We’ve all been encouraged to drink milk as children, whether we liked it or not. Our parents always insisted that it would increase our bone strength and nurture healthy bodies. And on questioning, “why milk?”, the answer was always about calcium. But how many of us know the actual impact of calcium on our bodies? Or all the other nutrients that milk is rich in that largely influence our overall health?
It’s not just for the calcium – milk is also an excellent source of Vitamin D (added to fortified milk). Both these nutrients are essential for ensuring healthy bones and muscles. (1)
Role of Calcium for Bones and Muscles
Calcium plays a big role in our bone health, as our bones are made up largely of calcium. Calcium salts harden the bones, making them strong. This also maintains bone density. And since our bones are mineralised with calcium, it is imperative for the development of new bones and healing bone injuries.
Calcium is also required to ensure proper muscle movements and contractions. So, learning how to increase calcium in body is important for maintaining healthy bones and muscles. And this is where vitamin D comes in.
What does Vitamin D3 Do for our Body?
Vitamin D is popularly called the “sunshine vitamin”. We’ve heard it several times growing up – sunlight is the primary source of vitamin D. But the name vitamin D actually entails two forms of the vitamin – D2 and D3. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is mostly distributed in plants, fungi, and Mould. When UV light from the sun hits our skin, we form Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). So, vitamin D3 is the most natural form of vitamin D for humans, as we are able to produce it ourselves with exposure to the sun. Vitamin D3 supplementation also yields better results than D2 for bone health.
While calcium is the leading nutrient required for the bones, vitamin D3 is one of the essential vitamins for bone health and efficient muscle condition. Vitamin D3 promotes bone health in a lot of ways: (2)
1. Calcium Absorption: The principal role of vitamin D3 in ensuring that our bones and muscles stay in good shape is by supporting calcium absorption. Calcium is the major contributor to bone and muscle health. And vitamin D3 is responsible for helping us absorb the calcium we get from foods.
2. Bone Formation: Bone matrix is the substance that surrounds the bone cells, and provides a structural foundation for the bones. Its formation process is triggered by vitamin D3. It also plays a role in bone maturation.
3. Prevention of Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis is a condition in which our bones become weak, because of a decrease in bone mass. This makes us more at risk of fractures and bone injuries. Being a key nutrient for optimal bone health, vitamin D3 indirectly helps decrease the chances of osteoporosis, when paired with calcium.
4. Immune System: Vitamin D3 facilitates healthy immune system functioning. This in turn affects bone health, as immune cells play a role in bone remodeling. An efficient immune system also ensures sharp immune responses within the skeletal system.
In this way, vitamin D3 is an essential nutrient not only for regular systems of the body but also to support bone and muscle health. Efforts towards understanding how to increase calcium in body should include vitamin D3 to promote calcium absorption in the body.
Factors Affecting D3 Absorption
We generally don’t like to go out into the sun often, especially in India’s direct harsh sunlight. And when we do, it’s with sunscreen to protect us from direct exposure. But these practices affect our vitamin D levels.
• Use of sunscreen hampers the absorption of vitamin D into the body, as it’s made to block UV light.
• Seasonal changes also influence vitamin D absorption, which is highest in the summer. So people in areas with long winters or monsoon have lesser chances of vitamin D absorption.
• Having less fats in your diet can affect vitamin D levels, as it requires fat to be absorbed.
• Age is also a factor, as our skin’s ability to produce vitamin D declines as we age.
Vitamin D Deficiency
Vitamin D deficiency can lead to irregularities in the body, like :
• Weakened bones
• Decrease in bone density
• Tiredness and muscle pain
• Stress fractures (tiny fractures in the bone caused by over-use or repeated stress)
• Rickets (softening of bones in children)
If you identify any of these symptoms in your body, it could be a sign of vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D supplements or safe exposure to sunlight can make up for its low level in the body.
Calcium and Vitamin D Foods
Calcium is abundant in a variety of foods. So exploring ways of how to increase calcium in body is easy, even without the use of supplements or tablets. These are some foods that are rich in calcium: (3)
• Milk and dairy products
• Leafy vegetables
• Fish with edible bones
On the other hand, vitamin D is most easily obtained through sunlight exposure. Apart from this, vitamin D is also naturally present in certain foods, like:
• Fish – salmon, trout, tuna, sardines
• Fortified dairy products – milk, yogurt
• Egg yolk
• Mushrooms
It’s easy to acquire these vital nutrients through such foods. Additionally, there are several calcium and vitamin D3 tablets in today’s market to replace dietary sources. In general, most bone strengthening supplements include calcium and vitamin D, among other ingredients.
Diet and Lifestyle Changes
Following a healthy lifestyle also impacts your body. Things like sufficient sleep, regular exercise, sticking to a healthy diet, etc. might sound common and predictable – but it really is the trick to keeping your bones and muscles in good shape.
1. Regular exercise helps keep your bones strong. People who are more physically active tend to have stronger bones and muscles, and a healthier body.
2. Avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption is good for your body’s strength and longevity.
3. Maintaining a healthy diet supplies the vitamins and nutrients your body needs for building up bones and muscles.
Final Thoughts
Commonly, the first strategy for bone and muscle care is to increase calcium. But it’s actually vitamin D3 that plays an equally important role, of helping your body absorb and use that calcium properly. While a balanced diet and regular sunlight exposure are great natural sources, calcium and vitamin D3 tablets can be a helpful addition, especially when your daily intake falls short. By following a well-rounded approach of regulating your diet and developing simple lifestyle habits, maintaining strong bones and muscles can be easy and effective.
FAQs
Q1. Is vitamin D3 good for bones and muscles?
Vitamin D3 plays a crucial role in calcium absorption, which is essential for bones and muscles in increasing strength as well as improving recovery. Therefore, vitamin D3 is also required to maintain healthy bones and muscles.
Q2. What is the action of vitamin D3 on bone?
Vitamin D3 promotes calcium absorption in the body. This calcium is then used to maintain and build bones, thus increasing bone mass and density. So, vitamin D3 plays an indirect role in maintaining bone strength and density.
Q3. What are the benefits of vitamin D3 for muscle?
Vitamin D3 has anti-inflammatory properties, which is essential for regulating muscle movements and contractions. It also helps increase muscle strength and provides energy to muscles during exercise.
Q4. Does vitamin D3 help with bone repair?
Vitamin D3 is a catalyst for calcium absorption. And calcium is crucial for bone repair and healing bone injuries. Being a key component to the bone structure, more calcium helps strengthen bones and repair injuries. Vitamin D3 itself also plays a part in healing fractures.
Q5. Can we take vitamin D3 tablets daily?
It’s generally safe to take vitamin D3 tablets daily, but one must adhere to their recommended daily dosage.