CHANGES IN THE STATUS OF VITAMIN D IN MUSLIM WOMEN DUE TO THEIR LIFE STYLE PATTERN AND CULTURAL PRACTICES IN SOUTH INDIA

Abstract

Vitamins are group of chemicals that are required to perform vital functions in our body. Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is synthesized in our body and proven  to be very important due to its role in immunity as well as calcium metabolism. This vitamin exists in two forms – Vitamin D₂ that is also known as ergocalciferol and Vitamin D₃ which is known as cholecalciferol. Vitamin D is synthesized in our skin in the presence of ultraviolet B rays (UV-B) of sunlight. Though Vitamin D can be obtained from diet and other medicinal supplements major portion of this Vitamin is obtained from the skin via sunlight.

UV – B rays of the sunlight with wavelength of 290-315 nm⁴ acts on epidermis of the skin which converts 7-dehydrocholesterol into cholecalciferol (Vitamin D₃). In liver cholecalciferol gets converted into 25 – hydroxycholecalciferol which in the kidney gets converted into 1,25 – dihydroxycholecalciferol. 1,25 – dihydroxycholecalciferol works on intestinal epithelium and increases intestinal calcium absorption. Also, Vitamin D plays an important role in remodelling of bone and thereby effect bone health.