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Vitamin D: a d-lightful solution for health
Holick MF.. Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research, 2011-08-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Throughout evolution, sunlight-produced vitamin D in the skin has been critically important for health. Vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin, is actually a hormone. Once it is produced in the skin or ingested from the diet, it is converted sequentially in the liver and kidneys to its biologically active form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. This hormone interacts with its receptor in the small intestine to increase the efficiency of intestinal calcium and phosphate absorption for the maintenance of the skeleton throughout life. Vitamin D deficiency during the first few years of life results in a flattened pelvis, making it difficult for childbirth. Vitamin D deficiency causes osteopenia and osteoporosis, increasing risk of fracture. Essentially, every tissue and cell in the body has a vitamin D receptor. Therefore, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk for preeclampsia, requiring a cesarean section for birthing, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, types I and II diabetes, heart disease, dementia, deadly cancers, and infectious diseases. Therefore, sensible sun exposure along with vitamin D supplementation of at least 2000 IU/d for adults and 1000 IU/d for children is essential to maximize their health.
Key findings
- Vitamin D deficiency during the first few years of life results in a flattened pelvis, making it difficult for childbirth.
- Therefore, vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk for preeclampsia, requiring a cesarean section for birthing, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, types I and II diabetes, heart disease, dementia, deadly cancers, and infectious diseases.
Why it matters
This review states that vitamin D deficiency has been linked to increased risk for many conditions including dementia, and recommends sensible sun exposure and vitamin D supplementation for adults and children. It does not show that vitamin D supplementation prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Journal of Investigative Medicine: journal h-index 88 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 262 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 15.4 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 48 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Michael F. Holick: h-index 151 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Boston University: institution h-index 1,456 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21415774) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.2310/jim.0b013e318214ea2d
- PubMed: 21415774
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Holick, M. F. (2011). Vitamin D: a d-lightful solution for health. Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research. https://doi.org/10.2310/jim.0b013e318214ea2d
Vancouver
Holick MF. Vitamin D: a d-lightful solution for health. Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research. 2011. doi:10.2310/jim.0b013e318214ea2d. PMID: 21415774.
BibTeX
@article{holick2011-21415774,
author = {Holick, M. F.},
title = {{Vitamin D: a d-lightful solution for health}},
journal = {Journal of investigative medicine : the official publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.2310/jim.0b013e318214ea2d},
pmid = {21415774},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2310/jim.0b013e318214ea2d}
}
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