Vitamin D – That Bright thing in the Sky

Foundational Texts on Vitamin D Biology

Holick, M. F. (2003). “Vitamin D: A millennial perspective.” Journal of Cellular Biochemistry, 88(2), 296–307.
Reviews vitamin D’s synthesis, metabolic pathways, and crucial roles in maintaining systemic health, highlighting its evolutionary significance and broad physiological functions.

Gropper, S. S., Smith, J. L., & Carr, T. P. (2016). Advanced Nutrition and Human Metabolism. Cengage Learning.
Explores vitamin D’s roles in calcium metabolism, immune regulation, and gene expression.

Bikle, D. D. (2014). “Vitamin D metabolism, mechanism of action, and clinical applications.” Chemistry & Biology, 21(3), 319–329.
Discusses the molecular mechanisms underlying vitamin D metabolism and activation, emphasising its broad biological roles in human health and disease prevention.

Vitamin D Synthesis and Metabolism

Holick, M. F. (2007). “Vitamin D deficiency.” The New England Journal of Medicine, 357(3), 266–281.
Explores the pathways of vitamin D synthesis from sunlight and dietary sources, highlighting the systemic consequences and clinical implications of vitamin D deficiency.

DeLuca, H. F. (2004). “Overview of general physiologic features and functions of vitamin D.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80(6 Suppl), 1689S–1696S.
Provides an overview of vitamin D metabolism, detailing its critical role in maintaining calcium homeostasis and systemic physiological health.

Jones, G. (2008). “Pharmacokinetics of vitamin D toxicity.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 88(2), 582S–586S.
Examines the metabolic processes regulating vitamin D, highlighting the risks and physiological consequences associated with excessive intake and toxicity.

Evolutionary Perspective of Vitamin D

Jablonski, N. G., & Chaplin, G. (2010). “Human skin pigmentation as an adaptation to UV radiation.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(Supplement 2), 8962–8968.
Explores the evolutionary relationship between human skin pigmentation and ultraviolet radiation exposure, highlighting its role in regulating vitamin D synthesis.

Eaton, S. B., & Konner, M. (1985). “Paleolithic nutrition: A consideration of its nature and current implications.” The New England Journal of Medicine, 312(5), 283–289.
Examines ancestral dietary and lifestyle patterns, highlighting natural vitamin D acquisition through regular sunlight exposure and contrasting this with modern deficiencies.

Chaplin, G. (2004). “Geographic distribution of environmental factors influencing human skin coloration.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 125(3), 292–302.
Examines how geographic variations in UV radiation influenced human skin pigmentation, impacting vitamin D synthesis and shaping evolutionary migration patterns.

Vitamin D and Bone Health

Holick, M. F., & Chen, T. C. (2008). “Vitamin D deficiency: A worldwide problem with health consequences.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 87(4), 1080S–1086S.
Examines global vitamin D deficiency, highlighting its critical role in bone health, calcium metabolism, and its broader systemic health implications, including rickets and osteoporosis.

Weaver, C. M., & Heaney, R. P. (2006). “Calcium and vitamin D: Synergistic roles in skeletal health.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 84(1), 18–28.
Discusses the synergistic roles of calcium and vitamin D in maintaining bone mineral density and overall skeletal integrity.

Lanou, A. J. & Castleman, M. (2009). Building Bone Vitality: A Revolutionary Diet Plan to Prevent Bone Loss and Reverse Osteoporosis. McGraw Hill Professional.
Highlights the importance of vitamin D in maintaining skeletal health and preventing fractures.

Vitamin D and Immune Function

Martineau, A. R., Jolliffe, D. A., Hooper, R. L., et al. (2017). “Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: Systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data.” BMJ, 356, i6583.
Examines the role of vitamin D supplementation in reducing the risk of respiratory infections, highlighting its immunomodulatory effects and systemic health benefits.

Aranow, C. (2011). “Vitamin D and the immune system.” Journal of Investigative Medicine, 59(6), 881–886.
Explores the critical roles of vitamin D in modulating both innate and adaptive immunity, highlighting its systemic impact on immune function and health outcomes.

Bikle, D. D. (2020). “Vitamin D regulation of immune function.” Current Osteoporosis Reports, 18(3), 210–217.
Discusses vitamin D’s role in immune regulation, emphasising its importance in reducing inflammation and the risk of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Vitamin D Deficiency and Modern Health

Holick, M. F. (2007). “Vitamin D deficiency.” The New England Journal of Medicine, 357(3), 266–281.
Examines the global prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, highlighting its systemic health impacts, including impaired immunity, bone disorders, and increased chronic disease risks.

Cashman, K. D., Dowling, K. G., Škrabáková, Z., et al. (2016). “Vitamin D deficiency in Europe: pandemic?” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 103(4), 1033–1044.
Examines the widespread vitamin D deficiency across Europe, highlighting dietary, environmental, and lifestyle factors contributing to inadequate vitamin D synthesis and systemic health impacts.

Misra, M., Pacaud, D., Petryk, A., Collett-Solberg, P. F., & Kappy, M. (2008). “Vitamin D deficiency in children and its management: Review of current knowledge and recommendations.” Pediatrics, 122(2), 398–417.
Discusses the implications and management of vitamin D deficiency in paediatric populations, emphasising its effects on bone health, growth, and overall childhood development.

Sources of Vitamin D: Food and Sunlight

Holick, M. F. (2004). “Sunlight and vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 80(6 Suppl), 1678S–1688S.
Examines sunlight as a primary and natural source of vitamin D, highlighting its critical role in bone health, immune regulation, and protection against chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Lanou, A. J., & Castleman, M. (2009). Building Bone Vitality: A Revolutionary Diet Plan to Prevent Bone Loss and Reverse Osteoporosis—Without Dairy Foods, Calcium, Estrogen, or Drugs. McGraw-Hill Education.
Explores plant-based dietary strategies for obtaining vitamin D, calcium, and other nutrients crucial to bone health, offering effective alternatives to fortified foods and animal-based sources.

Vitamin D Supplementation and Toxicity

Heaney, R. P. (2003). “Long-latency deficiency disease: Insights from calcium and vitamin D.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 78(5), 912–919.
Evaluates the long-term consequences of vitamin D deficiency, detailing the systemic importance of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels and calcium balance to prevent chronic diseases.

Vieth, R. (1999). “Vitamin D supplementation, 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, and safety.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 69(5), 842–856.
Discusses safe upper limits for vitamin D supplementation, examining optimal blood concentrations and outlining the risks associated with vitamin D toxicity.

Jones, G. (2008). “Pharmacokinetics of vitamin D toxicity.” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 88(2), 582S–586S.
Examines the mechanisms underlying vitamin D toxicity, highlighting the importance of careful supplementation to avoid metabolic imbalances and associated health risks.

Environmental and Ethical Considerations

Poore, J., & Nemecek, T. (2018). “Reducing food’s environmental impacts through producers and consumers.” Science, 360(6392), 987–992.
Advocates for environmentally sustainable nutritional practices, emphasising plant-based and sunlight-derived alternatives for vitamin D acquisition over animal-derived sources.

Willett, W., Rockström, J., Loken, B., et al. (2019). “Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems.” The Lancet, 393(10170), 447–492.
Evaluates the sustainability implications of animal products for obtaining Vitamin D, advocating dietary transitions towards environmentally beneficial plant-based and sunlight-derived vitamin D sources.