Vitamin D and Its Significance

Vitamin D is practically non-existent in fruits and vegetables. It is essentially available in sunlight and for this reason it is known as ‘sunshine vitamin.

It is essential to the utilization of calcium and phosphorus, especially in the formation of bone and teeth. Infants and growing children particularly need this vitamin.

Its deficiency causes rickets, poor teeth formation, poor bone formation, convulsions, pigeon breasts, curvature of the spine, retarded growth, constipation, lack of vigour and Vitality etc.

Adults have little need of vitamin D. When exposed to sunlight, the human body manufacturers its own vitamin D. The ultraviolet rays of the sun turn sterols, fatty substances found in the human skin into vitamin D.

Exposure of milk to ultraviolet light produces vitamin D milk. Cod liver oil and other fish oils are excellent sources of vitamin D; so are liver, butter and egg-yolk.

* Dr. Ram Bahadur Bohara is the Chairman of the of Nepal Alternative Medical Development Council and Advisor of Science Infotech.