Vitamin D for Prevention of Disease

Vitamin D regulates bone homeostasis,1 and epidemiologic studies suggest that lower vitamin D levels may be associated with increased risk of RTIs, cardiovascular disease, malignancy, and metabolic disorders.2,3 Increased awareness of possible health benefits associated with higher 25(OH)D levels has resulted in widespread vitamin D testing and supplementation in the general US population. Nonetheless, there is no consensus on a threshold value below which people should be offered vitamin D supplementation.3,4 In 2021, the US Preventive Services Task Force reported that there was insufficient evidence to recommend routine screening of asymptomatic adults for vitamin D deficiency.4 Rates of marked vitamin D deficiency (25[OH]D ≤12 ng/mL) vary by race and ethnicity, with higher rates in non-Hispanic Asian (8%), non-Hispanic Black (18%), and Hispanic (6%) people compared with non-Hispanic White people (2%).3