Vitamins’ Roles in Bone Metabolism- Study Notes
Posted on by Dr. Saroj
Most of the vitamins play important roles in bone metabolism. Vitamin A, D and C are the main vitamins that are helpful in bone metabolism. Let me know how these vitamins help in bone metabolism in short notes
Vitamin D (Calcitriol) Role:
- • ↑ Intestinal absorption of Ca²⁺ and PO₄
- ↑ Renal reabsorption of Ca²⁺ • Essential for mineralisation of osteoid
Deficiency
- • Rickets (children): bowing of long bones, craniotabes, rachitic rosary
- Osteomalacia (adults): soft, painful bones, fractures
Vitamin A Role:
- • Required for osteoblast and osteoclast activity
- • Regulates bone modelling and remodelling
- • Controls growth of epiphyseal cartilage
- Deficiency
- • Deficiency: impaired bone remodelling, stunted growth
- • Excess (hypervitaminosis
- premature epiphyseal fusion, periosteal thickening, fractures
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
- Role:
- • Essential cofactor for hydroxylation of proline & lysine
- • Required for synthesis of type I collagen (osteoid)
- • Needed for osteoblast differentiation
- Deficiency
- • Scurvy: defective collagen → weak osteoid
- • Subperiosteal haemorrhage, bleeding gums, perifollicular haemorrhage