|
| Body system | Role of vitamin D |
|
| General body growth and development | It is associated with intrauterine foetal programming. |
| It plays a role in preventing preeclampsia in pregnancy. |
| It regulates cell proliferation and differentiation and can protect the genome from daily life insults such as oxidative stress and toxins |
| Vitamin D and chronic conditions | It has been shown to inhibit clonal proliferation of leukaemic cells. |
| Vitamin D has antiproliferative properties that are protective against chronic diseases such as psoriasis and type 1 diabetes mellitus. |
| Low vitamin D has been associated with increased insulin resistance leading to type 2 diabetes mellitus. |
| It has been shown to reduce the risk of falling in older individuals, especially those with chronic renal failure. |
| Vitamin D and reproduction | It improves spermatogenesis, sperm motility, and acrosome activation. |
| Low vitamin D and low testosterone are associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk of dying in cardiac male patients. |
| Vitamin D in bone and tooth development | Low vitamin D is associated with poor intrauterine mineralisation of the crown of primary teeth and poor mineralisation of permanent teeth postnatally. |
| Low vitamin D leads to rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults. |
| Vitamin D in dental caries and periodontitis | Low vitamin is associated with low calcium leading to dental caries. It also predisposes these patients to have periodontal disease. |
| Vitamin D and immunity | It increases macrophage phagocytosis. |
| Vitamin D augments stimulation of the maturation of anti-inflammatory cytokines and alleviates production of proinflammatory cytokines. |
| Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of several infections. Supplementation with vitamin D reduces the risk of developing infection, reduces the severity, or prevents serious complications. |
| Vitamin D and liver | Vitamin D deficiency is associated with nonalcohol fatty liver disease (NAFLD) |
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