If you buy something through a link on this page, we may earn a small commission. How this works. Vitamin D is essential for a range of bodily functions. Dietary sources provide some vitamin D, but most comes from exposure to sunlight. After the body takes in vitamin D, it needs to convert it to its active form. Deficiencies can arise if a person does not take in enough vitamin D or their skin has an impaired ability to synthesize it from the sun.
Vitamin D Deficiency in Adults: When to Test and How to Treat
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Calcium is one of the main building blocks of bone. Vitamin D also has a role in your nervous, muscle, and immune systems. You can get vitamin D in three ways: through your skin, from your diet, and from supplements. Your body forms vitamin D naturally after exposure to sunlight.
Back to Vitamins and minerals. There have been some news reports about vitamin D reducing the risk of coronavirus. However, there is currently not enough evidence to support this. A microgram is 1, times smaller than a milligram mg.
Recent evidence for the nonskeletal effects of vitamin D, coupled with recognition that vitamin D deficiency is common, has revived interest in this hormone. Vitamin D is produced by skin exposed to ultraviolet B radiation or obtained from dietary sources, including supplements. Persons commonly at risk for vitamin D deficiency include those with inadequate sun exposure, limited oral intake, or impaired intestinal absorption. Vitamin D adequacy is best determined by measurement of the hydroxyvitamin D concentration in the blood.