What are Common Uses of Vitamin D?

Sometimes known as calciferol, vitamin D is a nutrient that is stored in several parts of the body. The vitamin itself is considered to be important in maintaining a healthy nervous system and for glandular support in general. Other uses of vitamin D include balancing the mood, managing stress and even limiting the progress of tooth decay and myopia. There is some difference of opinion regarding the use of vitamin D supplements, with supporters noting the positive effects that the supplements can have when the individual is not exposed to sufficient sunlight, and others noting that it is possible to obtain a sufficient amount of the nutrient by consuming certain foods.

One of the more common uses of vitamin D has to do with helping the body absorb other nutrients with more efficiency. Vitamin D has been proven to aid in the absorption of nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin A. From this perspective, the benefits of vitamin D involve just about every system in the body, either directly or indirectly.

The uses of vitamin D also include maintaining emotional and mental equilibrium. A controlled vitamin D therapy may aid in the management of stress, helping to reduce feelings of anxiety and irritability in people exposed to prolonged periods of stress. Supplements are also sometimes helpful for those who suffer with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) during the winter months when there is less natural sunlight to promote the body’s creation of the vitamin naturally.

Aid in managing eye disorders are also among the more common uses of vitamin D. Alternative health practitioners sometimes use injections of the vitamin to help clear eye infections quicker, as well as to help with tired or strained eyes. There is also some evidence that a vitamin regimen that includes significant amounts of the vitamin will help with ongoing eye conditions like myopia. At present, there is some debate in the medical community regarding just how much effect these treatments have, although there is a fairly large body of anecdotal evidence from people who have used herbs that are good sources of vitamin D, such as fenugreek or eyebright, and found that the treatments brought a measure of relief.

While there are a number of uses of vitamin D that are identified in many different healthcare traditions, it is important to remember that the body does store amounts of this nutrient in the liver, bones, brain, and skin. This means that is it possible to take in too much of the vitamin and possibly trigger an allergic effect. While estimates vary, a number of alternative healthcare professionals consider more than 25,000 International Units (IUs) administered within a 24-hour period to be unsafe. Western medicine usually sets the minimum daily requirement for the vitamin much lower and note that spending short periods in the sun will often provide an amply supply.