Vitamin D is important for the formation of sex hormones in both man and woman, ensures strong bones and muscles. A deficiency is associated with numerous diseases, including dementia and cancer. What you should know about the sun-Vitamin D and how you use it is best to only strengthen your immune system.
No other Vitamin has such a diverse and important functions in the body such as Vitamin D. The most well-known is in this context that Vitamin D can protect against infections that it is also important to get enough sun, because that can stimulate the body’s own production of Vitamin D. Therefore, the Vitamin is referred to D as the “sunshine vitamin”.
What many do not know, however: Vitamin D is in fact only a generic term for a whole group of vital, of Vitamin D1 to D5. In connection with our health particularly important Form of Vitamin D3, scientific name, Cholecalciferol. Over several synthesis steps, it is converted by the body into the biologically active Form. If, therefore, in connection with the health of Vitamin D, it is, therefore, usually D3.
Vitamin D is the only Vitamin that can make our body itself
While we have to absorb other vitamins, such as Vitamin B, C and E with food, can produce the body of Vitamin D, however, independently. The prerequisite for this is UV radiation. Sunlight hits the top layer of skin, is converted with the aid of UVB radiation on the skin lipoproteins, find (contain Cholesterol) are precursors to Vitamin D to the biologically active Vitamin D3.
In this way, 80 to 90 percent of the Vitamin will be covered-D-needs. This is 20 micrograms per day. Excess Vitamin D, the body stores it in memory located in the liver and in the adipose tissue. On these reserves he can draw in the low-light Season of the year normally.
The remaining ten to 20 percent of the Vitamin D needs of the body receives through food. Rich in this vital substance oily fish such as herring and salmon, but also liver, mushrooms and egg yolks. However, very large quantities must be consumed, so that values of Vitamin D-amount not come – which in practice is almost impossible.
Super vitamin D could be the same for each cell important
It is precisely at this vital substance to a pre-Hormone or Pro-hormone that stimulates the development of various other hormones and controls. Accordingly, it is wide and versatile in its functions are diversified. Still more to be discovered. Because Vitamin D, or D3 not only plays in hormone balance and the immune system a role. Now we know that almost every cell in the body has Vitamin D receptors. The spectrum of the super vitamin, therefore, could be much larger than previously known.
Vitamin D is important not only for bones and immune system
Known and proved already the following tasks of Vitamin D are up to today:
- The immune system: Without Vitamin D, can some immune cells not to work. These are, for example, T-cells, which belong to the group of lymphocytes. While Vitamin D plays an important dual function: on the one Hand, it promotes the production of certain immune cells, on the other hand, it modulates excessive immune response to normal levels. This is what makes Vitamin D so valuable in autoimmune diseases, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis and even Multiple sclerosis. Various studies give evidence that the Vitamin could play D deficiency in these diseases, a role.
- Bone structure: Vitamin D is important for the bone to be sufficiently mineralized. It is primarily the function of the bone structure regulates cells, the osteoblasts. The Vitamin is also essential for healthy bones such as calcium. The most famous example of what the lack of Vitamin D in the worst case, in the bone cause rickets. This deficiency led to the beginning of the last century, in children, to severe malformations (softening of the bones, funnel chest, and more).
- Muscles: Vitamin D also supports muscle building and protects to some degree against age-related muscle loss, what an inquiry indicates.
- Brain and nerves: studies of the last years have shown that Vitamin D in the prevention of various diseases of the brain and of the nerve a humble role-playing games could be, such as in the case of dementia diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, but also stroke. In addition, Vitamin D can reduce the risk of falling in older people. Falls in older age are considered a high risk factor for long-term care. Because often it comes to a femoral neck fracture, which can lead to confinement to bed and immobility.
- Depression: especially in the case of the so-called winter depression caused by lack of light, Vitamin D is the mood positive affect. Recent studies additionally show that there is a connection between severe depression and a pronounced Vitamin D deficiency.
- Cancer: the fact is that in sun poor areas, the cancer rate is higher than in regions close to the Equator. The cause for this could be that the lack of light draws, among other things, a Vitamin D deficiency. Studies have investigated and found indications that Vitamin D could reduce the division rate of cancer cells. This is probably true for colon cancer, lung cancer and breast cancer. However, further studies are still needed.
- Diabetes: There is evidence to suggest that Vitamin D the blood sugar can positively influence. The diabetes metabolic benefits proven by Vitamin D.
- Cardiovascular disease: Vitamin D could cause in the blood vessels of Plaques more quickly form and accumulate. So the vital would protect the fabric against atherosclerosis, the major risk factor for heart attack and stroke.
- A complication-free pregnancy: Vitamin D during pregnancy is not only important so that the child is well developed, but also that there is no gestational diabetes. These relations are scientifically explored well.
- Sexual vigor for man and woman: The hormonal regulation depends in many aspects of Vitamin D, which as mentioned above is actually a pre-Hormone. This property also comes in the formation of sex hormones. So a good supply of Vitamin D is connected with the adequate formation of testosterone in men. Vitamin D can improve fertility in men and women.
Vitamin D is useful against Obesity
Scientists are constantly discovering still more effects of this super vitamin. Currently, the is about the connection between Vitamin D and obesity. In a study of obese children showed that Vitamin D Supplement of the Body Mass Index (BMI), body fat decreases and the fat levels in the blood improve.
Vitamin D deficiency in the affluent society
The wide and constantly growing spectrum of activity of Vitamin D, however, shows on the other side of what massive health problems is a lack of this vital substance. Because even if the majority of people today are fed much better and more of the Outdoors than they used to in times when children often had rickets: Vitamin D3 deficiency is more widespread than assumed. More than half of the Germans are under powered and that Vitamin D deficiency increases even more.
The reasons for this:
- Many people use sun cream. This is useful for the prevention of skin cancer. Sunscreen protects the skin but so effective that UV damage rays, but also can not act. The formation of Vitamin D is braked.
- Fine dust and Smog, reduce the number of rays of the sun significantly, the meeting on the skin.
- Some groups of people rarely come into the open. The used to be, especially the elderly and the chronically Ill. Today, young people belong to this risk group, because they’re hardly in the fresh air.
- Also, people that conceal largely, for cultural reasons, are at risk.
Vitamin D deficiency to prevent and compensate for
The signs of Vitamin D deficiency, however, are not always clear, ranging from susceptibility to infection to morning bone pain. Who wants to go completely safe, can have his Vitamin D levels to the doctor test (cost around 30 Euro). Often, the physician will advise then to Vitamin-D-supplementation-and not just in the summer.
Recommended daily doses are for 1000 units (IU). An Overdose is, by the way, hardly possible, because the liver and kidneys of the recorded Vitamin D must first convert it into its active Form. And they do it only when really needed, before the vital substance remains inactive.
Conclusion: Vitamin D plays an important role for our health. It is mainly due to UV radiation in the skin is synthesized. Many factors can lead to their own production of the important vital substance is not only braked, such as the dirty air in our cities. A Vitamin D deficiency is associated with the risk for various diseases – from susceptibility to infections, and perhaps even to cancer, what has yet to be studied more scientifically. With Vitamin D preparations, a defect can be selectively offset.