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Stimulation by Artificial Lighting of Calcium Absorption in Elderly Human Subjects

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Abstract

VITAMIN D, the “sunshine vitamin”, is produced in the skin when ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by the pro-vitamin 7-dehydrocholesterol1. The endogenous vitamin, together with dietary vitamin D, is then apparently converted in the liver to 25-OH vitamin D, and this active metabolite facilitates the intestinal absorption of calcium and the uptake and release of calcium by the skeleton2,3.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 02114

    R. M. NEER, T. R. A. DAVIS, A. WALCOTT, S. KOSKI, P. SCHEPIS, I. TAYLOR, L. THORINGTON & R. J. WURTMAN

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  1. R. M. NEER
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  2. T. R. A. DAVIS
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  3. A. WALCOTT
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  4. S. KOSKI
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  5. P. SCHEPIS
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  6. I. TAYLOR
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  7. L. THORINGTON
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  8. R. J. WURTMAN
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NEER, R., DAVIS, T., WALCOTT, A. et al. Stimulation by Artificial Lighting of Calcium Absorption in Elderly Human Subjects. Nature 229, 255–257 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1038/229255a0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/229255a0

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