Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is essential for the human body. Low levels of vitamin D3 increase the risk of illness from a range of disorders. Babies, young children, pregnant mothers and old people are at a higher risk. Traditionally, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with rickets, a disease in which the bone tissue does not properly form, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. However, research is revealing the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of other health problems.

