Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that acts like a hormone in your body. Among its functions are maintaining blood calcium levels and regulating your blood pressure. In addition, calcium prevents cells from dividing uncontrollably, which might...
While you don't always get all of the vitamins and minerals you need, taking a supplement may fill in the gaps left by an inadequate diet. Vitamins are classified as organic substances or compounds that are needed by your body to carry out...
Vitamin D is fat-soluble and exists in naturally as vitamin D3. In the skin, it is made under direct sunlight. Vitamin D is also absorbed from food sources that contain vitamin D such as fish, eggs and cod liver oil. Vitamin D is inactive; it has...
Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin under direct sunlight; it occurs naturally as vitamin D3. Vitamin D is chiefly absorbed from food sources that contain vitamin D such as eggs, fish and cod liver oil. Initially, vitamin D is inactive and has to...
With peripheral neuropathy, you have damage to the nerves in your peripheral nervous system, which send information back and forth to your brain and spinal cord. Three types of nerves can become affected with peripheral neuropathy: the sensory...
Many kids are picky eaters and may discourage eating healthy. Vitamins, minerals and other supplements are a great way to provide them with the nutritional needs their bodies require. There is a variety of vitamins that kids can take that will...
Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, making it necessary for the development and maintenance of strong bones. Doctors can determine the level of vitamin D in the body through a blood test that measures the amount of...
Vitamin E helps to rid your body of the by-products of metabolism. Low vitamin E levels usually occur when your body is not absorbing vitamin E from the foods you eat. Having low vitamin E can put you at risk for nerve damage such as...
A fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D exists in several foods, such as dairy products and fortified cereals. When your body gets sunlight, it manufactures the vitamin. But if you do not get enough vitamin D in your diet or if you do not get outside in...
Many patients take over-the-counter vitamin B-12 supplements to prevent or treat vitamin B-12 deficiencies, while others take it by prescription. Dosages vary widely and even relatively large doses -- sometimes up to 1,000 mcg a day -- rarely...
The body needs vitamin B-12 to produce healthy red blood cells, metabolize protein and fat, synthesize DNA and maintain proper neurological function. Because the body absorbs only a small percentage of vitamin B-12 from foods and supplements, high...
Vitamins are essential nutrients that are required for healthy living. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for calcium and phosphorus metabolism. It works together with Parathormone, or PTH, released by the parathyroid gland....
Vitamins are organic molecules that are essential to the normal functioning of your body. Your body cannot synthesize them by itself. Hence, you must get them from foods or supplements. If you have low levels of vitamins, you may develop a...
Vitamin B12 exists in several forms and has the most complex chemical structure of all the vitamins. This is because it binds to cobalt, forming a cobalamin compound. B12 is a water soluble vitamin, meaning some of the leftover amount is flushed...
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble and complex vitamin that serves as a precursor to the enzymes methionine synthase and L-methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. These enzymes contribute toward energy production, cancer prevention and a lowered risk of...
You obtain vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, from your diet and through skin production in association with sun exposure. An abnormally low vitamin D level indicates a deficiency of this essential substance in your body, which can...
A low level of vitamin D is among the causes of osteomalacia, a nutritional deficiency disorder that leaves bones weak, soft and prone to fractures. Elderly adults have an increased risk of osteomalacia, known as rickets when it occurs in...
For individuals with celiac disease, the wheat protein gluten, which lurks hidden in a variety of seemingly unlikely food products, is the ultimate enemy. If you have celiac disease and have had to deal with either reading the label on everything...
Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is one of two forms of vitamin D used by humans. D3 is the form produced in the bodies of humans and animals with the help of exposure to ultraviolet (UVB) rays from the sun.
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. It is also one of the hardest minerals to absorb from dietary sources. Dr. Elson Haas, author of "Staying Healthy with Nutrition," estimates that 30 to 80 percent of dietary calcium isn't...
There are many herbs and vitamins that work to help ailments that plague men more than women. These herbs and vitamins for men can help with prostate issues, colon cancer and erectile dysfunction. Before supplementing a dietary program with any...
Vitamins are needed in small amounts for the body to function properly. Often vitamins are needed to manufacture proteins or tissues within the body. Vitamin deficiencies can cause a variety of health issues, depending on what is lacking. A...
Vitamin D plays a major role in the body's regulation of calcium and phosphorous levels in the blood. It also helps absorb calcium, which is needed for strong bones. According to the Mayo Clinic, vitamin D may protect against osteoporosis, cancer,...
Vitamin D2 is a synthetic D2 form used in food fortification and some dietary supplements and is commonly prescribed to patients with low vitamin D status. Vitamin D2 and D3 were considered equivalent until recently. Vitamin D3 is the natural...
Vitamin D insufficiency is a global concern, and research suggests that potentially half of all people in the world may have low levels of vitamin D in their blood, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. If you're concerned about your...
Vitamin B-12 is required by your body's hematological and neurological systems. Additionally, vitamin B-12 facilitates lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. According to "The Wonders of Vitamin B12," normal blood levels of this vitamin range from 190...
Vitamin D's functions go far beyond just bones and calcium. A vitamin D deficiency may also increase your risk of coronary artery disease, a condition marked by occluded blood vessels that can ultimately lead to a heart attack or stroke. This...
According to the National Geographic website, the brain is the control center, which contains billions of nerves that process information to other parts of our body. MedlinePlus says that certain trauma that affects the brain can damage your...
Your body relies on several nutrients, including vitamin B-12, to maintain your health. Your cells use vitamin B-12 from your bloodstream to help access energy and use the vitamin to carry out a range of enzymatic reactions in your cells. An...
Vitamin B-6 is an important vitamin for metabolizing amino acids and for releasing sugars from glycogen in the body. Try these tips for buying foods rich in vitamin B-6 in this healthy shopping video.