Vitamin D
Benefits & Uses
Shop Vitamin D ProductsVitamin D also known as Cholecalciferol is a fat soluble nutrient whose main role is to control the calcium and phosphate balance in the body. Since it is found in very few foods and mainly obtained by sunlight, some people have an increased risk of deficiency.
Those who avoid oily fish and dairy products or those who spend a lot of time indoors (such as the elderly), or cover up when they are outdoors, are most likely to be low or become deficient in Vitamin D.
Nutritionist Deepali Shah Katira says,
“Vitamin D is the sunshine nutrient, which has many beneficial roles in the body. Over 1 billion people worldwide are deficient in this important nutrient.”
Where does Vitamin D come from? Vitamin D is derived from UV light exposure on the skin, so it is easily obtainable in the summer months. It may be harder at other times of the year as it is only found in small amounts in foods.
What is the difference between D2 and D3? D2 is a form of Vitamin D which is not as well utilised by the body as Vitamin D3. It is therefore better to choose a product which contains Vitamin D3.
Iron has been considered for a long time as the most common nutritional deficiency in the UK. However, Vitamin D is not far behind, and what’s more, as Vitamin D is needed for the absorption of calcium, it is no surprise that calcium deficiency is on the rise too.
People with darker skin tones require more sun exposure than people with pale skin to obtain the same amount of Vitamin D. This is because of the increased colour pigment melanin found in darker skin which blocks out UV rays.
Vitamin D was first discovered around 1910, when it was found to cure the bone disease Rickets which was commonly seen in children during that time period.
Vitamin D is not technically a vitamin (vital amine) because it doesn’t need to be consumed from the diet but can be synthesised on the skin from sunlight. It is most accurately called a steroid hormone.
Vitamin D products and their uses – if there are any USPs of Lifeplan’s products vs most in the market, Lifeplan Vitamin D products provide this nutrient in the form of Vitamin D3, which is the best form of this nutrient, since it is more easily utilised by the body. The easy to swallow one a day tablets are suitable for vegetarians.
I take one of these daily as part of my supplement routine and my Vitamin D levels stay at the high end of the healthy range, even in winter..
Jane Wilson
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