequate sunlight. Vitamin D can also be obtained from food. The form of this vitamin that is taken from plants is called ergocalciferol (also known as vitamin D2). And when it's from animals, it's called cholecalciferol or vitamin D3. Vitamin D has key benefits for the body. These include:

The absorption of calcium

Vitamin D is a very important element for the construction of healthy and strong bones. In the intestine, it helps the body absorb calcium from food, the ingredient that promotes the hardness of bones. With vitamin D, the calcium we have in our body is used properly. It also benefits the teeth and gums.

Prevention of diseases

Because it helps the absorption of calcium necessary for the proper growth of bones, it fights the disease of bones in children called rickets. Vitamin D also helps prevent osteoporosis, a debilitating bone disease characterized by decreased bone density.

It has also proven to be very beneficial for the health of the muscles. In a study conducted in 2003 that appeared in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, it was shown that patients suffering from chronic musculoskeletal pain had a vitamin D deficiency.

It has also been observed its ability to prevent diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes. The results in the studies published in 2004 are suggestive, but the researchers believe they could be promising. Vitamin D improves the immune system and may help prevent inflammation, which probably explains its role against arthritis.

The benefits of vitamin D against cancer

New research suggests that it may be beneficial against certain cancers, such as prostate, colon and breast cancer. Blood tests conducted by researchers on the subject show that the lower the vitamin D levels, the higher the risk of cancer .

The active form of the vitamin is able to create important responses in the body. One of them is the regulation of how cells grow and proliferate. When they have no control, both processes can cause cancer. Once again, the evidence is still suggestive and more studies should be conducted.

You will find extra vitamin D in foods such as salmon, sardines and vegetables . It is also found in cod liver oil and fortified foods such as milk and cereals.

Video Medicine: Vitamin D: The Miracle Supplement Video - Brigham and Women's Hospital (April 2024).