The nutritionally important forms of Vitamin D in man are
Calceferol (Vitamin D2) and Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) Calciferol may
be derived by irradiation of the plant sterol, ergosterol,
Cholecalciferol is the naturally occurring Performed Vitamin D which is
found in animal fats and fish liver oils. It is also derived from
exposure to UV rays of the sunlight which converts the cholesterol in
the skin to vitamin D. Vitamin D is stored in the fat depots.
Daily requirements: The daily requirements of vitamin D are:
Adults - 2.5 mcg (100 IU)
Infants and children - 5.0 mcg (200IU)
Pregnancy and lactation - 10.0 mcg (400 IU)
(One international unit (IU) of vitamin D = 0.025 mg of calciferol -that is, to convert IU to micrograms, divide by 40).
Sources: Vitamin d is unique because it is derived both from sunlight and foods
(a) Sunlight:
Vitamin D is synthesized by the body by the action of UV rays of
sunlight of 7 dehydrocholesterol, which is stored in large abundance in
the skin. Exposure to UV rays is critical; these can be filtered off by
air pollution. Dark-skinned aces such as Negroes also suffer from this
disadvantage because black skin can filter off up to 95 percent of UV
rays.
(b) Foods: Vitamin occurs by only in the foods of
animal origin. Liver, egg yolk, butter and cheese and some species of
fish contain useful amounts. Fish liver oils, although not considered to
be a food, are the richest sources of Vitamin d. Human milk has
recently been shown to contain considerable amounts of water-soluble
vitamin D sulfate. Other sources of vitamin D are foods artificially
fortified with vitamin D, such as milk, margarine, vanaspathi and infant
foods.
By
Dr John Anne