title: Vitamin D effects on musculoskeletal health, immunity, autoimmunity, cardiovascular disease, cancer, fertility, pregnancy, dementia and mortality-a review of recent evidence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Optimal vitamin D intake and its status are important not only for bone and calcium-phosphate metabolism, but also for overall health and well-being. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency as a global health problem are likely to be a risk for wide spectrum of acute and chronic illnesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and other evidence of vitamin D action on various health outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adequate vitamin D status seems to be protective against musculoskeletal disorders (muscle weakness, falls, fractures), infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, several types of cancer, neurocognitive dysfunction and mental illness, and other diseases, as well as infertility and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes. Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is associated with all-cause mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adequate vitamin D supplementation and sensible sunlight exposure to reach optimal vitamin D status are among the front line factors of prophylaxis for the spectrum of disorders. Supplementation guidance and population strategies for the eradication of vitamin D deficiency must be included in the priorities of physicians, medical professionals and healthcare policy-makers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Radioimmunology and Experimental Medicine, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland. p.pludowski@czd.pl
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pludowski
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Holick
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pilz
authors.forename: Carol L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Bruce W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Hollis
authors.forename: William B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: Yehuda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shoenfeld
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lerchbaum
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Llewellyn
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kienreich
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soni
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D014943:Global Health; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D014815:Vitamins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D014815:Vitamins; D014807:Vitamin D; D002118:Calcium
keywords: 25(OH)D level; Autoimmunity; Cancer; Cardiovascular; Dementia; Falls; Fertility; Fractures; Immunity; Infancy; Infections; Mortality; Pregnancy; Vitamin D