Vitamin D is an essential vitamin for many body functions, and there are several different forms of the vitamin.
What Is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is not technically a vitamin, but a group of fat-soluble "prohormones." Prohormones are the precursors of hormones. The metabolites, or products, of Vitamin D are a specific type of hormone called a "secosteroid hormone."
What Does Vitamin D Affect?
The secosteroid hormones from Vitamin D affect the expression of nearly 2,000 genes (approximately 10 percent of the human genome). Deficiency has been shown to be a major factor in the development of several varieties of cancer, heart disease, autoimmune diseases, depression, osteoporosis and other ailments.
Different Forms of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is found in the body in two forms: Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3 (ergocalciferol and cholecalciferol.)
What Is Vitamin D2?
Vitamin D2 is produced by plants and some fungus species. It is often added to "Vitamin D fortified" products such as milk, juice or cereal and is primarily obtained by supplementation or through the diet. It is less readily used in the body and less effective than other forms of Vitamin D.
What Is Vitamin D3?
Vitamin D3 is produced in the bodies of most vertebrates. It is converted from a precursor chemical called 7-dehydrocholesterol. When 7-dehydrocholesterol is exposed to sunlight through the skin, it is converted into Vitamin D3, which the body can readily use.
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