Vitamin D

Vitamin D is …

• fat soluble

• known as calciferol and the “sunshine” vitamin

There are two forms of vitamin D, what are they?

• Vitamin D2

  • derived from plants

• Vitamin D3

  • derived from animal foods

  • made in the skin when exposed to UVB light (sunlight)

Vitamin D3 sythesis

• Cholesterol metabolite in skin gets hit with UVB rays and gets converted into vitamin D3

• Vitamin D3 technically acts as a hormone in the body (because it travels to many places in the body)

Both vitamin D 2 and 3 are inactive, how do they become activated?

• They go to the liver and kidney to be activated to calcitriol

Roles of vitamin D

• essential for bone health

• regulate calcium levels in the blood

  • raise calcium levels in the bones, kidneys, and digestive tract when needed

Vitamin D deficiency causes…

1) Rickets

• only in growing animals

• causes skeletal abnormalities like bowed legs and beaded ribs

2) Osteomalacia

• occurs in adults

• is the poor mineralization of the bones

Vitamin D requirements

• most animals and humans have no requirement for it since it can be synthesized in their skin

• Rats, poultry, livestock, dogs and cats all HAVE A VITAMIN D REQUIREMENT

  • cats cannt make ANY vitamin D