Vitamin D3

What Are The Uses Of Vitamin D3?

Uses:

• Bone strength
• Prevention of bone disorders like rickets, osteomalacia
• Prevention of osteoporosis
• Vitamin D is also used with other medications to treat low levels of calcium or phosphate caused by certain disorders (such as hypoparathyroidism, familial hypophosphatemia and pseudo-hypoparathyroidism).
• It may also be used in kidney disease to keep calcium levels normal and have normal bone growth.
• Vitamin D drops are given to breast-fed babies as breast milk has low levels of vitamin D usually.

Vitamin D (D2, D3, D4) is a vitamin that is fat soluble. It helps the body in absorbing phosphorus or calcium.

It is important to have adequate levels of vitamin D, phosphorus and calcium for building strong bones and also maintaining them.

Body gets vitamin D from sunlight. Any hindrance between skin and sunlight, like protective clothing, sunscreen, staying indoors or having limited exposure to sunlight, dark skin etc. may prevent absorption of vitamin D by body.

As the age advances, body’s ability of absorb sunlight reduces.

Vegetarian people are more prone to vitamin D deficiency as it is found more in animal based foods.

What Are The Side Effects Of Vitamin D3?

Many people do not experience any side-effects of Vitamin D3, unless taken in high doses. Some of the side effects may be:

• Weakness
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Sleepiness
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Metallic taste
• Nausea
• Dry mouth 

What Are The Contraindications Of Vitamin D3?

People with following conditions should Use vitamin D cautiously:

• Kidney disease: Vitamin D may increase calcium levels in body and increase the risk of hardening of the arteries in people having serious kidney disease. This must be balanced with the need to prevent renal osteodystrophy (a bone disease that occurs when the kidneys fail to maintain proper levels of calcium & phosphorus in blood). People with kidney disease should carefully monitor calcium levels.
• High levels of calcium in the blood
• Hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
• Sarcoidosis (enlargement of lymph nodes)
• Histoplasmosis
• Over-active parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism):
• Lymphoma
• Tuberculosis
• Vitamin D might increase calcium levels in people with above conditions. This might result in complications such as kidney stones.