Assessing your vitamin D sufficiency
For many years, clinicians have been aware that vitamin D sufficiency plays a critical role in bone remodeling; however, volumes of recent studies have shown that vitamin D also plays a key role in maintaining other aspects of overall health. Research confirms that adequate vitamin D is critical for normal cellular functions in other organ systems.
A closer look at the mounting research
Studies have also revealed that higher levels of vitamin D are associated with reduced risk of certain malignancies, including:
- Prostate cancer
- Endometrial cancer
- Skin cancer
- Pancreatic cancer
- Colorectal cancer
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk of developing:
- Autoimmune diseases
- Multiple sclerosis
- Type 1 diabetes
Vitamin D deficiency has also been associated with:
- Hypertension
- Cardiovascular disease
Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy is associated with:
- Increased odds of primary cesarean delivery
The historic link between vitamin D sufficiency and healthy bone structure
Providers have known that vitamin D sufficiency is important to calcium homeostasis and in the maintenance
of healthy bone. Vitamin D stimulates the absorption of calcium and may also serve to increase calcium and phosphate resorption. Deficiency of vitamin D leads to the mobilization of calcium from bone, which can lead
to osteoporosis, oseteomalacia, and rickets.
It is estimated that up to 50% of apparently healthy children and young adults are vitamin D deficient.
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the US has been reported at 25% to 57% in adults.
What risk factors contribute to vitamin D deficiency
- Age: older adults are at increased risk
- Inadequate sun exposure. (Note: It is not recommended to have more prolonged sun exposure to increase vitamin D levels, as this increases the risk of skin cancer. It has also been shown that people with moderate sun exposure are still found to have vitamin D deficiency.
- Insufficient dietary intake of vitamin D
- Living at higher latitudes
- A dark complexion (increased skin pigmentation/high-melanin levels)
- Malabsorption syndromes, liver diseases and kidney disease
Talk to your doctor about having your vitamin D levels checked.
