title: Mechanisms in endocrinology: vitamin D as a potential contributor in endocrine health and disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been suggested that vitamin D may play a role in the pathogenesis of several endocrine diseases, such as hyperparathyroidism, type 1 diabetes (T1DM), type 2 diabetes (T2DM), autoimmune thyroid diseases, Addison's disease and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). In this review, we debate the role of vitamin D in the pathogenesis of endocrine diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Narrative overview of the literature synthesizing the current evidence retrieved from searches of computerized databases, hand searches and authoritative texts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evidence from basic science supports a role for vitamin D in many endocrine conditions. In humans, inverse relationships have been reported not only between blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone concentrations but also with risk of T1DM, T2DM, and PCOS. There is less evidence for an association with Addison's disease or autoimmune thyroid disease. Vitamin D supplementation may have a role for prevention of T2DM, but the available evidence is not consistent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although observational studies support a potential role of vitamin D in endocrine disease, high quality evidence from clinical trials does not exist to establish a place for vitamin D supplementation in optimizing endocrine health. Ongoing randomized controlled trials are expected to provide insights into the efficacy and safety of vitamin D in the management of endocrine disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada giovanna.muscogiuri@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Muscogiuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mitri
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mathieu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Badenhoop
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Gonca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tamer
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Orio
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mezza
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, CanadaDepartment of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Reinhold
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vieth
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colao
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine and SurgeryUniversity 'Federico II' Naples, Via Sergio Pansini, 5-80131 Napoli, ItalyDivision of EndocrinologyDiabetes and Metabolism, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USADepartment of EndocrinologyUZ Gasthuisberg, 3000 Leuven, BelgiumDivision Endocrinology and DiabetologyDepartment of Medicine 1, University Hospital of the Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, GermanyDivision of Endocrinology and MetabolismDepartment of Internal Medicine, Goztepe Training and Research Hospital, Medeniyet University, Istanbul, TurkeyEndocrinologyUniversity 'Parthenope' Naples, Naples, ItalyEndocrinology of Fertile AgeUniversity Hospital 'S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona' Salerno, ItalyEndocrinology and Metabolic DiseasesUniversità Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, ItalyDepartments of Nutritional SciencesLaboratory Medicine and PathobiologyUniversity of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Anastassios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pittas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004700:Endocrine System Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004704:Endocrinology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D006961:Hyperparathyroidism / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D