title: Role of vitamin D in adults requiring nutrition support.
abstract: The major and most well-known function of vitamin D is to maintain calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and promote bone mineralization. However, recent evidence suggests that vitamin D may be important for a variety of nonskeletal outcomes. The review synthesizes the available evidence for the role of vitamin D in skeletal health as well as its novel roles in medical conditions such as muscle function, falls, immunity, glucose homeostasis, and cardiovascular diseases. The article reviews methods for assessing vitamin D status and suggests strategies to restore vitamin D status in patients requiring enteral or parenteral nutrition who are at particularly high risk of hypovitaminosis D. Screening for hypovitaminosis D with plasma total 25-hydroxyvitamin D should be a routine part of the care of the patient requiring enteral or parenteral nutrition. Restoration of optimal vitamin D status with high-dose supplemental vitamin D is required in most cases, whereas exposure to sunlight or an ultraviolet B radiation-emitting device is most effective in patients with severe malabsorption or those requiring long-term parenteral therapy. Given the emerging role of vitamin D for a variety of acute and chronic conditions, the optimal vitamin D status in acutely ill patients as well as in patients requiring long-term nutrition therapy warrants further investigation.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.
authors.forename: Anastassios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Pittas
authors.forename: Ursula
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Laskowski
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kos
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saltzman
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000328:Adult; D001842:Bone and Bones; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018529:Nutritional Support; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000502:physiology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D005947:Glucose