Vitamin D is an important hormone that is metabolised to a number of important metabolites that have a wide range of cellular effects. Obtaining enough vitamin D is important because low levels of vitamin D may damage the immune system, prevent adequate calcium uptake to bone, and may increase the risk of cancer, weight gain and cardiovascular disease. There are three main sources of vitamin D including food, supplements or the sun. Food sources of vitamin D are limited to cod liver oil and mushrooms. Both can be relatively good sources and would prevent a vitamin D deficiency from developing. Supplements are an easy way to get vitamin D, but there is always a risk of consuming too much vitamin D from supplements as the regulation of food vitamin D is not the same as skin produced vitamin D from the sun. The best way to obtain adequate vitamin D is sunlight exposure to the skin. Very large amounts of vitamin D are produced in this way, without the possibility of overdosing on the hormone.
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