Vitamin D deficiency in selected diseases

Vitamin D is a pleiotropic hormone important for the proper functioning of multi-organ systems. Vitamin D deficiency is very common and is associated with a variety of chronic conditions in the general population. So far, the best documented association with vitamin D deficiency is the occurrence of skeletal diseases, e.g. rickets in children and infants. However, there are data suggesting that vitamin D deficiency also increases the risk of many other diseases, such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and various types of cancer. This review aims to summarize the current knowledge base on vitamin D deficiency in various diseases