What is the best solution to manage vitamin D deficiency?

• Published in: IUBMB life Vol. 71; no. 9; p. 1190
• Main Authors: Khayyatzadeh, Sayyed Saeid, Bagherniya, Mohammad, Abdollahi, Zahra, Ferns, Gordon A, Ghayour-Mobarhan, Majid
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.09.2019
• Subjects: Dietary Supplements; Disease Management; Food, Fortified; Humans; Nutritional Status; Ultraviolet Rays; Vitamin D - analogs & derivatives; Vitamin D - blood; Vitamin D - metabolism; Vitamin D Deficiency - blood; Vitamin D Deficiency - diet therapy; Vitamin D Deficiency - pathology; milk; supplementation; oil; fortification; flour; vitamin D
• ISSN: 1521-6551
• DOI: 10.1002/iub.2038

Nowadays, vitamin D deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. In addition to the skeletal effects, it is now recognized that vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Currently, optimizing serum concentration of 25-hydroxy vitamin D with targeted strategies is becoming one the most interesting topics of public health nutrition. It is not possible for everyone to obtain sufficient serum concentrations of vitamin D by effective solar ultraviolet B exposure or usual dietary intake. Nutritional supplements and fortified foods as an available and cost-effective way to provide the recommended amount of vitamin D. Although, vitamin D supplementation is considered a good and simple short-term solution for vitamin D deficiency treatment; however, it seems that at a population level, food fortification, using staple foods, is the best method to increase vitamin D consumption and long-term treatment of vitamin D deficiency. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 71(9):1190-1191, 2019.