[Vitamin D--a new look in medicine and rheumatology]

The research of the last decade pointed to the importance of vitamin D not only in bone metabolic processes, but also in immunologic and anticarcinogenic processes. Thus, its common insufficiency is related to serious health consequences--e.g. increased mortality and morbidity caused by autoimmune and cancer diseases. The modification of the range of values of vitamin D serum concentration and revision of its nutritional and pharmacological recommendations are suggested nowadays. Moreover, the discovery of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) enables us to understand its influence on other organs. To date the new properties of vitamin D are elucidated in the literature showing its preventive effect and possible application in supportive treatment of many diseases.