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[Vitamin D supplementation: why and how?]
1Service de Mèdecine Interne, Hôpital Erasme, Bruxelles. ecogan@ulb.ac.be
Revue Medicale De Bruxelles
|November 1, 2011
Summary
Severe vitamin D deficiency causes rickets and osteomalacia, and is linked to osteoporosis and other health issues. This review covers management and repletion strategies for vitamin D deficiency in at-risk individuals.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
- Public Health
Context:
- Vitamin D deficiency is increasingly recognized beyond classical bone diseases.
- Osteoporosis, myopathy, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and cardiovascular events are associated with low vitamin D.
- Elderly individuals and pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to vitamin D depletion.
Purpose:
- To review the clinical management of vitamin D deficiency.
- To outline current recommendations for vitamin D repletion in specific at-risk populations.
Summary:
- Severe vitamin D deficiency classically leads to osteomalacia and rickets.
- Emerging evidence links decreased vitamin D levels to osteoporosis and extraskeletal issues, including myopathy, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and cardiovascular events.
- Photoprotective measures, while crucial for skin cancer prevention, contribute to vitamin D deficiency prevalence.
Impact:
- Provides a comprehensive overview of vitamin D deficiency management.
- Offers evidence-based guidance for vitamin D repletion strategies.
- Highlights the importance of addressing vitamin D deficiency in vulnerable populations to mitigate associated health risks.
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The solar UV B rays (290-315 nm) are absorbed by the skin, and 7-dehydrocholesterol (provitamin D3) photolyzes it to previtamin D3, which undergoes a rapid transformation to vitamin D3(cholecalciferol).
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