Effect of Calcium Deficiency on Vitamin D Metabolism

  • David R. Fraser
Chapter
Part of the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series (AEMB, volume 352)

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency occurs only rarely under natural conditions and is related to underexposure of skin to ultraviolet sunlight. The photochemical action of ultraviolet light converts 7-dehydrocholesterol in skin into pre-vitamin D which isomerizes to vitamin D. By diffusion, the lipid-soluble vitamin D passes into the circulation and is then slowly taken up by the liver. Here it is converted to 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] which is secreted back into the blood. This vitamin D metabolite has a long half-life, variously estimated in humans at between 15 and 45 days (Clements et al., 1987). Therefore, even when exposure to ultraviolet light is minimal, as in winter in regions far from the equator, the decline in vitamin D status is slow. Vitamin D formed in summer continues to meet the needs during the following winter until the supply resumes the next summer.

Keywords

Primary Hyperparathyroidism Calcium Diet Enterohepatic Circulation Asian Immigrant Calcium Deficiency 
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 1994

Authors and Affiliations

  • David R. Fraser
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Animal ScienceThe University of SydneySydneyAustralia

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