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It is thought to improve muscle strength and
據說，它能夠改善肌肉力量
immune function and reduce inflammation.
提高免疫功能，以及治療炎癥
People at risk for vitamin D deficiency include
容易缺乏維生素D的人群
breastfed infants, older adults, people
包括母乳喂養的嬰兒，老人
with limited sun exposure, people with dark skin
接受日照有限者，深膚色的人
and people with fat malabsorption. People age 50
以及脂肪吸收不良的人
and older are at increased risk of developing
50歲以后，缺乏維生素D的幾率會增大
vitamin D deficiency because as they age
因為隨著年齡的增長
the skin loses its ability to synthesize vitamin D
皮膚會失去有效率地合成維生素D的能力
as efficiently and the kidneys also convert
腎臟向激活型的轉化也會減少
less to its active form. People living in
居住北半球的人們，居家人士
the northern latitudes, homebound individuals
以及那些因為宗教原因
and women who wear long robes and
穿長袍，帶頭巾的婦女
head coverings for religious reasons may not
也許無法獲得來自于陽光的充足的維生素D
obtain adequate levels of vitamin D from sunlight.
也許無法獲得來自于陽光的充足的維生素D
People with darker skin have more pigment melanin
膚色較深的人們有更多的黑色素
which reduces the skin's ability to produce
黑色素會降低皮膚在太陽照射下
vitamin D after sun exposure.
生成維生素D的能力
Prolonged inadequate intake of vitamin D
長期的維生素D攝入不足
will lead to impaired bone metabolism.
會導致骨骼新陳代謝受損
In children under mineralization of bone causes
對于處于骨骼礦化時期的孩子
soft and deformed bones and can lead to
維生素D攝入不足會導致軟骨和畸形骨骼
the condition known as rickets. Rickets is rare
可能會發展成為佝僂病
in the US today but was fairly common
佝僂病在今天的美國是很少見到的
as recently as 100 years ago. When children developed
但是在100年前，這一疾病在美國是很常見的
rickets their legs were too weak to hold their weight
當兒童患有佝僂病時，他們的腿會疲軟無力
resulting in bowed legs which often persisted
不能夠支撐起他們的體重，最后導致雙腿的彎曲
into adulthood. Osteomalacia is the adult form
這種情況會一直持續到成年時期
of rickets and leads to impaired mobility
軟骨病是佝僂病成年化的形式
and bone fractures. And osteoporosis is the condition
會導致活動障礙和骨折
that leads to weak and porous bones.
軟骨病會導致脆弱和疏松骨質
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body.
鈣是人體最為豐富的礦物質
There are two major roles for calcium.
它有兩個主要用途
By far the majority of calcium found in the body
到目前為止，研究發現
is stored in the bones and teeth providing
身體里大部分鈣都貯藏在骨骼和牙齒中
structural support. However there is a very small
起到支撐身體結構的作用
and tightly controlled amount of calcium that
然而，還有一小部分鈣在血液里循環
circulates in the blood. This calcium is required for
血液鈣含量得到嚴格的控制
muscles to contract, blood vessels to expand
血液里的鈣質幫助肌肉收縮
and contract, secretion of hormones and enzymes
幫助血管擴張和收縮
and transmission of impulses throughout
促進荷爾蒙和酶的分泌
the nervous system. All these functions are supported
并且幫助傳播神經系統里的脈沖
with less than 1% of the total body calcium.
所有這些功能只用到了人體中全部鈣質的1%
A wide range of people may be at risk for
許多人也許會因為缺鈣
calcium deficiency. Children and youth require
而威脅身體健康
adequate amounts of calcium to ensure proper
兒童和青少年需要充足的鈣量
bone development. Consumption of dairy products,
來保證正常的骨骼發育，在骨骼發育的時期
particularly milk, during these developmental years
乳制品，尤其是牛奶的攝入是非常重要的
is of great importance. As adults bone mineral loss
在衰老過程中，成年人骨骼中礦物質的流失
begins to exceed accumulation in the natural
超過了它的積累
aging process. Post-menopausal women and
絕經后的婦女以及老年人
the elderly can become at risk of calcium deficiency
會出現鈣缺乏
associated with bone loss. People with poor diets,
并伴隨著骨質疏松，這會給健康帶來威脅
particularly lacking in dairy foods due to
膳食質量差的人，尤其是因乳糖不耐癥
lactose intolerance or vegetarianism may also be
而缺乏乳制品攝入的人，或者素食主義
at risk for calcium deficiency. If dairy foods
可能會因為鈣缺乏而對健康造成隱患
are not tolerated calcium supplements
如果無法食用乳制品
should be considered at any age.
那么很早的年紀就應該考慮食用鈣補充劑
