Adequate vitamin D important for proper muscle functioning

[Guest guest]

Mayo Clin Proc. 2006 Mar;81(3):353-73.

Comment in:

Mayo Clin Proc. 2006 Mar;81(3):297-9.

High prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy and implications for health.

Holick MF.

Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory, Section of

Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Nutrition, Department of Medicine,

Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass 02118, USA.

During the past decade, major advances have been made in vitamin D

research that transcend the simple concept that vitamin D is

Important for the prevention of rickets in children and has little

physiologic relevance for adults. Inadequate vitamin D, in addition

to causing rickets, prevents children from attaining their

genetically programmed peak bone mass, contributes to and exacerbates

osteoporosis in adults, and causes the often painful bone disease

osteomalacia.

Adequate vitamin D is also important for proper muscle functioning,

and controversial evidence suggests it may help prevent type 1

diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and many common cancers.

Vitamin D inadequacy has been reported in approximately 36% of

otherwise healthy young adults and up to 57% of general medicine

inpatients in the United States and in even higher percentages in

Europe. Recent epidemiological data document the high prevalence of

vitamin D inadequacy among elderly patients and especially among

patients with osteoporosis.

Factors such as low sunlight exposure, age-related decreases in

cutaneous synthesis, and diets low in vitamin D contribute to the

high prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy. Vitamin D production from

cutaneous synthesis or intake from the few vitamin D-rich or enriched

foods typically occurs only intermittently.

Supplemental doses of vitamin D and sensible sun exposure could

prevent deficiency in most of the general population. The purposes of

this article are to examine the prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy

and to review the potential implications for skeletal and

extraskeletal health.