Abstract
Adequate vitamin D status is necessary and beneficial for health, although deficiency
plagues much of the world's population. In addition to reducing the risk for bone
disease, vitamin D plays a role in reduction of falls, as well as decreases in pain,
autoimmune diseases, cancer, heart disease, mortality, and cognitive function. On
the basis of this emerging understanding, improving patients' vitamin D status has
become an essential aspect of primary care. Although some have suggested increased
sun exposure to increase serum vitamin D levels, this has the potential to induce
photoaging and skin cancer, especially in patients at risk for these conditions. Vitamin
D deficiency and insufficiency can be both corrected and prevented safely through
supplementation.
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Article Info
Footnotes
Funding: None.
Conflict of Interest: None of the authors have any conflicts of interest associated with the work presented in this manuscript.
Authorship: All authors had access to the data and played a role in writing this manuscript.
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