Vitamin D deficiency 2.0: an update on the current status worldwide

ABSTRACT Vitamin D is critically important to numerous physiologic functions, including bone health. Poor vitamin D status is a common but underrecognized problem that predisposes the military population to stress fracture and completed fracture. This has significant implications for force health protection, warfighter readiness, attrition, and cost. Despite this, vitamin D deficiency is still underdiagnosed and undertreated in the military. This is a major hindrance to military readiness and one that could easily be modified with awareness, prevention, and early treatment. In this commentary, we review the literature on vitamin D deficiency and critically examine the current status of policies and clinical practice related to vitamin D in the military health system. We offer several practical recommendations to increase awareness and readiness while decreasing musculoskeletal injury and the associated costs.

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Potential role of hypovitaminosis D and vitamin D supplementation during COVID-19 pandemic

QJM ◽

10.1093/qjmed/hcaa234 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M Verdoia ◽

G De Luca

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Vitamin D Deficiency ◽

Broad Spectrum ◽

Potential Role ◽

Hypovitaminosis D ◽

Mechanisms Of Action ◽

Vitamin D Supplementation ◽

Current Status ◽

Special Focus

Summary Vitamin D deficiency is a pandemic disorder affecting over 1 billion of subjects worldwide and displaying a broad spectrum of implications on cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders. Since the initial reports of the association between hypovitaminosis D and COVID-19, Vitamin D has been pointed as a potentially interesting treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection. We provide an overview on the current status of vitamin D deficiency, the mechanisms of action of vitamin D and the current literature on the topic, with a special focus on the potential implications for COVID-19 pandemic.

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Vitamin D deficiency and associated factors in south Korean childbearing women: a cross-sectional study

BMC Nursing ◽

10.1186/s12912-021-00737-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yanghee Pang ◽

Oksoo Kim ◽

Jung-Ah Choi ◽

Heeja Jung ◽

Jui Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Vitamin D Deficiency ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Current Status ◽

Childbearing Age ◽

South Korean ◽

Multivariable Logistic Regression ◽

Vitamin D Levels

Abstract Background Adequate levels of vitamin D are important for women of childbearing age as vitamin D helps maintain the pregnancy and ensures proper maternal and fetal bone metabolism and fetal skeletal development. However, vitamin D deficiency is a health problem prevalent in women of all ages, worldwide. This study aimed to determine the current status of serum vitamin D levels and the risk factors for vitamin D deficiency among South Korean nurses of childbearing age. Methods Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) were measured in 1594 registered nurses aged 20 to 45 years who are participants in an ongoing prospective cohort study of the Korean Nurses’ Health Study initiated in 2013. The participants completed surveys about demographic and occupational characteristics and physical and psychological health. We examined associations with vitamin D deficiency through multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results The average blood 25(OH) D concentration of the participants was 12.92 ng/mL (4.0–63.4 ng/mL), while the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (< 20 ng/mL) was 89% (1419/1594). Multivariable logistic regression showed that significant risk factors for vitamin D deficiency included month of sampling (there was a lower level of vitamin D deficiency in winter than in spring, summer, or fall), age (women in their 20s had a lower vitamin D level than those in their 30s and 40s), and stress symptoms. Vitamin D levels were not associated with body mass index, physical activity, and depressive symptoms. Conclusions This study showed a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in Korean female nurses. Serum levels of vitamin D were associated with age and season. Vitamin D deficiency should be recognized as one of the primary health concerns among young women. More proactive actions, such as vitamin D supplements and food fortification, are needed to improve vitamin D deficiency in high-risk groups.

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