Vitamin D vs Calcium: Difference and Comparison

Minerals such as calcium that is required for a variety of bodily activities, including bone growth and functioning along with development.

Vitamin D aids calcium absorption in the human body. The combination of calcium and vitamin D is used to cure calcium insufficiency. Calcium and vitamin D are also utilized in the formation of bones and skin, as well as therapies for such conditions.

Components and nutrients are constantly performing some role in our bodies, and the pairing of vitamins (D in this case) and calcium serve comparable functions, but they are not the same.

There are several distinctions between Vitamin D and calcium, and this article highlights the similarities and differences between the two.

Key Takeaways

1. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium and supports bone health, while calcium is a mineral that is essential for bone health, muscle function, and nerve function.
2. Vitamin D is primarily obtained through sun exposure and diet, while calcium is obtained through diet and supplements.
3. Vitamin D deficiency can lead to weak bones and an increased risk of fractures, while Calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, muscle cramps, and other health problems.

Vitamin D vs Calcium

The difference between vitamin D and calcium is that vitamin D is a critical element for bone health, as it is needed by the body to absorb calcium, whereas calcium is an element that helps in strengthening bone and other functions like maintaining the integrity and durability of bony structures and our teeth. Calcium is also required for the movement of muscles and the transmission of information between the brain as well as every area of the body through neurons.

Vitamin D is an essential nutrient for the human body because it is necessary for maintaining the framework and texture of our body, i.e. the skeleton and the skin.

Vitamin D (also known as “calciferol”) is a fat-soluble vitamin that can be found in nature within several foods, supplemented with others, or purchased as a food additive.

When ultraviolet rays from the sunshine impact the skin and cause vit D production, it is also generated intracellularly.

Vitamin D aids calcium assimilation in the stomach and keeps blood ca+2 levels in check, allowing the proper bone formation and preventing subclinical and clinical tetany.

Calcium, on the other hand, is an essential mineral required by the human body along with phosphorus, especially for the durability and formation of bone particles and structures. Calcium has a limited number of uses due to its strong reactivity.

In steel manufacturing, it can be utilized as a superalloy component.

Calcium derivatives, on the other hand, are widely utilized in a variety of sectors, including medicines and consumables for calcium supplements, mortar and paper manufacturing, vehicle cells, and metal plating.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Vitamin D	Calcium
Type	Vitamin D has many types like D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5. It is an essential vitamin for our skin and bones.	Derivatives of Calcium include; Calcium carbonate (40% elemental calcium)Calcium citrate, Calcium gluconate, Calcium lactate.
Uses	Vitamins are useful as they serve the purpose of nourishment in simple and complex living organisms.	Calcium is an essential element not only for bones and teeth but also for the nervous system of the human body.
Sources	Vitamin D is produced in the human body from synthesising. It’s made in the dermis from lipoprotein through a chemical process that’s triggered by UV radiation and sun exposure.Innate sources: Egg, milk, fish, cheese and mushrooms.	Dairy products include milk, cheese, and other dairy products.Curly kale, okra, but not spinach — are examples of leafy vegetables (spinach does contain high levels of calcium but the body cannot digest it all)Calcium-fortified soy beverages
Functions in Human Body	1. Strong and durable bones. 2. Absorption of Calcium. 3. Functioning of parathyroid gland.	1. Keeping bones sturdy. 2. Bone and teeth formation. 3. Nervous system message transferring for cation transfer reactions.
Deficiency	Rickets, Dermis-sensitivity	Rickets, osteoporosis, osteopenia, hypocalcaemia.

What is Vitamin D?

Vitamin D received from sunlight, meals, and supplements are physiologically inactive and must be activated in the body by two hydroxylations.

Vitamin D is converted to 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], commonly known as “calcidiol,” via the first hydroxylation, which takes place in the liver.

The physiologically active 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D [1,25(OH)2D], commonly known as “calcitriol,” is formed by the subsequent hydroxylation, which occurs predominantly in the renal.

It is an essential nutrient for calcium development and synthesis, maintaining the quality of our skin and preventing bones from becoming brittle.

The deficiency of vitamin D can cause diseases like kwashiorkor, rickets, and dermis sensitivity.

Vitamin D also has numerous functions in the body, such as relieving pain and modulating cell development, neurological and immunological function, and glucose metabolism.

Vitamin D influences the expression of several genes that code for proteins that control neurogenesis, differentiation, and death.

Vitamin D that is produced or consumed through food is physically ineffective. Enzymatic translation activates it in the liver and kidney.

Vitamin D that has been activated circulates in the bloodstream. Its major function is to maintain a healthy bone system by regulating the concentrations of Mg, Calcium, and Phosphate.

It possesses neuromuscular, immunological, and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as the ability to affect cell development. Bone softening disorders are caused by a lack of vitamin D.

What is Calcium?

Calcium is a reactive alkali metal and an essential element. Silver-ish appearance and it is in a highly pure condition — orange in hue. It is the most prevalent metal in the human body and the sixth most prevalent element.

Calcium is found in nature as a combination of stable isotopes (40Ca, 42Ca, 43Ca, 44Ca, 46Ca, and 48Ca). Carbonate is the most common form of it.

Calcium is an essential mineral for human health. During its original discoveries, calcium absorption was largely based on earlier human life cycles, particularly during the growing stages of toddlerhood.

During the last decade, research in calcium needs has grown to include the whole life cycle, spanning birth to old age. To appeal to a larger audience, many corporate nutrition supplement items now include calcium supplementation.

Calcium is necessary for the vascular, muscular, and intestinal systems to function properly. It is required for the formation of the skeletal system as well as the functionality and generation of blood cells.

Nutrition is the source of calcium in the blood. Calcium is mostly acquired through cereals and dairy products, although it may also be found in fruits, greens, sweets, protein-rich meals, oil, and fats.

Calcium ions are deposited in the bones thanks to vitamin D and parathyroid hormone.

Main Differences Between Vitamin D and Calcium

1. Vitamin D is a nutrient, whereas Calcium is considered both a nutrient and an element.
2. Vitamin D has 5 types, whereas Calcium has no specific types, but it has derivatives like calcium carbonate and calcium nitrates.
3. Vitamin D can be obtained from sunlight and food sources like eggs, milk, cheese, and mushrooms, whereas Calcium can be obtained from green veggies and dairy products.
4. Vitamins are essential when considering nutrition and growth, whereas elements like calcium and sodium act as a fundamental requirement for chemical processes inside the cells and organs too.
5. Vitamin D deficiency causes diseases like rickets and demis-sensitivity, whereas Calcium deficiency can cause osteoporosis and osteopenia.

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4337919/#:~:text=Calcium%20is%20an%20essential%20nutrient,by%20a%20complex%20metabolic%20process.
2. https://www.uofmhealth.org/health-library/d03137a1#:~:text=Calcium%20is%20a%20mineral%20that,and%20vitamin%20D%20combination%20available.