FBR InfoBits:
Information tidbits about the Foundation for Blood Research and related interesting topics.
The Foundation for Blood Research finds more effective ways to identify, manage, and prevent human disease through clinical and laboratory investigation, epidemiology, outreach science education, computer-based analysis, public health program design, population screening, and clinical testing.
Vitamin D has an important hormonal role in human health. As sunlight exposure is necessary for vitamin D synthesis by the skin, populations living in northern latitudes such as northern New England are at increased risk for deficiency or insufficiency.
Lack of vitamin D may play an important role in autoimmune disease, including conditions such as diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease.
In pregnancy, a lack of vitamin D has health consequences for both the mother and the fetus. Conditions for the mother include gestational diabetes mellitus and pre-eclampsia. A lack of vitamin D for the fetus can have long lasting consequences into childhood that include reduced bone mass and increased rates of asthma.
More information available on our Vitamin D Factsheet
FBR InfoBits:
Information tidbits about the Foundation for Blood Research and related interesting topics.