Vitamin D may help reduce the progression of disease

Vitamin D, also known as the “sunshine vitamin,” because the sun helps the body produce it when we’re exposed to it, has always been thought of as a nutrient that helps maintain the balance of calcium levels in our bodies.

New guidelines published by the Endocrine Society in the June 2024 issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism suggest vitamin D supplementation may also help reduce the progression of disease in certain groups of the population and prevent adverse outcomes during pregnancy.

According to the Endocrine Society, the goal was to develop guidelines for taking vitamin D (cholecalciferol [vitamin D3] or ergocalciferol [vitamin D2) and lowering the risk of disease in individuals in the absence of established indications for vitamin D treatment or what it referred to as “25 (OH) D testing”.

“A group of experts at the Endocrine Society felt there was a need to put together a guideline to address some critical questions about Vitamin D supplementation,” said Nathaniel Clark, MD, a Cape Cod Healthcare endocrinologist. “The questions included should people take supplemental Vitamin D and, if they do, should they have blood tests to check their levels to see if they need to take it and, if they already are, should they be tested while taking it?”

The panel concluded, after reviewing various studies and trials, that those under the age of 75 should take daily vitamin D supplementation doses set by the IOM (Institute of Medicine) and that there is no evidence to support the need for testing to check their vitamin D levels.

Others May Benefit

While the panel of experts made the above recommendations for healthy individuals under the age of 75, they also recommended the following populations may benefit from Vitamin D supplementation above the recommended doses set by the IOM (Institutes of Medicine):

• Children and adolescents 18 years and younger: There is a potential to prevent nutritional rickets and reduce the chance of respiratory infections.
• Adults 75 and older: The panel recommended empiric vitamin D, which includes daily intake of fortified foods, vitamins that contain vitamin D, and/or daily intake of a Vitamin D supplement to lower mortality risk.
• Pregnant people: The panel recommended empiric vitamin D supplementation with the potential to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia, intra-uterine mortality, preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age birth and neonatal mortality.
• Adults with high-risk prediabetes: In addition to lifestyle changes, the panel recommended empiric vitamin D to reduce the risk of pre-diabetes progressing to diabetes.

“It’s a very distinguished group of outstanding scientists and clinicians, so I think one has to take their word for it,” said Dr. Clark. “If they say that vitamin D given to young children helps with respiratory illness, and if giving it to healthy pregnant women will prevent pre-eclampsia, intra-uterine mortality, preterm birth, small-for-gestational-age birth, neonatal mortality and reduce the risk of mortality for those over 75 and reduce the risk of high-risk pre-diabetics advancing to diabetes, then there must be evidence for that.”

The Endocrine Society’s updated guidelines do not include the recommended dosage of Vitamin D that the above groups should take to lessen their risk of disease.

“Since Vitamin D dosages aren’t included in the Society’s guidelines, I recommend people consult with their physicians to determine the proper dosages of Vitamin D they should take,” said Dr. Clark.