Your body makes vitamin D3 when exposed to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. An article in "Nutrition Review" reveals that vitamin D is one of the oldest vitamins on Earth, with evidence of it found in plant fossils going back millions of years. Although it is not yet known which vitamins vitamin D3 interacts with, two minerals require vitamin D3 to maintain optimal functioning. Always check with your physician before taking supplements.
Calcium
Calcium is considered a mineral, not a vitamin, but the presence of vitamin D3 is essential for calcium to do its job. Calcium is vital in proper growth and mineralization of bones and teeth. It's needed for the growth and maintenance of cartilage, the substance between joints that cushions the movement of your bones. Calcium is also necessary for the proper functioning of your nervous system. Without the interaction with vitamin D3, none of these vital tasks would occur at their optimal level, and in some cases, disease, discomfort or pain would result.
Phosphorus
The formation of vitamin D3 is a complicated process starting with the sun's rays being synthesized by your skin to produce previtamin D3, then being sent to your liver and kidneys where if becomes the active form, or the form of vitamin D3 your body can use. The levels of phosphorus in your blood are crucial for the amount of vitamin D3 that is needed. Phosphorus, like calcium, is a mineral, not a vitamin. Almost 85 percent of the phosphorus in your body is in your bones, used for mineralization. This serum balancing act between phosphorus and vitamin D3 ensures there is sufficient amounts of phosphorus in your bones.
Vitamin D3 Deficiencies
Numerous conditions might arise if the body does not have enough vitamin D3, such as rickets, which is a softening of the bones due to demineralization in growing bones; osteomalacia, which is bone pain caused by the loss of bone minerals, usually seen in adults; and muscle weakness and pain, which can occur in adults or children. These conditions of vitamin D3 deficiency also involve the imbalance or loss of calcium or phosphorus, or both.
Dosage of Vitamin D3
It is now felt by many experts that the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D is too low. Currently, the recommended dietary allowance for vitamin D is 600 IU per day. A 2005 study in the "Journal of Nutrition" says a full-body exposure at peak summer sun for 10 to 15 minutes can produce as much as 20,000 IU of circulating vitamin D3. The study further says circulating levels below 1,280 IU of vitamin D3 might be considered deficient and that the RDA is not adequate to maintain sufficient levels, especially in pregnant women.
References
- "Nutrition Reviews"; "Vitamin D -- a D-Lightful Health Perspective"; Michael Holick; September 2008
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin D
- Linus Pauling Institute: Minerals
- "Arthritis and Rheumatism"; "Vitamin D intake is inversely associated with rheumatoid arthritis: Results from the Iowa Women's Health Study"; Linda Merlino, et al.; January 2004
- Hospital for Special Surgery: About Osteoarthritis - An Overview
- "Journal of Nutrition"; "Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels indicative of vitamin D sufficiency: implications for establishing a new effective dietary intake recommendation for vitamin D"; B.W. Hollis; February 2005
Member Comments