What Does Vitamin D Do for Your Body?

However, many people still struggle to get the Vitamin D they need, due to poor diet or too much time spent indoors. In boring chemical terms, vitamin D helps regulate the amount of phosphate and calcium in the body, both of which are central to bone strength and the immune system. Interestingly, a growing body of research shows that a vitamin d deficiency can be linked to heart disease, cancer, depression, arthritis and more.

While it’s easy to get enough calcium and phosphate in your diet (especially if you eat plenty of meat and dairy), you need to keep them within safe levels with vitamin D. If you aren’t able to restore vitamin D levels from sunlight or your diet, then you may be at greater risk from a vitamin D deficiency.