You may be surprised to learn that active vitamin D is actually a hormone. Vitamin D receptors have been found in the brain, heart, skin, and white blood cells. The reproductive organs such as the ovaries, breasts, testes, and prostate gland also contain vitamin D receptors.
Vitamin D performs several functions in your body. It has long been known that vitamin D regulates calcium and phosphorous in the bloodstream and promotes bone formation and mineralization. New research is revealing the role vitamin D plays in the immune system. For example, vitamin D enhances phagocytosis, a process by which certain white blood cells engulf bacteria, dead cells, and other debris. Vitamin D also plays a role in preventing autoimmune diseases. Continue reading ‘What you should know about Vitamin D’ »