University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesvill, VA, USA. richardedlich@gmail.com
It is the purpose of this comprehensive report to outline a revolutionary strategy to prevent vitamin D deficiency in our nation. Vitamin D is a unique vitamin. Its metabolic product, calcitriol, is a profound secosteroid hormone that has impact on over 1000 genes in the human body. Recent clinical research has implicated vitamin D deficiency as a major factor in the etiology of rickets, a wide variety of cancers, as well as hypertension, stroke, heart attack, diabetes, bone fractures, periodontal disease, and even multiple sclerosis. There are two forms of vitamin D utilized in the human body: D2 and D3. Measurement of 25(OH)D is the most reliable method of detecting vitamin D deficiency. Several methods, including high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), chemoluminescence, and radioimmunoassay (RIA), have been developed for the measurement of total 25(OH)D levels. Prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency is accomplished by regulated sun exposure as well as vitamin D, supplementation. This information describing our plan to prevent vitamin D deficiency in the patients and employees of Legacy Health System is a landmark accomplishment that should be replicated in every healthcare setting in our country to prevent vitamin D deficiency.