Importance of Vitamin D and it's rich sources

Vitamin D helps in regulating the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body. These nutrients are needed to maintain bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Bone deformities such as bone pain caused by a condition called Osteomalacia in adults and rickets in children, due to lack of vitamin D.

Coronavirus and Vitamin D

Consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D a day to keep your bones and muscles healthy. This is because you may not be getting enough vitamin D from sunlight if you're indoors most of the day. There have been some news reports about vitamin D reducing the risk of coronavirus. However, there is currently not enough evidence to support this.

Do not get more vitamin D than you need without consulting your physician.

Rich sources of vitamin D

Vitamin D is sometimes called the “Sunshine Vitamin” because it’s produced in your skin in response to sunlight. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin in a family of compounds that includes vitamins D-1, D-2, and D-3.

Your body produces vitamin D naturally when it’s directly exposed to sunlight. You can also get it through certain foods and supplements to ensure adequate levels of the vitamin in your blood.

Vitamin D has several important functions. Perhaps the most vital are regulating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, and facilitating normal immune system function. Getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D is important for normal growth and development of bones and teeth, as well as improved resistance against certain diseases.

Vitamin D is also found in foods in small amount, like salmon, sardines, egg yolk, shrimp, milk (fortified), cereal (fortified), yogurt (fortified), orange juice (fortified), etc.

What happens if I take too much vitamin D?

Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period of time can cause too much calcium to build up in the body (hypercalcaemia). This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.