Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Chemistry => Topic started by: thedoc on 14/08/2012 22:30:01
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Malcolm Kirk asked the Naked Scientists:
Hi Dr. Chris
I am interested in your stance on multivitamin preparations, I take a multivitamin tablet each day to supplement my dietary intake just as a precaution, and recently as I live in Canada and the winter can be as gloomy as London in November, I also took a dose of vitamin D (1000 iu) but after a colonoscopy my physician suggested that I should double the vitamin D dose. Would you consider that to be unnecessary?
I recall from Dr. Karl that he became vitamin D deficient in Spain I think it was, because of the amount of sunblock he was using. This suggests that not enough sunlight was penetrating his skin to manufacture vitamin D.
Can you tell me the mechanism by which vitamin D is made in the skin, I have been under the impression that vitamin A is converted but I recall that you once suggested it was cholesterol in the skin that was converted.
Could you please clarify?
Sincerely
Malcolm Kirk
p.s. having increased the vitamin D dose to 2000 i.u. I feel more benign!
What do you think?