Vitamin D has the pleiotropic effects in multiple organ systems, and vitamin D deficiency was suggested to be associated with high blood pressure according to previous reports. Several interventional studies have examined the effect of vitamin D supplementation on high blood pressure patients, but the results have been inconsistent. In this article, we examined the literature that have proposed a mechanism involving vitamin D in the regulation of blood pressure and review previous observational and interventional studies that have shown the relationship between vitamin D and hypertension among various populations.
Blood Pressure ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Physiology ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; Vitamin D* ; Vitamins*

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder, with multiple genetic and environmental risk factors. The interplay between genetic and environmental factors has become the subject of intensified research in the last several years. Vitamin D deficiency has recently been proposed as a possible environmental risk factor for ASD. Vitamin D has a unique role in brain homeostasis, embryogenesis and neurodevelopment, immunological modulation (including the brain's immune system), antioxidation, antiapoptosis, neural differentiation and gene regulation. Children with ASD had significantly lower serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D than healthy children.Therefore vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy and early childhood may be an environmental trigger for ASD.
Child Development Disorders, Pervasive ; etiology ; genetics ; Embryonic Development ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Vitamin D ; physiology ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; complications

The clinical significance of sarcopenia and osteoporosis has increased with the increase in the population of older people. Sarcopenia is defined by decreased muscle mass and impaired muscle function, which is related to osteoporosis independently and dependently. Numerous lines of clinical evidence suggest that lean body mass is positively related to bone mass, which leads to reduced fracture risk. Genetic, endocrine and mechanical factors affect both muscle and bone simultaneously. Vitamin D, the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor I axis and testosterone are physiologically and pathologically important as endocrine factors. These findings suggest the presence of interactions between muscle and bone, which might be very important for understanding the physiology and pathophysiology of sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Muscle/bone relationships include two factors: local control of muscle to bone and systemic humoral interactions between muscle and bone. As a putative local inducer of muscle ossification, we found Tmem119, a parathyroid hormone-responsive osteoblast differentiation factor. Moreover, osteoglycin might be one of the muscle-derived humoral bone anabolic factors. This issue may be important for the development of novel drugs and biomarkers for osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Further research will be necessary to clarify the details of the linkage of muscle and bone.
Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Biomarkers ; Bone and Bones ; Fibrinogen ; Muscles* ; Osteoblasts ; Osteoporosis ; Physiology ; Sarcopenia ; Testosterone ; Vitamin D

Cardiovascular Diseases ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; metabolism ; Kidney Diseases ; metabolism ; Neoplasms ; Vitamin D ; pharmacology ; physiology

Hypoparathyroidism (HypoPT) is characterized by low serum calcium levels caused by an insufficient secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Despite normalization of serum calcium levels by treatment with activated vitamin D analogues and calcium supplementation, patients are suffering from impaired quality of life (QoL) and are at increased risk of a number of comorbidities. Thus, despite normalization of calcium levels in response to conventional therapy, this should only be considered as an apparent normalization, as patients are suffering from a number of complications and calcium-phosphate homeostasis is not normalized in a physiological manner. In a number of recent studies, replacement therapy with recombinant human PTH (rhPTH(1-84)) as well as therapy with the N-terminal PTH fragment (rhPTH(1-34)) have been investigated. Both drugs have been shown to normalize serum calcium while reducing needs for activated vitamin D and calcium supplements. However, once a day injections cause large fluctuations in serum calcium. Twice a day injections diminish fluctuations, but don't restore the normal physiology of calcium homeostasis. Recent studies using pump-delivery have shown promising results on maintaining normocalcemia with minimal fluctuations in calcium levels. Further studies are needed to determine whether this may improve QoL and lower risk of complications. Such data are needed before replacement with the missing hormone can be recommended as standard therapy.
Calcium ; Comorbidity ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hypoparathyroidism* ; Parathyroid Hormone* ; Physiology ; Quality of Life ; Vitamin D

Recent studies suggest that vitamin D is related to allergic rhinitis (AR). In this review, we first discuss the physiology and metabolism of vitamin D, then we review the function of vitamin D in the immune system, and above all, we highlight the current research regarding the role of vitamin D in AR. Finally, we find that there are both experimental and clinical studies showing that vitamin D is associated with AR, although the results are not consistent and even conflicting. Evidences from those clinical studies show a slightly tendency that serum vitamin D level might be inversely associated with the risk of AR. Meanwhile, it seems that gender and age may influence the relationship between vitamin D and AR. However, because of the heterogeneity in defining AR, differences in study design and so on, all these findings need to be confirmed by further studies. Additional clinical studies as well as experimental research are needed to better understand how vitamin D influences AR.
Hypersensitivity ; Immune System ; Metabolism ; Physiology ; Population Characteristics ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Vitamin D ; Vitamins

Vitamin D plays an important role in mineral and bone homeostasis, immune responses, cardiovascular function and keratinocyte proliferation and differentiation. Vitamin D performs most of its functions by binding to vitamin D receptors (VDR), which interact with other intracellular signaling pathways to regulate bone metabolism, inflammation, immunity, cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Autophagy is a basic stress response in yeast, plants and mammals, and plays a critical role in maintaining optimal functional states at the level of cells and organs. Vitamin D/VDR plays an anti-infection role via inducing and regulating autophagy.
Animals ; Autophagy ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Mammals/metabolism* ; Receptors, Calcitriol/metabolism* ; Vitamin D/physiology* ; Vitamins

Brain ; physiology ; Child ; Dyssomnias ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Humans ; Infant ; Sleep ; drug effects ; Vitamin D ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives ; blood ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; complications ; drug therapy ; epidemiology

In the early neonatal period, the neonate is challenged by the loss of the placental calcium transport and manifests a quick transition, from an environment in which PTHrP plays an important role to a PTH- and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-controlled neonatal milieu. Disturbances in mineral homeostasis are common in the neonatal period, especially in premature infants and infants who are hospitalized in an intensive care unit. In many cases these disturbances are thought to be exaggerated responses to the normal physiological transition from the intrauterine environment to neonatal independence. Some disturbances in calcium and phosphate homeostasis are the result of genetic defects, which in many instances can now be identified at the molecular level. Although fetus develop remarkably normally in the presence of maternal calcium, PTH and vitamin D deficiency, the neonates demonstrate abnormalities that are consequences of the prior abnormal maternal calcium homeostasis. Evaluation and management of hypocalcemia and hypercalcemia in neonate requires specific knowledge of perinatal mineral physiology and the unique clinical and biochemical features of newborn mineral metabolism.
Calcium* ; Fetus ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Hypercalcemia ; Hypocalcemia ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn* ; Infant, Premature ; Intensive Care Units ; Metabolism* ; Parathyroid Hormone ; Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein ; Physiology ; Vitamin D ; Vitamin D Deficiency

Vitamin D is essential for maintaining calcium and phosphate homeostasis, and vitamin D analogues have been prescribed to treat osteoporosis and hyperparathyroidism. Emerging evidence suggests that cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases are closely associated with vitamin D deficiency resulting from either decreased sunshine exposure or inadequate intake. Vitamin D is through stimulating vitamin D receptor to form a transcriptional complex with cofactors to modulate approximately 3% gene transcription. For example, renin, matrix metalloprotease, and tumor necrosis factor-α are regulated by vitamin D. Both experimental and clinical studies support the health benefits of vitamin D in the cardiovascular system, and such benefits include protecting cardiac function, lowering blood pressure, improving endothelial function, inhibiting oxidative stress, and reducing the activity of renin-angiotensin system. This article will briefly review the cardiovascular benefits of vitamin D and its bioactive analogues and discuss the novel cellular and molecular mechanisms accounting for cardiovascular protection.
Blood Pressure ; Calcium ; physiology ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; physiopathology ; Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena ; Endothelium, Vascular ; physiology ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Oxidative Stress ; Receptors, Calcitriol ; physiology ; Renin-Angiotensin System ; Vitamin D ; analogs & derivatives ; physiology ; Vitamin D Deficiency ; physiopathology