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Why is Vitamin D significant?

Why is Vitamin D regarded as Sun Shine Vitamin?

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    Vitamin D, a fat soluble vitamin resembles sterols in structure and functions like a hormone. Ergocalciferol and cholecalciferol, both sterols are the precursor substances for the synthesis of vitamin D and are referred to as provitamins. Ergocalciferol is designated as vitamin D2 and cholecalciferol also as vitamin D3. Ergocalciferol is the provitamin found in plants and cholecalciferol is the provitamin present in animals. In man the provitamin cholecalciferol (also called calciol) is synthesized from 7-dehyrocholesterol an intermediate product of cholesterol biosynthesis. The conversion of 7- dehyrocholesterol into provitamin cholecalciferol takes place in the skin (dermis and epidermis) on exposure to sunlight. The provitamins D2 and D3 as such are not biologically active. They are metabolized identically in the human body and converted into active forms of vitamin D. The active vitamin D is calcitriol. Conversion of provitamins into active calcitriol takes place in two steps. The first step occurs in the liver where the provitamin is converted into hydroxycholecalciferol and in the second step, which occurs in the adrenal cortex of our kidney, the hydroxycholecalciferol is converted into active vitamin called calcitriol. Anyhow, for the synthesis of provitamins from which active vitamin D is formed, sunlight is very essential. The incident UV-rays in the sunlight helps for this. Humans make 90 per cent of their vitamin D naturally from sunlight exposure to their skin – specifically, from ultraviolet B exposure to the skin, which naturally initiates the conversion of cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D3. Few foods naturally contain or are fortified with supplemental vitamin D. It is just 10 per cent of what the most we need daily. In contrast, sun exposure to the skin makes thousands of units of vitamin D naturally in a relatively short period of time. Therefore Vitamin D is regarded as Sun Shine Vitamin. Courtesy: S. Palaniappan

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Simplifying the above answers - instead of eating our vitamins in our food, we get vitamin D from the sunlight reacting with our skin. We make vitamin D inside our skin from the ultraviolet light.

Yikes

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids. In humans vitamin D is unique both because it functions as a prohormone and the body can synthesize it (as vitamin D3) when sun exposure is adequate. Measures of the serum levels reflect endogenous synthesis from sun exposure as well as intake from the diet and it is believed that synthesis may contribute generally to the maintenance of adequate serum concentrations.

sepia

Sun exposure to the skin is the human race’s natural, intended, most effective and most neglected source of vitamin D. Vitamin D sufficiency, along with diet and exercise, has emerged as one of the most important preventive factors in human health. Hundreds of studies now link vitamin D deficiency with significantly higher rates of many forms of cancer‚ as well as heart disease‚ osteoporosis‚ multiple sclerosis and many other conditions and diseases. Because sunshine is a free commodity with no publicist or lobbyist, the Sunshine Vitamin Alliance is established as a coalition of right-minded physicians, individuals and organizations who advocate natural vitamin D production through regular, non-burning sun exposure. Humans make 90 percent of our vitamin D naturally from sunlight exposure to our skin – specifically, from ultraviolet B exposure to the skin, which naturally initiates the conversion of cholesterol in the skin to vitamin D3.

protexya

In accordance with analysis obtainable in the course of the nineteen nineties, wellness specialists labelled sums within two hundred to six hundred units per day, dependent upon years, as well as predetermined two thousand International units as being a risk-free top maximum. Numerous researchers, tend to be certain folks have to have a lot more, and now have given advisories fot it result, though these people aren't referring to the particular huge sums several research workers tend to be having.

Jack Stove

We have a compound in our skin that changes to vitamin D when in sunlight. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, you can overdose. There has been much study of late of more and more uses of vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is produced by ultraviolet irradiation (UV) of its precursor 7-dehydrocholesterol. This molecule occurs naturally in the skin of animals and in milk. Vitamin D3 can be made by exposure of the skin to UV, or by exposing milk directly to UV

science teacher

Well the rays that come off the sun produce vitamin D which is good for your immune system.

Mr D

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