What part of the body produces Vitamin D?
Vitamin D and neurology Vitamin D and neurology Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that plays a vital role in calcium and phosphate absorption. In recent studies, several associations between low levels of vitamin D, or hypovitaminosis D, and neuropsychiatric disorders have begun to surface. These disorders include, but are not limited to: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, schizophrenia, and autism. Vitamin D is mainly found in the body in two forms: vitamin D3 and vitamin D2. Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is formed in the skin after exposure to sunlight or ultra violet radiation. Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, is obtained from various
Vitamin D D pro-hormone resulting in the active form, calcitriol, which then produces effects via a nuclear receptor in multiple locations. Cholecalciferol is converted in the liver to calcifediol (25-hydroxycholecalciferol); ergocalciferol is converted to 25-hydroxyergocalciferol. These two vitamin D metabolites (called 25-hydroxyvitamin D or 25(OH)D) are measured in serum to determine a person's vitamin D status. Calcifediol is further hydroxylated by the kidneys to form calcitriol (also known as 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol), the biologically active form of vitamin D. Calcitriol circulates as a hormone in the blood, having a major role regulating the concentration of calcium and phosphate, and promoting the healthy growth and