Vitamin D and the skin: what should a dermatologist know?

Abstract

Although first discovered in 1931, vitamin D has seen an increased interest in the scientific community over the past decades, including the dermatology field. Vitamin D promotes calcium and phosphorus absorption; however, the actions of vitamin D are not confined to bone. Indeed, there is now overwhelming and compelling scientific data that vitamin D plays a crucial role in a plethora of cellular function and in extra-skeletal health. Except for fatty fish livers, very few foods naturally contain vitamin D; and the major source of vitamin D comes from skin exposure to sunlight via ultraviolet B. Keratinocytes are unique in the body as not only do they provide the primary source of vitamin D for the body, but they also possess both the enzymatic machinery to metabolize the vitamin D produced to active metabolites. This has been referred to as the photoendocrine vitamin D system. Vitamin D regulates keratinocytes proliferation and differentiation; and plays a role in the defense against opportunistic infections. Multiple factors are linked to vitamin D status; and a growing number of dermatologic diseases has been linked to vitamin D status such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, vitiligo, and cutaneous cancers. In this article, we reviewed the potential determinants of vitamin D status, as its implications in dermatologic diseases.

• Authors: Christina Bergqvist, Khaled Ezzedine
• Journal: Giornale italiano di dermatologia e venereologia : organo ufficiale, Societa italiana di dermatologia e sifilografia (G Ital Dermatol Venereol) Vol. 154 Issue 6 Pg. 669-680 (Dec 2019) ISSN: 1827-1820 [Electronic] Italy
• PMID: 31302984 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Vitamin D

Topics

• Animals
• Cell Differentiation (physiology)
• Cell Proliferation (physiology)
• Humans
• Keratinocytes (metabolism)
• Skin (metabolism, physiopathology)
• Skin Diseases (physiopathology)
• Sunlight
• Vitamin D (metabolism)