Vitamin D is popularly known as “Sunshine Vitamin”. It’s a fat-soluble vitamin and is therefore found in small amounts in the yolk of an egg, fortified milk and oily fish like salmon. Natural sunlight is one of the main source of vitamin D for the body.
Healthy levels play a multiple physiologic function such as maintaining calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. Also, Vitamin D receptors are present in more than 30 types of cells in our body which has a positive effect on cancer, cardiovascular health, and weight loss. In addition individuals who took regular pills of vitamin D pills have lower levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation. An increased level of inflammation proteins is associated with elevated risk of cancer and diabetes.
To regulate weight vitamin D along with a hormone called leptin work together. The body fat cell produces the hormone leptin which sends a signal to the brain transmitting that the person is full and to stop eating. So as to keep the leptin signal working properly, Vitamin D is required to maintain the leptin levels. In case of Vitamin D deficiency, the leptin signal gets disrupted and the body no longer knows if it is full or not, thus leading many people to overeat. Levels of Vitamin D levels above 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) were considered “sufficient” to maintain the leptin levels.
Vitamin D deficiency is evaluated by testing the levels of 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels in the blood. In case of low-value treatment should be started under the supervision of a physician to bring your blood level into the optimal range. The standard treatment to correct vitamin D deficiency is supplementing 60,000 (IU) international units of vitamin D once a week. After the completion of the course check the levels of vitamin D again and accordingly take a maintenance dose of vitamin D.