Adrenal disorders: Is there Any role for vitamin D?

Abstract

An emerging branch of research is examining the linkage between Vitamin D and nonskeletal disorders, including endocrine diseases. In this regard, a still little studied aspect concerns the involvement of vitamin D in adrenal gland disorders. Adrenal gland disorders, which might be theoretically affected by vitamin D unbalance, include adrenal insufficiency, Cushing's syndrome, adrenocortical tumors and hyperaldosteronism. In this review, we provide an updated document, which tries to collect and discuss the limited evidence to be found in the literature about the relationship between vitamin D and adrenal disorders. We conclude that there is insufficient evidence proving a causal relationship between vitamin D levels and adrenal disorders. Evidence coming from cross-sectional clinical studies can hardly clarify what comes first between vitamin D unbalance and adrenal disease. On the other hand, longitudinal studies monitoring the levels of vitamin D in patients with adrenal disorders or, conversely, the possible development of adrenal pathologies in subjects affected by impaired vitamin D levels would be able to elucidate this still unclear issue.

Keywords: Adrenal gland disorders; Adrenal insufficiency; Adrenal tumors; Cushing’s syndrome; Hyperaldosteronism; Vitamin D.