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How does vitamin D help maintain healthy bones?
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vitamin
Vitamin E in gel-cap form.
Vitamin D plays a critical role in maintaining healthy bones by regulating the body's calcium and phosphorus levels, which are essential for bone mineralization.12
The process functions through several key mechanisms:
- Intestinal Absorption: The active form of vitamin D, known as calcitriol, significantly increases the efficiency with which the small intestine absorbs dietary calcium and phosphorus into the bloodstream.12
- Bone Mineralization: By maintaining adequate serum levels of these minerals, vitamin D ensures that the skeleton has the necessary materials to remain strong and properly mineralized.12
- Cellular Interaction: Calcitriol interacts directly with osteoblasts—the cells responsible for bone formation—to promote their activity and support the process of bone remodeling.12
When vitamin D levels are insufficient, the body cannot absorb calcium efficiently, leading to low blood calcium levels. This triggers the release of parathyroid hormone, which may cause the body to draw calcium from the bones, ultimately resulting in poorly calcified, weakened bone structures such as rickets in children or osteomalacia in adults.123