VITAMIN D SIMPLIFIED - Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre
By Dr V Mohan, Chairman, and Chief Diabetologist , Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre Vitamin D, also known as the ‘Sunshine vitamin’ is one of the very important vitamins for human health. It is a fat soluble vitamin and its main function is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vit D is considered to be both a hormone as well as a vitamin. While the role of Vitamin D in bone metabolism and for growth is well known, today we know that it has a far greater role in human health. Vitamin D is present in 2 forms: Ergocalciferol (Vitamin D2) and Cholecalciferol ( Vitamin D3). It is Cholecalciferol, which is the naturally occurring form of Vit D which is synthesized in the skin from cholesterol with the help of sunlight. Ergocalciferol is used as food additives. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with decreased immunity, obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even certain forms of cancer. What has been realised only fairly recently, is th