Why is Vitamin D important and how does it relate to the parathyroid glands?
Vitamin D (Vit D) is important for the regulation of calcium and phosphorus levels in the body. Some foods are fortified with vitamin D, such as milk and eggs. The primary source of vitamin D, however, is sunlight. While excessive sun exposure is not recommended, some exposure to sunlight (approximately 10 minutes a day on average) is necessary to supply with body with vitamin D. Vitamin D is initially formed in the skin after sun exposure. That vitamin D molecule must then travel through the liver and kidneys to be processed into its active form. Vitamin D increases calcium levels in the blood through several actions. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium from the food we eat while the food is being digested in the intestines. Vitamin D also prevents too much calcium from being lost in the urine, helping the body hold on to the calcium it already has. Without vitamin D, calcium levels fall too low, and the body must find a way to raise the serum calcium level (the level of calcium i
