36 D

36 D Capsule is a Vitamin D3 supplement.It contains Cholecalciferol as the active ingredient.

36D

Introduction

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and it is a steroid hormone that plays an important role in the regulation of calcium in the body and bone health. It does so by helping the body absorb calcium (one of bone’s main building blocks) from food and supplements. Vitamin D is important to the body in many other ways as well. Muscles need it to move, for example, nerves need it to carry messages between the brain and every body part, and the immune system needs vitamin D to fight off invading bacteria and viruses. Together with calcium, vitamin D also helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. Vitamin D is found in cells throughout the body. It is also produced in the body when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis.

Sources of Vitamin D

Sun exposure

Vitamin D is made in the skin under the influence of sunlight. The amount of sunlight needed to synthesize adequate amounts of vitamin D varies, depending upon the person's age, skin color, sun exposure, and underlying medical problems. The production of vitamin D from the skin decreases with age. In addition, people who have darker skin need more sun exposure to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D, especially during the winter months.

Approximately 5–30 minutes of sun exposure between 10 AM and 3 PM at least twice a week to the face, arms, legs, or back without sunscreen usually lead to sufficient vitamin D synthesis. Individuals with limited sun exposure need to include good sources of vitamin D in their diet or take a supplement to achieve recommended levels of intake.

Food

Another important source of vitamin D is foods. It occurs naturally in fatty fish salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Smaller amounts of vitamin D are also present in beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks. Mushrooms provide some vitamin D.

Dietary Supplements

Vitamin D is found in supplements (and fortified foods) in two different forms: D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). Both increase vitamin D in the blood.

Normal Levels of Vitamin D in Blood The normal level of vitamin D in the blood is 30 ng/ml.

# Level of Circulating Vitamin D in Blood (ng/ml) Vitamin D Status
1 ≤ 10 Severe deficiency
2 10-20 Deficiency
3 21-29 Insufficiency
4 ≥ 30 Sufficiency

Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D insufficiency affects almost 50% of the population worldwide. Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in India and it affects 70%–100% of the general population (all the age group). A vitamin D deficiency can occur when usual intake is lower than recommended levels over time, exposure to sunlight is limited, the kidneys cannot convert inactive vitamin D into its active form, or absorption of vitamin D from the digestive tract is inadequate. Rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults are the classical vitamin D deficiency diseases which results in soft bones, bone pain and muscle weakness.

RISK FACTORS FOR VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY
Elderly
Older age also reduces the capacity for UVB-induced synthesis of vitamin D in the skin.
Require proportionally more sun exposure to synthesize equivalent amounts of vitamin D compared with people with lighter skin coloration
Modern human cultures produce less vitamin D, because of increasingly indoor lifestyle.
Infants, children, and older adults are at risk for low vitamin D levels because they do not consume enough vitamin D rich foods.
Because in obese people, their body fat binds to some vitamin D and prevents it from getting into the blood.
Liver and kidney have important enzymes that change vitamin D from sun-exposed skin or food to the biologically active form of vitamin D. People with chronic kidney and liver disease are at increased risk of low active vitamin D levels because they have decreased levels of these enzymes.
Certain diseases affect the body's ability to absorb adequate amounts of vitamin D through the intestinal tract. Examples of these include celiac disease, Crohn's disease, and cystic fibrosis.