title: Novel roles of vitamin D in disease: what is new in 2011?
abstract: Vitamin D is a steroid molecule, mainly produced in the skin that regulates the expression of a large number of genes. Until recently its main known role was to control bone metabolism and calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. During the last 2 decades it has been realized that vitamin D deficiency, which is really common worldwide, could be a new risk factor for many chronic diseases, such as the metabolic syndrome and its components, the whole spectrum of cardiovascular diseases, several auto-immune conditions, and many types of cancer as well as all-cause mortality. Except for the great number of epidemiological studies that support the above presumptions, vitamin D receptors (VDRs) have been identified in many tissues and cells. The effect of vitamin D supplementation remains controversial and the need for more persuasive study outcomes is intense.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. makarioustefania@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makariou
authors.forename: Evangelos N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Liberopoulos
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elisaf
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Challa
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D006801:Humans; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D