Knowra Vitamin D Vitamin D Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids that regulate calcium and phosphate balance. The body makes vitamin D in skin exposed to ultraviolet B light and obtains it from foods and supplements.
Cholecalciferol : Cholecalciferol, or vitamin D3, is a form of vitamin D made in skin and found in some foods. It is the principal form produced when ultraviolet B light acts on skin.
Calcium : Calcium is a chemical element essential to bones, muscle contraction, nerve signaling, and other physiological processes. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption from the intestine and helps maintain blood calcium.
25-hydroxyvitamin D test : The 25-hydroxyvitamin D test measures calcidiol in blood to assess vitamin D status. Calcidiol is the principal circulating form used to evaluate vitamin D stores.
Ultraviolet B : Ultraviolet B is a band of solar radiation that can trigger vitamin D3 production in skin. It initiates the skin pathway that makes cholecalciferol.
Vitamin A : Vitamin A is a group of fat-soluble compounds involved in vision, gene regulation, and tissue maintenance. It is another fat-soluble vitamin, but it has distinct functions and metabolic pathways.
Ergocalciferol : Ergocalciferol, or vitamin D2, is a form of vitamin D made by fungi and used in some supplements. It is the other major vitamin D form, commonly supplied by fortified foods and supplements.
Phosphate : Phosphate is an essential mineral used in bone, energy metabolism, and cellular structure. Vitamin D helps regulate phosphate absorption and balance alongside calcium.
Vitamin D deficiency : Vitamin D deficiency is an inadequate vitamin D state that can impair calcium and phosphate balance and bone mineralization. It is the principal condition clinicians seek to detect and correct.
7-Dehydrocholesterol : 7-Dehydrocholesterol is a cholesterol precursor in skin that ultraviolet B converts into previtamin D3. It is the skin molecule from which sunlight-driven vitamin D3 synthesis begins.
Vitamin K : Vitamin K is a group of fat-soluble vitamins needed for blood clotting and bone-related proteins. It also relates to bone health, but does not replace vitamin D's role in mineral balance.
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