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Updated: Jun 24, 2025

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Navigating Complexities: Vitamin D, Skin Pigmentation, and Race.

Naykky Singh Ospina1, Alicia Diaz-Thomas2, Marie E McDonnell3

  • 1Division of Endocrinology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|June 3, 2024
PubMed
Summary

This study examines how skin color affects vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels. It highlights the need to differentiate skin pigmentation from race in clinical guidelines for equitable health outcomes.

Keywords:
GRADE approachethnicityraceskin pigmentationvitamin Dvitamin D deficiency

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Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Public Health
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Vitamin D is crucial for calcium metabolism and bone health.
  • Melanin in skin reduces vitamin D production from UV light exposure.
  • Clinical guidelines must address vitamin D levels across diverse skin tones.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the relationship between skin complexion, race, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels.
  • To identify challenges in developing clinical guidelines for vitamin D screening.
  • To emphasize the distinction between biological skin pigmentation and social constructs of race/ethnicity.

Main Methods:

  • Review of Endocrine Society guideline development process for vitamin D.
  • Analysis of literature regarding vitamin D outcomes and skin pigmentation.
  • Deliberations on differentiating biological and social factors in recommendations.

Main Results:

  • No randomized trials directly link vitamin D outcomes to skin pigmentation.
  • Race and ethnicity are often used as proxies for skin pigmentation in research.
  • A critical need exists to separate skin pigmentation from race/ethnicity in guidelines.

Conclusions:

  • Distinguishing skin pigmentation from race is vital for scientific rigor and valid recommendations.
  • Clarity in incorporating race and ethnicity into clinical guidelines is essential.
  • This differentiation promotes equitable healthcare and improved health outcomes.