The association between vitamin deficiency and otolaryngologic diseases: A therapeutic target

Vitamins are indispensable nutrients for metabolism. Adequate vitamin intake plays vital role in physiological processes including embryonic development, cellular and immunity proliferation and differentiation, DNA synthesis and oxidative response. In contrast, insufficient vitamin levels usually lead to a large number of clinical manifestations including xerophthalmia, nyctalopia, hyperpigmentation, vitiligo, jaundice, megaloblastic anemia, glossitis, scurvy, stroke, cancer, coronary heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease. In recent years, more and more researches have focused on the relationship between vitamin family and otorhinolaryngologic diseases. This review will summarize the current knowledge of vitamin family and vitamin-mediated regulating role in those related otorhinolaryngologic diseases.