QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Holick, M. F. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Holick, M. F.

---

Supplement: The Influence of Vitamin D on Bone Health Across the Life Cycle

The Vitamin D Epidemic and its Health Consequences^1,2,3,4

Boston University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Section of Endocrinology, Vitamin D Laboratory, Boston, MA 02118

⁵To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mfholick{at}bu.edu.

Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as an epidemic in the United States. The major source of vitamin D for both children and adults is from sensible sun exposure. In the absence of sun exposure 1000 IU of cholecalciferol is required daily for both children and adults. Vitamin D deficiency causes poor mineralization of the collagen matrix in young children’s bones leading to growth retardation and bone deformities known as rickets. In adults, vitamin D deficiency induces secondary hyperparathyroidism, which causes a loss of matrix and minerals, thus increasing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures. In addition, the poor mineralization of newly laid down bone matrix in adult bone results in the painful bone disease of osteomalacia. Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle weakness, increasing the risk of falling and fractures. Vitamin D deficiency also has other serious consequences on overall health and well-being. There is mounting scientific evidence that implicates vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular heart disease, and many common deadly cancers. Vigilance of one’s vitamin D status by the yearly measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D should be part of an annual physical examination.

KEY WORDS: • vitamin D • osteoporosis • sunlight • 25-hydroxyvitamin D • cancer

This article has been cited by other articles:

				G. Hiremath, D Cettomai, M Baynes, J. Ratchford, S Newsome, D Harrison, D Kerr, B. Greenberg, and P. Calabresi Vitamin D status and effect of low-dose cholecalciferol and high-dose ergocalciferol supplementation in multiple sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis, June 1, 2009; 15(6): 735 - 740. [Abstract] [PDF]

				F. N. Ali, L. M. Arguelles, C. B. Langman, and H. E. Price Vitamin D Deficiency in Children With Chronic Kidney Disease: Uncovering an Epidemic Pediatrics, March 1, 2009; 123(3): 791 - 796. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. D. McNALLY, L. A. MATHESON, and A. M. ROSENBERG Epidemiologic Considerations in Unexplained Pediatric Arthralgia: The Role of Season, School, and Stress J Rheumatol, February 1, 2009; 36(2): 427 - 433. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Shardell, G. E. Hicks, R. R. Miller, S. Kritchevsky, D. Andersen, S. Bandinelli, A. Cherubini, and L. Ferrucci Association of Low Vitamin D Levels With the Frailty Syndrome in Men and Women J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci, January 20, 2009; (2009) gln007v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Mark, K. Gray-Donald, E. E. Delvin, J. O'Loughlin, G. Paradis, E. Levy, and M. Lambert Low Vitamin D Status in a Representative Sample of Youth From Quebec, Canada Clin. Chem., August 1, 2008; 54(8): 1283 - 1289. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J. Rovner and K. O. O'Brien Hypovitaminosis D Among Healthy Children in the United States: A Review of the Current Evidence Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, June 1, 2008; 162(6): 513 - 519. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. Rejnmark, P. Vestergaard, L. Heickendorff, and L. Mosekilde Plasma 1,25(OH)2D levels decrease in postmenopausal women with hypovitaminosis D. Eur. J. Endocrinol., April 1, 2008; 158(4): 571 - 576. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. C. McCann and B. N. Ames Is there convincing biological or behavioral evidence linking vitamin D deficiency to brain dysfunction? FASEB J, April 1, 2008; 22(4): 982 - 1001. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. J Rovner, V. A Stallings, J. I Schall, M. B Leonard, and B. S Zemel Vitamin D insufficiency in children, adolescents, and young adults with cystic fibrosis despite routine oral supplementation Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 2007; 86(6): 1694 - 1699. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Karfunkel Vitamin D Levels in Men in a Single Primary Care Practice Near Boston American Journal of Men's Health, December 1, 2007; 1(4): 262 - 268. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. R. Miller, G. E. Hicks, M. D. Shardell, A. R. Cappola, W. G. Hawkes, J. A. Yu-Yahiro, A. Keegan, and J. Magaziner Association of Serum Vitamin D Levels With Inflammatory Response Following Hip Fracture: The Baltimore Hip Studies J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., December 1, 2007; 62(12): 1402 - 1406. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Burgaz, A. Akesson, A. Oster, K. Michaelsson, and A. Wolk Associations of diet, supplement use, and ultraviolet B radiation exposure with vitamin D status in Swedish women during winter Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2007; 86(5): 1399 - 1404. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				G. Schwalfenberg Not enough vitamin D: Health consequences for Canadians Can Fam Physician, May 1, 2007; 53(5): 841 - 854. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Wolk, S. C. Larsson, J.-E. Johansson, and P. Ekman Long-term Fatty Fish Consumption and Renal Cell Carcinoma Incidence in Women JAMA, September 20, 2006; 296(11): 1371 - 1376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. F. Holick High Prevalence of Vitamin D Inadequacy and Implications for Health Mayo Clin. Proc., March 1, 2006; 81(3): 353 - 373. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]