How Vitamin D Changes Your Body

Vitamin D is the best example of the benefits offered to the human body by nature. From the health of the body's bone tissue to the immune system, from cellular regeneration to mood stabilization, it plays a critical role for a sustainable healthy life by maximizing the quality of life.

Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) Definition

Vitamin D3, chemically known as cholecalciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin with molecular formula C27H44O and molecular weight 384.64. It is available in the form of white crystals or crystallized powder, odorless and tasteless. It has a melting point between 83-86°C and is practically insoluble in water; it is easily soluble in ethanol and oils. Vitamin D3 is sensitive to air, moisture and light.

The main source of vitamin D3 is sunlight. It is produced by the interaction of 7-dehydrocholesterol in human skin with ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. In this process, cholecalciferol is first formed; then it is converted in the liver to its intermediate form (25(OH)D3), which is found in human circulation, and then to its active form called calcitriol (1,25(OH)₂D3) in the kidneys.

Health Effects of Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 has numerous biological functions in the human body:

Bone Health

The best known function of vitamin D3 is on bone health. It promotes bone mineralization by increasing intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and silicon. Deficiency can lead to diseases such as rickets in children, osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults.

Immune System

Qubtiva Vitamin D3 plays an important role in strengthening the immune system. It has been shown to reduce the risk of acute respiratory infections. Its potential to prevent hospitalizations for viral infections was discovered in clinical trials during the pandemic, leading to a significant increase in its use by healthcare professionals.

Cardiovascular Health

Low Vitamin D levels have been associated with risks of hypertension, heart failure and stroke. However, studies on the effectiveness of Vitamin D supplements in preventing cardiovascular diseases have yielded different results. In the light of this information, personalized supplementation programs that aim to correct other possible deficiencies, taking into account the effects of vitamin D deficiency on mineral levels in the body, stand out.

Diabetes Risk

Bazı çalışmalar yeterli vitamin D düzeylerinin tip 2 diyabet gelişimini yaklaşık %10 oranında azaltabileceğini göstermiştir. Bu D vitamininin tek başına önemini ve yaşlanma karşıtı etkilerini vurgulayan bir özelliğidir.

Cancer Risk

Vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of dying from cancer, but there is no clear evidence on whether it has an effect on reducing the likelihood of developing cancer.

Mental Health

Insufficient vitamin D levels have been shown to increase the risk of depression. Supplementation with this vitamin is thought to reduce symptoms of depression.

Vitamin D3 Which Uses

Vitamin D3 is used in the following cases:

• Prevention and treatment of bone diseases such as rickets and osteomalacia.
• Use in combination with calcium for the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis.
• Treatment of disorders of calcium metabolism such as hypoparathyroidism.
• Immune system support.
• It is used in infants to compensate for low levels of vitamin D in breast milk.
• It is used as a supplement for the prevention of respiratory tract infections.

Things to Consider During Use

The following points should be considered when using vitamin D3:

• The maximum daily dose for adults is usually 4000 IU. Long-term use at high doses may lead to hypercalcemia.
• It should be used with caution in renal disease, hypercalcemia or hyperparathyroidism.
• Use below 4000 IU daily during pregnancy and lactation is considered safe; higher doses should be taken under the supervision of a physician.
• When used with other supplements containing calcium, there may be a risk of kidney stones.
• It may interact with some medicines (such as corticosteroids); therefore, it should be used under the supervision of a doctor.

Scientific Statistics on the Use of Vitamin D3

The findings of scientific research on vitamin D3 are as follows:

Clinical Research in the Current Literature:

On Cancer Mortality: Meta analizlerde vitamin D3 takviyesi kanser kaynaklı ölümleri yaklaşık %13 ila %16 oranında azaltmıştır.

On Acute Respiratory Tract Infections: Düzenli günlük veya haftalık vitamin D alımı akut solunum yolu enfeksiyonlarını %12 oranında azaltmıştır.

On the Risk of Bone Fracture: Tek başına vitamin D kullanımı kırıkları önlemede etkisiz bulunmuştur; ancak kalsiyumla birlikte kullanıldığında kalça kırığı riskini anlamlı derecede (%16 civarında) azaltmıştır.

On Cardiovascular Diseases: In the large-scale VITAL study, a daily intake of 2000 IU vitamin D did not significantly alter the risk of cardiovascular disease.

On Diabetes Risk: Vitamin D takviyesi tip 2 diyabete ilerleme riskini yaklaşık %10 oranında azaltmıştır ancak bu bulgu tüm çalışmalarda tutarlı değildir.

Studies Investigating the Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency

Dünya genelinde yapılan araştırmalara göre D vitamini için belirlenmiş bir referans değer olmasa da genel kabul gören akademik yayınlardaki uzman uzlaşı panellerinde alt sınır olarak belirlenen 75 nmol/L değeri dikkate alındığında, dünyada D seviyesi <30 nmol/L olan bireylerin oranı küresel olarak %15,7’dir; bu dünyanın %15’inin alt limitin yarısının altındaki bir D vitaminine bile sahip olmadığını göstermektedir. Ek olarak D vitamini eksikliği oranı mevsimsel olarak değişmekte olup özellikle kış aylarında artmaktadır.

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