What does the D stand for in vitamin D?

What does the D stand for in vitamin D?

cholecalciferol. (made from 7‑dehydrocholesterol in the skin). Vitamin D4.

Why is it called vitamin D?

Because the water-soluble factors then discovered were termed vitamin B and the known antiscurvy factor was called vitamin C, they named the new factor vitamin D. In the meantime, an entirely different cure for rickets appeared, in the role of UV light.

What does the 3 stand for in vitamin D?

Vitamin D2 is ergocalciferol and comes from plant-based sources. Vitamin D3 is cholecalciferol and comes from animal-based sources.

What is vitamin D short for?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for strong bones, muscles, and general good health. There are two main forms of vitamin D, which are D2, otherwise known as ergocalciferol, and D3, which is also known as cholecalciferol.

What happens if we don’t get vitamin D?

Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a loss of bone density, which can contribute to osteoporosis and fractures (broken bones). Severe vitamin D deficiency can also lead to other diseases. In children, it can cause rickets. Rickets is a rare disease that causes the bones to become soft and bend.

When did doctors recommend vitamin D?

In 2011, a committee of the Endocrine Society, headed by Dr. Holick, came out with a recommendation that vitamin D levels be at least 30 nanograms per milliliter, which meant that most people were vitamin D deficient.

What vitamins are in vitamin D?

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids responsible for increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, and multiple other biological effects. In humans, the most important compounds in this group are vitamin D 3 (also known as cholecalciferol) and vitamin D 2 (ergocalciferol).

What are the symptoms of low vitamin D?

One of the most common symptoms of low vitamin D in women is bone pain. For many women, the pain reverberates throughout the entire skeletal system, but sometimes it can be concentrated in the legs or pelvic region. Other common symptoms are muscle weakness and fatigue, especially in the arms and legs, along with a decrease in muscle tone.

What causes low vitamin D levels?

Dietary Causes. Many causes of vitamin D deficiency can be attributed to your dietary and lifestyle choices. Vegetarianism, veganism, obesity, gastric bypass surgery and for children, breast-feeding without supplementation, can all be root causes of low vitamin D. Including fortified dairy products, certain fatty fish,…

What does low vitamin D affect?

Health effects of low vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency does not always have obvious symptoms but without treatment there can be significant health effects. These can include bone and muscle pain, and softening of the bones – such as rickets (in children) and osteomalacia (in adults).