Tag: Calciferol

Worldwide, as many as 1 billion people are estimated to have vitamin D deficiency, a condition that can have serious health consequences. The primary deficiency disease of calciferol, or vitamin D, affects the bones, leading to conditions known as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

Vitamin D deficiency affects a significant portion of the global population, yet many are unaware that another name for vitamin D is calciferol, an umbrella term encompassing its various forms. This vital nutrient, also nicknamed the “sunshine vitamin,” plays a crucial role beyond just bone health, influencing immune function and mood.

Ergocalciferol is a fat-soluble vitamin first described in 1936 and is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. Most commonly known as Vitamin D2, it plays a vital role in helping the body absorb calcium and phosphorus for strong, healthy bones. This nutrient is derived from plant sources and is often found in fortified foods and dietary supplements.

Did you know that vitamin D is not a single nutrient but a collection of fat-soluble compounds called calciferols? For those asking, 'What is the name of the vitamin D?' the answer is more complex than you might expect, as it refers to two primary forms found in foods and supplements, as well as the active hormonal form your body creates.

According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin found naturally in a few foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. The broader chemical term for vitamin D, encompassing its various forms, is calciferol.

According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin D is a term that actually refers to a group of related, fat-soluble compounds. This biological complexity is why this crucial nutrient is referred to by a variety of scientific names and familiar nicknames.

According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamins are vital micronutrients that must be obtained through our diet as they cannot be synthesized by the body. This resource clarifies the scientific names and essential roles of vitamin A, B1, B2, C, and D.

An estimated 1 billion people worldwide have inadequate vitamin D levels, a condition with far-reaching health implications. But what else is vitamin D called, and why does this single nutrient have so many different names? This guide will demystify the terminology.

Before the discovery of vitamin D in 1922, physicians had known for centuries that cod liver oil could prevent or cure rickets, a debilitating bone disease. This historical context is crucial for understanding why there wasn't a single, widely recognized "old name" for the substance itself, but rather names for its precursors and classifications related to its function. The term "vitamin D" was coined to classify this newly isolated fat-soluble nutrient, distinguishing it from vitamin A.

Over 40% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D, often called the 'sunshine vitamin'. Many mistakenly search for specific dietary sources of 'vitamin D1,' unaware that this term is no longer used in modern nutritional science. Instead, the vitamin D family is primarily comprised of D2 and D3, both of which are crucial for human health.