VITAMIN D 

Vitamin D is important to maintain serum calcium in the human body via the action of parathyroid hormone.  It increases calcium absorption in the small intestines, store increases re-absorption from urine (kidney) and leads to increased bone mineralization.  Vitamin D deficiency affects bone health and causes rickets in children, information pills osteomalacia, osteopenia and osteoporosis in adolescents/adults and increases risk of fractures. Vitamin D deficiency causes secondary hyperparathyroidism leading to a reduction in mineralized bone volume.[1]  Osteoporosis affects many of the elderly and is a debilitating disease with the hallmark of fragility fractures. It is urgent to tackle this problem with nutritional approaches and policy making for prevention and treatment.  Read more ›