Description – Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble vitamin responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, and many other biological effects. In humans, the most important compounds in this group are vitamin D₃ and vitamin D₂. It can be obtained from certain foods or in the form of dietary supplements. It is also endogenously produced in the body when ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis.
Application – Vitamin D plays a very important role in bone growth and mineralisation. Vitamin D has other roles in the body, including reduction of inflammation as well as modulation of such processes as cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function, and glucose metabolism. In foods and dietary supplements, vitamin D has two main forms, D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol), that differ chemically only in their side-chain structures. Both forms are well absorbed in the small intestine.
