We often hear the saying "Too much of everything is bad," and while it holds true, the same can be said for "nothing of so many things is bad." Achieving a balance is crucial, and today we will delve into the world of Vitamin D to understand the implications of both deficiency and excess.
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Vitamin D and Rickets
In the 17th century, a condition called Rickets emerged in England, primarily affecting children. This disease had existed prior to the industrial revolution, but the changing times played a significant role in its prevalence. Rickets is characterized by delayed motor skills, chronic pain, bowed legs, flared wrists, seizures, and cardiovascular problems.
Currently, it is very rare to see children in civilized cities suffer from rickets but this wasn't the same back then. Scientists eventually discovered that vitamin D deficiency was the cause of Rickets, leading to initiatives to prevent the condition by fortifying children's food with vitamin D.
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Vitamin D, Different from Vitamin A,B,C
Unlike Vitamins A, B, and C, which are primarily obtained from food sources, vitamin D has a unique characteristic. While it can be acquired through certain foods, sunlight plays a crucial role in its synthesis within the body. However, relying solely on sunlight exposure for infants or relying on the natural ultraviolet rays of the sun posed challenges. This led to the introduction of vitamin D in infant formulas, effectively combating Rickets. Unfortunately, this well-intentioned solution inadvertently led to another problem excessive vitamin D intake.
Excess Came with Consequences
In the 1950s, the fortification of infant formulas resulted in infants consuming excessively high amounts of vitamin D, reaching up to 4000 international units (IU) per day. To put this in perspective, current recommendations by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggest a daily intake of 400 IU of vitamin D. The excessive vitamin D intake during that era caused an array of health issues, particularly related to calcium metabolism. Vitamin D plays a critical role in calcium absorption and bone strength. With excessive levels of vitamin D in the body, an excessive amount of calcium and phosphate is absorbed into the bloodstream, leading to kidney problems and other tissue-related complications.
Genetics had its Role to Play
While it is important to note that vitamin D itself is not inherently problematic, certain individuals are more susceptible to its adverse effects. In 2011, scientists discovered a mutated gene called CYP24A1, which inhibits the body from breaking down excess vitamin D. This gene mutation is responsible for the diseases observed in individuals with excessively high vitamin D levels. However, the impact of genetic mutations alone on vitamin D-related conditions is not the whole picture.
Non-Protein-Coding DNA could influence Hypercalcemia
Further research on individuals with unexplained hypercalcemia revealed an interesting aspect. Blood samples showed numerous misfolded mRNA genes, while the CYP24A1 gene remained unaffected. This discovery shed light on the fact that non-protein-coding DNA can have significant effects on individuals' lives, suggesting that the impact of vitamin D-related conditions extends beyond gene mutations alone.
One final thing, vitamin D although not generated by food alone, plays a vital role in maintaining optimal health, but balance is key. The inability to balance the vitamin in the body can lead to deficiencies on both ends and excess of vitamin D can have detrimental effects on our bodies.
REFERENCE
- https://asbmr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1359/jbmr.060703
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9086777/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nbu.12108
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6056629/
- https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/vitamins-minerals/vitamin-d.html
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3968073/
- https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/physrev.00014.2015