Vitamin D for human physiology- How far is it true?

We would never have thought in our dreams that a single vitamin would affect our physiology to a great extent. Believe it or not, it is absolutely true. Vitamin D known to all as calciferol has numerous links with human physiology.

As layman knowledge, it is only useful for bones, but it has lot more importance than that.

Most studies show that a lack of vitamin D increases the risk of osteoporosis and the likelihood of hip and other non spinal fractures. Vitamin is said to have an important role in regulating cell growth. Laboratory experiments suggest that it helps prevent the unrestrained cell multiplication that characterizes cancer by reducing cell division, restricting angiogenesis, increasing apoptosis of cancer cells and even reducing metastasis. A report in the February 2006 issue of The American Journal of Public Health suggests that taking 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D a day may cut in half a person’s risk of developing some forms of cancer, including cancer of the colon, breast, or ovariesScientists in Harvard said that the vitamin D supplements can reduce the inflammation in cardiovascular disease.           

Scientists from Colorado Denver School of Medicine have stated that this vitamin can even be an antagonist against common cold and simple health concerns.

Vitamin D can not only beat cancers but also protect the body from getting cancers. That is, immunomodulating the body. High vitamin D doses can help people recover from tuberculosis more rapidly, researchers reported in September 2012 in the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

An insufficient serum concentration of vitamin D generally leads to a stunt in optimal muscle development and function. Many scientists like Hazell TJ from Mc. Gill University (School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition) have affirmed that the vitamin D has direct impact on muscle function.

It would be more surprising to know that vitamin D can even aid in weight loss. A novel study presented at The Endocrine Society's 91st Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. has emphasized that vitamin D can help in healthy way of reducing the weight. In this study, they have measured circulating blood levels of vitamin D in 38 overweight men and women before and after the subjects followed a diet plan for 11 weeks consisting of 750 calories a day fewer than their estimated total needs. Subjects also had their fat distribution measured with DXA (bone densitometry) scans.

For each 1-ng/mL increase in the active or "hormonal" form of vitamin D (1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol), subjects lost nearly one-quarter pound (0.107 kg) more.

Additionally, higher baseline vitamin D levels (both the precursor and active forms) predicted greater loss of abdominal fat. Their results suggested that the possibility that the addition of vitamin D to a reduced-calorie diet will lead to better weight loss.

In future, scientists can sum up more pragmatic studies on vitamin D to come out with more efficient drugs. If worked well ,we can come out with “one for many” pill with vitamin D.