No salts of vitamin D commonly exist or are used in supplements. Note that the DRI is the minimum dietary intake needed to prevent diseases from deficiency and does not apply to amounts needed for optimal health. Calcitriol, the most active form of vitamin D, is classified as a steroid hormone and is air and light sensitive. Also available in fish liver oils and through supplementation.
Osteoporosis is another adult disease that results from a poor dietary vitamin D and calcium intake.
Hearing loss from vitamin D deficiency may progress as the adult ages due to increased porosity of the cochlea bone in the inner ear. Vitamin D supplementation usually repairs conditions caused by poor dietary intake. Also, the damage from too much vitamin D can be irreparable under certain conditions. Excessive doses of vitamin D can increase calcium loss from bone. Large doses of vitamin D are also linked to increased risk for premature heart attack and atherosclerosis.