HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Holick, M. F Articles by Chen, T. C Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Holick, M. F Articles by Chen, T. C Agricola Articles by Holick, M. F Articles by Chen, T. C

Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences^1,2,3,4

¹ From the Department of Medicine; Section of Endocrinology, Nutrition, and Diabetes; Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory; Boston University Medical Center, Boston, MA

ABSTRACT

Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic. The major cause of vitamin D deficiency is the lack of appreciation that sun exposure in moderation is the major source of vitamin D for most humans. Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and foods that are fortified with vitamin D are often inadequate to satisfy either a child's or an adult's vitamin D requirement. Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children and will precipitate and exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures in adults. Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased risk of common cancers, autoimmune diseases, hypertension, and infectious diseases. A circulating level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D of >75 nmol/L, or 30 ng/mL, is required to maximize vitamin D's beneficial effects for health. In the absence of adequate sun exposure, at least 800–1000 IU vitamin D₃/d may be needed to achieve this in children and adults. Vitamin D₂ may be equally effective for maintaining circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D when given in physiologic concentrations.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. M. Martin, J. M. Ghaferi, D. L. Cummins, A. J. Mamelak, C. D. Schmults, M. Parikh, L.-A. Speyer, A. Chuang, H. V. Richardson, D. Stein, et al. CHANGES in SKIN TANNING ATTITUDES Fashion Articles and Advertisements in the Early 20th Century Am J Public Health, December 1, 2009; 99(12): 2140 - 2146. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. Wejse and H. Glerup Effect of Vitamin D on Tuberculosis and HIV Replication Depends on Conversion to Calcitriol and Concentration Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., October 15, 2009; 180(8): 795 - 796. [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Katikaneni, T. Ponnapakkam, A. Ponnapakkam, and R. Gensure Breastfeeding Does Not Protect Against Urinary Tract Infection in the First 3 Months of Life, but Vitamin D Supplementation Increases the Risk by 76% Clinical Pediatrics, September 1, 2009; 48(7): 750 - 755. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Chan, K. Jaceldo-Siegl, and G. E Fraser Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status of vegetarians, partial vegetarians, and nonvegetarians: the Adventist Health Study-2 Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, May 1, 2009; 89(5): 1686S - 1692S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. A. Ginde, M. C. Liu, and C. A. Camargo Jr Demographic Differences and Trends of Vitamin D Insufficiency in the US Population, 1988-2004 Arch Intern Med, March 23, 2009; 169(6): 626 - 632. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. McNALLY, L. A. MATHESON, and A. M. ROSENBERG Epidemiologic Considerations in Unexplained Pediatric Arthralgia: The Role of Season, School, and Stress J Rheumatol, February 1, 2009; 36(2): 427 - 433. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Yiasemides, G. Sivapirabu, G. M. Halliday, J. Park, and D. L. Damian Oral nicotinamide protects against ultraviolet radiation-induced immunosuppression in humans Carcinogenesis, January 1, 2009; 30(1): 101 - 105. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. B. Drueke and E. Ritz Treatment of Secondary Hyperparathyroidism in CKD Patients with Cinacalcet and/or Vitamin D Derivatives Clin. J. Am. Soc. Nephrol., January 1, 2009; 4(1): 234 - 241. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. J. Fabian If Vitamin D Prevents Breast Cancer, How Does It Do It, and How Much Does It Take? ASCO Educational Book, January 1, 2009; 2009(1): 71 - 74. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. M. Geleijnse Vitamin D and Hypertension: Does the Women's Health Initiative Solve the Question? Hypertension, November 1, 2008; 52(5): 803 - 804. [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. E Millen and L. M Bodnar Preface Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, April 1, 2008; 87(4): 1079S - 1079S. [Full Text] [PDF]