The relationship between Calcium and Vitamin D

Children should drink plenty of milk because it helps their bones grow. We’ve heard this from when we were children and it’s been passed down for generations. But did you know that calcium is very important for your nervous and muscular system? Your blood needs regular infusions of calcium. Bones store the calcium that the body needs and provide it whenever the blood in the calcium is low.

But how does the body know when to convert the calcium and send it to the blood? This is where Vitamin D comes in.

When the calcium in the blood becomes too low, the parathyroid gland that is near your neck starts producing PTH or parathyroid hormone. This converts the calcium from your bones and introduces the serum calcium into the blood, raising it to adequate levels. At the same time, the kidney is signalled to increase the amount of a chemical the body makes from Vitamin D called 1,25(OH)₂D. This element helps the guts absorb the calcium till the level is balanced. This interaction between calcium and Vitamin D is happening constantly in your body.

This is why it is important to have sufficient levels of Vitamin D in your body because only then will the body be able to metabolise and regulate calcium in the body. The best way to get Vitamin D is exposure to the sun. But these days, that doesn’t seem to be sufficient and it is advisable to check your levels and take supplements if necessary.

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Also Read: Symptoms of Vitamin D Deficiency

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As people get older this whole process slows down and the absorption of Vitamin D from exposure to the sun lessens. Seniors will have to supplement their Vitamin D intake.

What are the repercussions of not having enough Vitamin D?

• Poor bone growth
• Bone problems
• Aches and pains
• Osteoporosis
• Muscle weakness
• Spasms

Studies have also shown that it can be responsible for:

• Increased risk of heart disease
• Cognitive impairment in the elderly
• Severe asthma in children
• Cancer

So make sure that you regularly check the Vitamin D levels in your body and get enough supplements of your levels are low.

 

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