Dry vitamin D is a supplemental form of vitamin D that is often taken because traditional methods of consuming the nutrient are not sufficient to meet dietary recommendations. Vitamin D is necessary to maintain appropriate levels of calcium and phosphorous in the blood, so if a body does not have access to enough, health problems can ensue. Often, dry vitamin D is found in the form of hard tablets that can be swallowed along with a liquid.
Low levels of vitamin D can lead to low levels of calcium absorption in the body, causing bones to develop less solidly. Children who do not consume or produce enough vitamin D can be at risk for a bone disease called rickets, and adults may encounter difficulty with osteoporosis. Preventing these health complications can be as simple as taking care to include adequate amounts of vitamin D in everyday diets.
Vitamin D can become present in the body in three ways. First, it can be consumed by eating foods such as salmon, tuna, liver, eggs, beef, or fortified milk and other dairy products. Since the range of foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D is fairly limited — especially for people who follow vegetarian or vegan lifestyles — many foods such as orange juice and certain cereals are fortified with vitamin D. Second, vitamin D is produced in the body as a result of exposure to sunlight. Third, vitamin D is consumed by taking dietary supplements.
Especially for those who have difficulty getting enough vitamin D naturally, supplements of dry vitamin D can be a big help in maintaining healthy levels of this nutrient. Some diets do not allow for the consumption of vitamin D-rich foods, and too much exposure to sunlight can lead to a whole different array of health problems. Accordingly, supplements are one of the easiest, safest ways to increase vitamin D intake.
Usually, dry vitamin D tablets look similar to multivitamin or acetaminophen tablets. These pills make good supplements because they are easy to take; powder is pressed into tablets that are easy to swallow. Taking vitamin D supplements in dry form also encourages faster absorption than oil-based vitamin D supplements such as cod liver oil. Essentially, the function of dry vitamin D is to supplement naturally occurring sources of vitamin D to make sure the body has enough nutrient to survive and thrive.