Does Vitamin D Work With Other Vitamins to Help Keep the Body Healthy?

Vitamin D, along with other vitamins, provides sun protection.

Vitamin D, along with other vitamins, provides sun protection.

An essential part of your diet, vitamin D has a number of physiological functions, from regulating calcium to controlling gene activity. While it does not interact directly with other vitamins, vitamin D does work in combination with several vitamins in your cells and organs. Following a well-balanced diet helps provide enough vitamin D to support your health and also increases your intake of other vitamins that complement vitamin D's function.

Skin Health

Vitamin D works in combination with other vitamins to maintain the health of your skin. Vitamins A, D and E all offer photoprotection -- natural protection to prevent skin damage associated with the sun's harmful rays. Both vitamins A and D also control the growth of new skin cells and promote the development of keratinocytes, the major cell type found in your skin. Vitamin D also maintains healthy hair follicles and prevents hair loss.

Bone Health

Vitamin D works in combination with vitamin C to keep your bones healthy. Vitamin C helps promote collagen synthesis, a process essential to maintain the strength of collagen-rich tissues, including your bones. Vitamin D helps regulate calcium, another essential component of bone tissue. A deficiency in either vitamin D or C negatively affects your bone tissue -- low vitamin C levels cause joint pain, while vitamin D deficiency puts you at risk of developing osteoporosis.

Immune System

Vitamin D also proves important for a healthy immune system and works in combination with vitamins A and B-6 to boost immunity. Vitamins A and B-6 both aid in the development of new white blood cells -- the immune cells that recognize and attack pathogens -- while vitamin D regulates white blood cell function. Vitamin D also triggers the release of antimicrobial proteins used to help kill pathogens, while vitamin B-6 controls the release of cytokines -- a family of proteins that stimulate an immune response.

Preventing Vitamin Deficiencies

A healthful diet provides the range of vitamins your body needs to support vitamin D's function. For example, most fruits and vegetables serve as good sources of vitamin C, while dark leafy greens and orange fruits and vegetables offer beneficial vitamin A. Adding sources of healthy fat, such as hazelnuts or almonds, to your diet helps boost your vitamin E intake, while bananas, chicken and potatoes offer vitamin B-6. Boost your vitamin D intake with dairy products, and get moderate sun exposure to support vitamin D synthesis in your skin.

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