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Asked by Dan10 to Craig, Laura, Partha, Saffron on 24 Jun 2015.
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Craig Doig answered on 24 Jun 2015:
Hello Dan10
Thats probably the best question I’ve been asked on this.. nice work!
Technically you can consider Vitamin D a hormone. Vitamin D acts in a very similar way to many other hormones and so in this way it is a hormone. However, unlike many other hormones our body cannot produce it and we need to take it in from our food (and exposure to sunlight).
I think people like to argue about wether it is or is not. There are cases for both.
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Saffron Whitehead answered on 24 Jun 2015:
Most sources of vitamin D are from sunlight which converts ad precursor into vitamin E, then the liver and kidney each add an extra OH group and then it becomes an active hormone which is released by the kidney. Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium in our circulation which is important for calcium being laid down in bone. Without vitamin D you get rickets in children and in adults so called soft bones
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Laura Wales answered on 24 Jun 2015:
Great answers there.
An example of the importance and effects of vitamin D is shown in some zoo animals. If the animals are kept in the shade or if they are shy in nature and want to hide from humans, the lack in sunlight can result in vitamin D deficiency. Some animals had muscle and bone weakness, making walking difficult. Once they were given vitamin D supplements, they made a full recovery.
Comments
Dan10 commented on :
thanks guys for the answers it helps a lot.