Sources and Uses of Vitamin D - Essay Sample

Vitamin D is essential in boosting immunity and treatment of diseases. Vitamin D is usually available naturally in foods, fortified foods, or as a diet supplement. The group of foods vitamin D consists of fat-soluble secosteroids ("Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D," 2012). The diet element is also present in UV rays from the sun. There are two types of vitamin D, which are vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. The deficiency of vitamin D can lead to serious complications and disease in human beings.

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Food Sources of the Vitamins

Vitamin D can come from various sources, ranging from natural food, fortified foods, and food supplements to ultraviolet solar radiation. Different foods contain either vitamin D2 or D3 or both. Some of the natural foods that are rich in vitamin D include fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Fish oil and liver oil are also very rich in vitamin Vitamin D and are the best sources of Vitamin. Other sources contain low quantities of vitamin D. Foods like beef liver cheese and egg yolks contain Vitamin D3 in small quantities.

Mushrooms contain vitamin D2, which they gain because of having exposure to sunlight ultraviolet rays. Fortified foods like margarine, fortified dairy products like milk cheese and cream also contain Vitamins. Recommended dietary allocation (RDA) committee recommends using Vitamin D foods with care to ensure that people do not use too much or have a deficiency of Vitamins.

Some people rely on food supplements that have vitamins. Such supplements are most helpful for people with Rickets and osteoporosis. However, supplements may not be able to treat chronic diseases.

Functions of the Vitamins and Deficiency Diseases

Vitamin D has the main work, which is to facilitate the absorption of calcium, phosphate, and magnesium in the intestines. A combination of calcium and vitamin D is essential in bone development, remodeling, and strength. The deficiency of vitamin D results in the bones becoming brittle and break easily. Other complications associated with weak bones are Rickets and osteoporosis. Rickets, low bone mass, and osteoporosis are common to young children and elderly individuals. At the same time, osteoporosis affects elderly individuals, and rickets attack children under the age of five.

Vitamin D regulates the amount of serum calcined phosphate tetany. RDA advises those with chronic ailments to use of Foods Rich in Vitamin D. Vitamin D can be used as a way of preventing and treating chronic diseases. Intake of adequate vitamin D is known to treat and prevent breast, prostate, and colon cancer. Research also shows that vitamins are useful in preventing diabetes and preeclampsia during pregnancy.

Some of the complications that Vitamin D cures include cancer and osteoporosis disease. A shortage of Vitamin food elements might result in some conditions like osteoporosis due to a shortage of calcium in the body. Calcium shortage usually occurs due to a deficiency of vitamin D, which should help in its absorption—people who suffer from osteoporosis results in a low mass of bones and structural deterioration of the bones.

Another important function of Vitamin D is that it modulates cell growth and boosts an individual's immunity. The Vitamin also regulates and controls inflammation in the body. Lack of Vitamin will result in many complications associated with the above functions.

According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), the use of vitamin supplements has reduced the number of deaths among the elderly. The reduced mortality is due to the ability to prevent and treat some death, causing conditions like diabetes and cancer. Vitamin D2 is also used to treat the problem of dysfunction of parathyroid glands.

Researchers link a deficiency of vitamin D to many health complications, including Tuberculosis and many Viral diseases. Research has shown that level of Covid-19 mortality is mostly high in countries where there are high numbers of Vitamin D deficiency ("More Vitamin D, Lower Risk of Severe COVID-19?", 2020). This finding could mean that there is a high possibility that the coronavirus is related or caused by vitamin D deficiency. Most doctors prescribe vitamin D2 to treat complications, but D3 serves as a Vitamin supplement("More Vitamin D, Lower Risk of Severe COVID-19?", 2020).

Effects of Excess Vitamin D

Intake of excess vitamin D can result in some serious complications and diseases. One of the most serious issues resulting from an excess of vitamins is raising the calcium level in the blood. High calcium levels could result in vascular and tissue calcification (McBurney, 2007). Another severe effect of increased calcium is heart and blood vessel damage.

Excess calcium due to an increase in vitamin D also causes kidney damage. Research shows that about 17% of women who take vitamin supplements end up suffering from kidney stones. The intake of excess calcium may also have an undesirable impact on people who are under other medications. For instance, people who are under steroids are likely to suffer weak bones. Steroids make the level of calcium absorption to reduce.

Excess of vitamin D results in gene mutation and may destroy genes responsible for the absorption of calcium. This complication mainly comes in when the level of serum concentration becomes higher than the body requirement. The body requires serum concentration 25(OH)D to remain equal or less than 200nmol/L.

Pregnant women and people who are under medication should consult their doctor before they can take supplements of Vitamin D. RDA recommended the use of Vitamin D of about 15 and 20 nanograms in a day for people below and above the age of 70 years respectively. The recommendation bases its reasoning on the fact that the vitamins can cause serious allergies and complications. Doctors advise that if you get any abnormal reaction while under vitamin supplements, you seek medical attention.

References

Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. (2012), 130(5), e1424-e1424. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2012-2590

McBurney, R. (2007). B Bowman & R Russell. Present Knowledge in Nutrition, Vol. 2. Washington, DC: International Life Sciences Institute, 2006, ISBN 9781578811991.

British Journal Of Nutrition, 99(1), 214-214. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0007114507791870More Vitamin D, Lower Risk of Severe COVID-19?. WebMD. (2020). Retrieved 8 July 2020, from https://www.webmd.com/lung/news/20200518/more-vitamin-d-lower-risk-of-severe-covid-19.