Importance of vitamin D in gastrointestinal health and disease (opens in new tab)

Since its discovery as an antirachitic agent, vitamin D has been recognized for its importance to health, most namely bone health, prompting food fortification practices that are still in place today. The two forms of vitamin D, ergocalciferol (D2) and cholecalciferol (D3), are obtained through the diet or synthesized in the skin via ultraviolet-B radiation. Vitamin D is activated by enzymes mainly found in hepatic and renal tissues, to exert downstream effects via the nuclear vitamin D recep...