Vitamin D is widely referred to as the ‘sunshine vitamin’. It's an essential nutrient which benefits the human body through its entire lifecycle. It promotes the body’s absorption of calcium and also helps maintain phosphorous levels in the blood. It plays a vital role in bone development and growth in children, while shielding them from diseases such as rickets, eczema, atopic dermatitis and asthma.
Likewise does vitamin D guard younger and older adults (who synthesise less vitamin d) from bone-related disorders such as osteomalacia and osteoporosis. Furthermore, as per WebMD, many studies provide evidence of vitamin D’s effectiveness extending beyond bone health, helping lower the risk of potentially fatal diseases such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, autoimmune diseases, and more. Vitamin D also plays a vital role in modulating cell growth, especially vitamin D3 for immune and neuromuscular function, and lowering inflammation.
Evidence suggests that vitamin D also helps tackle fertility-related issues. As per a recent study, while consumption of a vitamin-filled diet is essential (for those trying to conceive), a regular intake of vitamin D in any form assumes greater importance. As such it's a common practice among fertility clinics to screen women for vitamin D deficiencies. Moreover, vitamin D may boost weight loss among obese people as the better nutrient absorption facilitates in keeping the body energised, helping avoid fatigue and dizziness during high-performance workouts. Warding off depression risk is another not-so-well-documented benefit of vitamin D. A study published in 2013 highlighted that participants diagnosed with depression had lower vitamin D levels. The research further concluded that people with low vitamin D were more susceptible to depression. Vitamin D is also said to boost activity of the mitochondria (the body’s cell batteries), in turn improving muscle function.