Researchers consider vitamin D-3 a steroid hormone, not a vitamin

[Dave Barry]

I wanted to clarify, "Vitamin D is not technically a vitamin, ie, it is not an essential dietary factor; rather, it is a prohormone produced photochemically in the skin from 7-dehydrocholesterol. The molecular structure of vitamin D is closely allied to that of classic steroid hormones (eg, estradiol, cortisol, and aldosterone) in that they have the same root cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene ring structure. Technically, vitamin D is a secosteroid because one of the rings of its cyclopentanoperhydrophenanthrene structure has a broken carbon-carbon bond." Research has shown, for example, that vitamin D[SUB]3[/SUB] is one of the primary biological regulators of calcium homeostasis. "Scientists and nutrition experts at the 13th Vitamin D Workshop held in 2006 agreed in a consensus statement that “about half of the elderly in North America and two-thirds of the rest of the world are not getting enough vitamin D to maintain healthy bone density, lower their risks for fractures and improve tooth attachment. Such vitamin D insufficiency also decreases muscle strength and increases the risk for falls and is even associated with increased risk for colorectal and other major cancer”

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/88/2/491S.full

 

[robs2nd75]

Dave, very interesting thank you. Just saw a story on the news that vitamin D helps fight off the flu.

 

[Gene Devine]

Many diseases and illness can be traced back to Vit D deficiency.

Amazing in a modern age this deficiency can exist...but it does.