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Topic: Is vitamin D radioactive?  (Read 2170 times)

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Offline Rembrandt

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Is vitamin D radioactive?
« on: October 19, 2019, 06:44:31 AM »
Does vitamin D molecule emit radioactivity?

/Rembrandt.

Offline Babcock_Hall

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Re: Is vitamin D radioactive?
« Reply #1 on: October 19, 2019, 08:53:40 AM »
Why do you ask?  What is the context of your question?

Offline Rembrandt

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Re: Is vitamin D radioactive?
« Reply #2 on: October 19, 2019, 11:58:09 AM »
Just curiousity of matter we're in daily contact with. But also since it would probably boost dna regeneration/activation  if that is so.
Is it a counter particle to external excessive radiating nuclei to create tolerance to the body by certain neural systems, resulting in the vitamin d being created?

Offline Corribus

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Re: Is vitamin D radioactive?
« Reply #3 on: October 19, 2019, 12:17:10 PM »
Radioactivity comes from radioactive nuclei, so radioactive molecules must contain radioactive nuclei. Vitamin D is a group of closely related molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Therefore vitamin D molecules are no more inherently radioactive than and other molecules that contain these nuclei- which is to say, the overwhelming majority of organic molecules. There are naturally occurring radioactive isotopes of carbon and hydrogen but their incidence is pretty low, and wouldn't necessarily be expected to be more abundant in vitamin D than other naturally synthesized organic molecules... unless the local environment where the molecules are synthesized are enriched in these isotopes. But that is true of any organic molecule.

So the quick practical answer is no, I would not expect vitamin D to be more inherently radioactive than other organic substances, naturally occurring or otherwise, that you come in contact with on a daily basis. The technically correct answer is, yes, vitamin D would have some very low baseline radioactivity, but no more so than anything else. And certainly not enough to lead to physiological effects above the baseline. Anyone who says otherwise, particularly using scientifically dubious statements like "boost dna regeneration/activation", is selling you snake oil. And if they are selling you vitamin D that is actually artificially enriched with radioactive nuclei... you should probably call the FDA, FBI, and whatever other government agencies you happen to have on speed dial.
What men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if he were like a man, but if he is an immense spinning sphere of methane and ammonia must be silent?  - Richard P. Feynman

Offline Rembrandt

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Re: Is vitamin D radioactive?
« Reply #4 on: October 20, 2019, 06:32:12 AM »
Great answer, thanks. The quick answer should be yes then ;)
« Last Edit: October 20, 2019, 06:47:32 AM by Rembrandt »

Offline billnotgatez

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Re: Is vitamin D radioactive?
« Reply #5 on: October 20, 2019, 09:16:05 PM »
Quote
Everything Should Be Made as Simple as Possible, But Not Simpler.
Albert Einstein

Offline Rembrandt

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Re: Is vitamin D radioactive?
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2019, 09:41:50 AM »
Exactly my point, ironic that my birthday is on the same day as Albert Einstein's.

Offline Corribus

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Re: Is vitamin D radioactive?
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2019, 10:25:45 AM »
The answer to your original question is technically "yes", but simple answers can be misleading and some context is always helpful. Your follow-up question, for example, suggested that you would probably benefit from a little of that context.
What men are poets who can speak of Jupiter if he were like a man, but if he is an immense spinning sphere of methane and ammonia must be silent?  - Richard P. Feynman

Offline Babcock_Hall

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Re: Is vitamin D radioactive?
« Reply #8 on: October 21, 2019, 11:48:18 AM »
Rembrandt,

Corribus answered as I would have, so let me restate it a little differently.  There is a little bit of radioactivity in all organic molecules, including vitamin D, glucose, fatty acids, etc.  There is unlikely to be much more or much less in Vitamin D than in any other biomolecule.

I am unaware of any "boost" to DNA that could be ascribed to this.  I would be wary of any such claims.

Offline Enthalpy

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Re: Is vitamin D radioactive?
« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2019, 02:48:11 PM »
Simplifying the answer further for Rembrandt:
Vitamin D is not radioactive.

And radioactivity is detrimental to DNA.

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