Vit D bone and beyond  Sept 2009
Am J Med. 2009 Sep;122(9):793-802.
Vitamin D: bone and beyond, rationale and recommendations for supplementation.

Stechschulte SA, Kirsner RS, Federman DG.

Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Fla, USA.

Adequate vitamin D status is necessary and beneficial for health, although deficiency plagues much of the world's population. In addition to reducing the risk for bone disease, vitamin D plays a role in reduction of falls, as well as decreases in pain, autoimmune diseases, cancer, heart disease, mortality, and cognitive function. On the basis of this emerging understanding, improving patients' vitamin D status has become an essential aspect of primary care. Although some have suggested increased sun exposure to increase serum vitamin D levels, this has the potential to induce photoaging and skin cancer, especially in patients at risk for these conditions. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency can be both corrected and prevented safely through supplementation.

PMID: 19699370 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]