title: Addressing vitamin D deficiency in Canada: a public health innovation whose time has come.
abstract: There is disturbing evidence of widespread vitamin D deficiency in many population groups, particularly within nations at high latitude. Numerous recent studies in the scientific literature associate vitamin D deficiency with a colossal increase in morbidity and mortality. Since Canada is at higher latitude, this review assesses the vitamin D status within the Canadian population. This review was prepared by assessing available medical and scientific literature from Medline, as well as by reviewing several books and conference proceedings. A standard 25(OH)D level of 75-80nmol/l or more was used to indicate vitamin D sufficiency. Between 70% and 97% of Canadians demonstrate vitamin D insufficiency. Furthermore, studies assessing 25(OH)D levels of vitamin D at 25-40nmol/l reveal that many Canadians have profoundly deficient levels. Repletion of vitamin D3 with 2000IU/day for those not receiving judicious sun exposure and those with no contra-indications would likely achieve normalized levels in more than 93% of patients, without risk of toxicity. Explicit directives regarding vitamin D assessment and management are urgently required.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, 301, 9509-156 Street, Edmonton, Alberta T5P 4J5, Canada. schwalfe@ualberta.ca
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Schwalfenberg
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Genuis
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Hiltz
mesh_terms: D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D