Vitamin D: Testing and supplementation in adults. Issue 11 (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: MacRae, Clare; Pearson-Stuttard, Ben; Ralston, Stuart H
• Is Part Of: InnovAiT. Volume 13:Issue 11(2020)
• Page Start: 661
• Page End: 668
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: Family medicine -- Periodicals; Physicians (General practice) -- Training of -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; 610
• DOI: 10.1177/1755738020949568
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1755-7380

Abstract

Vitamin D is essential for the maintenance of musculoskeletal health through the regulation of calcium and phosphate homeostasis. Severe prolonged deficiency of vitamin D can lead to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Both conditions are now rare in the UK, except in high-risk groups such as those with malabsorption and reduced exposure to sunlight. A much more common situation is 'biochemical' vitamin D deficiency, where circulating 25(OH)D concentrations fall below pre-defined thresholds in the absence of osteomalacia or rickets, making vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency very common in the UK particularly during the winter months and early spring. Biochemical vitamin D deficiency has been associated with various non-skeletal disorders, but it seems likely that the low vitamin D levels in these situations are the result of the underlying condition, rather than the cause.