Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for human health.
Vitamin D is naturally present in a few foods and is also produced by our body when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike our skin.
Several forms of vitamin D exist. The two major forms are vitamin D2 called ergocalciferol and vitamin D3 called cholecalciferol.
Vitamin D2 is produced by plants and vitamin D3 is found in animal foods.
Vitamin D contributes to many bodily functions, including:
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and enable normal bone mineralization and growth.
Vitamin D is involved in the modulation of the immune system (1).
Vitamin D regulates cell proliferation and differentiation.
Recommended Daily Allowance for a 44-year-old male moderately active, weighting 70 kg and 175 cm tall is 600 IU and the Tolerable Upper Intake is 4 000 IU (2).
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Vitamin D deficiency may cause the following (3) :
Excess amounts of vitamin D are toxic. Because vitamin D increases calcium absorption, vitamin D excess results in hypercalcemia and is associated with many adverse effects including (3) :