A Dermatologist's Perspective on Vitamin D - Mayo Clinic April 2012

Mayo Clin Proc. 2012;87(4):372-380
Veena Vanchinathan, MD, and Henry W. Lim, MD

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble steroid hormone that is crucial for human health and has recently generated controversy regarding its role in human health and disease. In this Special Article, we discuss our dermatologic perspective on vitamin D in a question-and-answer format. We discuss methods of obtaining vitamin D, including cutaneous photobiosynthesis, diet, and supplements and include the recent US Institute of Medicine recommendations.

Other reviewed
topics include the associations among skin pigmentation, climate, photoprotection, and vitamin D levels. We also elaborate on the popular interest in sun exposure as a method of normalizing vitamin D levels in the context of the risks of solar and arti?cial radiation. We also discuss groups at risk for vitamin D inadequacy, the need for testing serum vitamin D levels, and the role of phototherapy in patients with malabsorption conditions and hypervitaminosis D, with a focus on patients with sarcoidosis. Finally, we summarize our recommendations on vitamin D.

Author's view of strength of evidence

PDF is attached at the bottom of this page

See also Vitamin D Life

• Dermatologists use sun block, stay indoors, and have low vitamin D (Thai in this study) – Dec 2018
• Sunlight Vitamin D and Skin Cancer – Jan 2013
• Hypothesis: vitamin D suppresses skin cancer – Sept 2012
• Overview Suntans melanoma and vitamin D
• All items in Skin Cancer and Vitamin D 110 items
• Calcium with vitamin D decreased risk of subsequent skin cancer by 2X – June 2011
• Perhaps 28-40 ng of vitamin D would be good for Melanoma patients – Feb 2011
• Native American Indians mostly died of skin cancer
  • What? You never heard that? Right! Because it didn't happen.
• New Zealand doctors are starting to prescribe more sunshine – Aug 2012
• A Dermatologist’s Perspective on Vitamin D - Mayo Clinic April 2012
  Evidence is not very strong
• Use of tanning beds would reduce associated deaths by 10X – Oct 2011
• UV Radiation and the Skin June 2013