MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Current vitamin D status in European and Middle East countries and strategies to prevent vitamin D deficiency; a position statement of the European Calcified Tissue Society.

MANAGEMENT OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Current vitamin D status in European and Middle East countries and strategies to prevent vitamin D deficiency; a position statement of the European Calcified Tissue Society. Eur J Endocrinol. 2019 Feb 01;: Authors: Lips P, Cashman KD, Lamberg-Allardt C, Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Obermayer-Pietsch BR, Bianchi M, Stepan J, El-Hajj Fuleihan G, Bouillon R Abstract Vitamin D deficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) < 50 nmol/l or 20 ng/ml), is common in Europe and the Middle East. It occurs in < 20 % of the population in Northern Europe, in 30-60% in Western, Southern and Eastern Europe and up to 80 % in Middle East countries. Severe deficiency (serum 25(OH)D < 30 nmol/l or 12 ng/ml) is found in > 10 % of Europeans. The ECTS advises that the measurement of serum 25(OH)D be standardized e.g. by the Vitamin D Standardization Program. Risk groups include young children, adolescents, pregnant women, older people, especially the institutionalized, and non-western immigrants. Consequences of vitamin D deficiency include mineralization defects and lower bone mineral density causing fractures. Extra-skeletal consequences may be muscle weakness, falls and acute respiratory infection, and are the subject of large ongoing clinical trials. The ECTS advises to improve vitamin D status by food fortification and the use of vitamin D supplements in risk groups. Fortification of foods by adding vitamin D to d...
Source: European Journal of Endocrinology - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Tags: Eur J Endocrinol Source Type: research