Vitamin D3 is a vital component to bone health. Among diverse metabolic functions, vitamin D3 facilitates calcium absorption by the body, a process necessary to the production and remodeling of bone tissue. While some people misinterpret the effect of this essential vitamin in the body, only an overload of vitamin D3 causes physical problems, and these are associated with the kidneys and heart, not the musculoskeletal system. Because your skeleton must last a lifetime, vitamin D3 plays a crucial role in your diet.
Types of Vitamin D
You acquire vitamin D3 through photosynthesis and through your diet. When ultraviolet B rays from the sun hit your skin, your body produces previtamin D3, which it later converts to vitamin D3. The amount of nutrient generated fluctuates depending on time of day and year and other factors, so your diet must provide the remainder for your physical needs. You can obtain natural vitamin D3 from some foods and synthetic vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, from oral supplement pills. Synthetic vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, is another, less widely used form of vitamin D.
Amount of Vitamin D
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has pronounced dietary vitamin D a nutrient of concern in American eating patterns. Average consumption by children and adults under age 70 falls below the recommended 600 international units of vitamin D per day. Adults 70 and up should get 800 IU daily. Amounts over 1,000 IU daily may be toxic. While you may be able to satisfy your vitamin D requirements from intermittent sun exposure, your location and lifestyle might not allow for adequate photosynthesis. Because ultraviolet radiation is also associated with the development of skin cancer, reliance on sufficient dietary intake is wise.
Dietary Sources
Natural sources of significant vitamin D3 include egg yolks, ocean fish, beef liver, cod liver oil and pork. Fortified vitamin D3 content is found in some brands of enriched milk, yogurt, soymilk, rice drink, orange juice and cereal. Vitamin D3 is also available as a stand-alone vitamin tablet as well as in calcium and multivitamin preparations.
Significance
Without vitamin D3, your body can't use calcium to form and maintain bone cells. This deficiency manifests in children as rickets, a malformation of developing primary bone, and in adults as osteomalacia, or soft bones. It also prevents the body from using dietary calcium and calcium deposits to remodel bone tissue, or replace old cells with new, stronger ones. The result may be a gradual decline in bone mineral density and an increase in fracture risk. Fractures caused by osteoporosis, a serious low density of bone mass, affects half of all women and one-quarter of all men over 50 in the United States.
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