Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease as the Major Cause of Worldwide 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Deficiency; A Novel Perspective
ADVANCED RESEARCH IN GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY JUNIPER PUBLISHERS Authored by Tavakolian Arjmand A Introduction Human vitamin D requirement is supplied by two major sources: D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecaciferol). Vitamin D3 is synthesized in skin via sun exposure and ultraviolet irradiation of the epidermis and vitamin D2 comes from food stuffs, especially beef liver, cheese, egg yolk and fatty fish. For longer half- life of 25- hydroxy vitamin D, compared to 1- 25 (OH)2 vitamin D, serum 25-OH-vitamin D has become the standard laboratory test to define vitamin D status. A serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels of < 20 ng/ ml has been considered as vitamin D deficiency, and values between 21-29 ng/ml as insufficiency. Vitamin D is sufficient if it is > 30 ng/ml and in toxic levels if > 150ng/ml. Discussion Vitamin D deficiency has evolved into a totally perplexing human health problem worldw...