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What does Vitamin D have to do with calcium?
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Question Date: 2010-10-25 | | Answer 1:
Vitamin D is needed to help calcium get absorbed. Without the proper amount of Vitamin D, all of the calcium that you intake through your food will simply pass through your body and out. Not very many foods actually contain Vitamin D; however, Vitamin D can be made by your body with the help of UV rays. Thus most of your Vitamin D comes from exposure to the sun (a good excuse to get outside in the sunshine!). Aside from being an important element for your body (for your bones, proper communication within and between cells, etc), calcium can be found in limestone, chalk, and marble (forms of calcium carbonate). Animals also use it to build their shells and it is found in coral reefs. | | Answer 2:
You may have noticed that a lot of dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.)say that they are good sources of calcium and are fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D is put into these products because it helps our bodies absorb the calcium so that we can use it to keep our bones and teeth strong and to keep our heart and other muscles working properly. Without Vitamin D, our intestines cant absorb as much of the calcium that we eat. Thanks for asking, | | Answer 3:
Great question! Vitamin D is very important; the body needs it in order to absorb calcium. The body uses calcium to make bones. If you have too much vitamin D it can make you very sick. If you do not have enough vitamin D, then your bones would be very thin and weak and could break easily. Vitamin D can be found in lots of things we eat (eggs, mushrooms, and some fish), but most vitamin D is actually made in your own skin when it is exposed to sunlight. Since people are starting to spend more time inside away from the sunlight, and not everyone eats foods that have vitamin D, most people do not get enough to be healthy. This is why vitamin D is added to milk, just to make sure that everyone is getting enough of it to help keep our bones strong and healthy. Click Here to return to the search form.
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