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Vitamin D: balancing cutaneous and systemic considerations
1Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in Medicine and the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City 66160-7121, USA.
Background:
Vitamin D insufficiency may lead to various health problems. By encouraging sun protection to prevent skin cancer, physicians may be limiting a major source of vitamin D for many individuals.
Methods:
We did a literature review on issues related to vitamin D inadequacy, particularly those relevant to various racial/ethnic groups.
Results:
Vitamin D is an important hormone with many physiologic roles beyond those related to bones, including blood pressure regulation and acting as a tumor suppressant. The recommended amount of vitamin D has recently increased for adults over age 50. Moreover, some researchers are urging higher doses for the entire population to prevent osteoporotic fractures.
Conclusions:
Previous studies that have found serum levels of vitamin D in their sun-protected subjects to be in the normal range may need to be reevaluated. In concert with counseling sun protection, physicians should consider discussing vitamin D intake, typically in the form of supplements.