The vitamin D deficiency pandemic: Approaches for diagnosis, treatment and prevention

Abstract

Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is a global health issue that afflicts more than one billion children and adults worldwide. The consequences of vitamin D deficiency cannot be under estimated. There has been an association of vitamin D deficiency with a myriad of acute and chronic illnesses including preeclampsia, childhood dental caries, periodontitis, autoimmune disorders, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease, deadly cancers, type 2 diabetes and neurological disorders. This review is to put into perspective the controversy surrounding the definition for vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency as well as providing guidance for how to treat and prevent vitamin D deficiency.

Keywords: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; Rickets; Sunlight; Vitamin D deficiency; Vitamin D insufficiency; Vitamin D toxicity; Vitamin D2; Vitamin D3.