Ask The Expert Vitamin D | Vitamin D |
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Vitamin D plays an essential role in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestines. It also increases calcium deposition into bones and mobilizes calcium and phosphorous from bones. This helps reduce bone loss. Although vitamin D is crucial in our diet, between 75-90% of the Canadian senior population are deficient in vitamin D during winter months. This deficiency in the elderly is due to lack of sunlight, poor synthesis of vitamin D and interference with the metabolism of vitamin D by some medications. Other risk factors of not getting enough vitamin D are, if you have dark skin, if you don't go outside much or if you wear clothing covering most of your skin. While it is relatively well known that vitamin D deficiency causes brittle bones, it may also be helpful in the prevention of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and depression. Vitamin D is also essential for sexual hormone receptor response and there is growing evidence that vitamin D may also reduce the risk of some types of cancer. Vitamin D levels can be assessed using our Body Chemistry Balancing test (BCB).
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