Focus on vitamin D and the adrenal gland.
The main role of vitamin D is to maintain calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, thus preserving bone health. However, recent evidences have demonstrated that vitamin D may also play a role in a variety of nonskeletal disorders such as endocrine diseases and in particular type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, adrenal diseases, and the polycystic ovary syndrome. Despite controversial results on an association of low vitamin D levels with cortisol and aldosterone overproduction, encouraging in vitro findings have been reported on vitamin D effects in adrenocortical cancer cells. The focus of this review is the role of vitamin D in adrenal diseases and the results of vitamin D supplementation studies in patients. Although many studies support a beneficial role of vitamin D in adrenal disease, randomized controlled trials and mechanistic studies are required to provide more insight into the efficacy and safety of vitamin D as a therapeutic tool.
Department of Clinical Medicine and Surgery, Section of Endocrinology, University "Federico II", Naples, Italy.
G
G
Muscogiuri
Institute of Medical Pathology, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolic Disease, Catholic University, Rome, Italy.
B
B
Altieri
Division of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Department of Medicine 1, Center of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
M
M
Penna-Martinez
Division of Endocrinology & Diabetes, Department of Medicine 1, Center of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Goethe-University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
K
K
Badenhoop
D000224:Addison Disease / Q000235:genetics; D000306:Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002467:Cell Nucleus; D003480:Cushing Syndrome; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism; D008297:Male; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency
D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D014807:Vitamin D