A new evidence-based review identifies three critical takeaways for clinicians and the public regarding vitamin D deficiency. First, vitamin D directly causes rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults through its role in calcium homeostasis. Second, deficiency impairs immune regulation, increasing both autoimmune disease risk and susceptibility to infections. Third, prevention through safe sun exposure combined with dietary sources offers a practical, balanced approach without requiring high-risk sun exposure.
The Charoenngam and Holick review emphasizes that vitamin D’s protective mechanisms span multiple organ systems. Rather than relying solely on sun exposure, which carries skin cancer risks, individuals can optimize status through fortified foods, dietary supplements when appropriate, and moderate, safe sun practices. For patients with chronic autoimmune or metabolic diseases, vitamin D monitoring becomes particularly important given the bidirectional disease relationship documented in the literature.
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