MIRACULOUS PHYSIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF VITAMIN D AND ITS ROLE IN HUMAN HEALTH AND DISEASES
- Vitamin D levels from lowest to highest: Middle East, China. India, S EU. N EU – Dec 2019
- 56% in India have < 20-ng
- Children in India – 1 in 7 extremely low Vitamin D, 1 in 10 prediabetic – Sept 2019
- International Conference of Vitamin D Fortification of Food (India) – Sept 2018
- Why India's vitamin D deficiency is grim - 40 pages Feb 2014
- Type 1 Diabetes is prevented and treated by Vitamin D – review of 16 studies – Sept 2019
- Type II Diabetes in children in India increased 4 X in 20 years – Nov 2016
- Two thirds of South Asians have low Vitamin D (less than 20 ng) – meta-analysis Oct 2021
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R. P. CHAMOLI 1 , GAURAV BAHUGUNA 2 AND ARVIND MOHAN PAINULY 3
- Former Professor of Chemistry and Principal (Rtd), Department of Higher Education,Uttrakhand. House No. 10, Lane No. 2, Ashirwad Enclave Dehradun, Uttrakhand 248001, e-mail: drrpchamoli at rediffmail.com
- Senior Medical Affairs Manager, Pharmaceutical companies of Johnson and Johnson Private Ltd, Jogeswari(E), Mumbai 400060 e-mail: gauravbahuguna at gmail.com
- Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Government Post Graduate College New Tehri, Tehri Garhwal, Uttrakhand 249001 e-mail: arvindpainuly7 at gmail.com
Vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin or calciferol is endowed with the unique property of functioning as a hormone. Chemically, it is a secosterol produced in human skin from 7-dehydrocholesterol in presence of sunlight which contains ultraviolet-B radiations having the wavelength ranging from 290 to 320 nanometer (nm). In addition to exposure of body to sunlight, diet and dietary supplements are also sources of vitamin D to human beings. It is well known that vitamin D has a crucial role in calcium-phosphate homeostasis and in the maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. The discovery of vitamin D receptors (VDR) in almost all the vital organs of human body has opened a new era in vitamin D research. New researches have revealed that besides the known sketal functions, vitamin D is involved in large number of other biological functions.
Sections include:
Sketal Disorders:
Cancer:
Cardiovascular Diseases:
Schizophrenia and Depression:
Autism:
Tuberculosis
Autoimmune Diseases:
Psoriasis:
Vitamin D Deficiency and Old Age:
Human Requirement of Vitamin D and its Toxicity
Concluding Remarks
The utility of vitamin D for optimal health is quite apparent now. Its significant role in all the stages of human life is fully understood. On the basis of recent researches, most of the scientists are of the opinion that the concentration of 25- hydroxyvitamin D : less than 50 nmol/ L, 50-74 nmol/L, 75-250 nmol/L are indication of vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency and sufficiency, respectively. However, despite such findings, more than one billion children and adults worldwide are facing the problem of vitamin D deficiency. In USA about 200 million people are suffering from vitamin D deficiency syndrome. In India, vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among the general population to the extent of 70-90%. Sun is a major and natural source of vitamin D. Sensible use of sun-exposure daily between 8 to 11 am for at least 20 minutes, and regular use of dietary vitamin D supplements are highly desirable for a healthy life. It should always be remembered that sun is vital to human life like food, clothes, shelter, water and oxygen2. In Indian culture, great respect is given to nature and its resources.
From the ancient times, sun is worshiped as God.
- ‘Surya Namaskar’ (salutation to sun) and ‘
- Surya Argh (offering water to rising sun)
are considered very important for worship as well as health.
Sun has been highly adored in old scriptures of India.