The Al Hammadi Hospital's website features a full-length article on vitamin D and its ability to fight and prevent the development of

Lack of sufficient vitamin D can increase the risk of many common and serious conditions - some cancers, type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis.

Oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines are good sources, as well as cod liver oil.

Some foods may be fortified with vitamin D; these include milk, orange juice, cereals, and breads.

The vitamin D3 produced by casual exposure to sunlight during the spring, summer, and fall, is stored in the body fat, and becomes available in the winter, when required.

Encouraging breast feeding of infants is partially responsible for a resurgence of this deficiency, as breast milk contains very little vitamin D. Infants usually require a vitamin D supplement.

The elderly are at risk, because of poor dietary intake, decreased exposure to sunlight, and reduced formation in the skin; by age 70, the amount of vitamin D3 formed in the skin decreases by as much as 75%.

Without vitamin D, the small intestine only absorbs about 10% to 15% of dietary calcium, instead of the normal 30% in someone without a deficiency.

In adults bone growth stops and deformities can occur, and there is an attempt by the parathyroid glands to counteract this, by producing more parathormone.

Apart from effects on bone, lack of vitamin D has been associated with an increased risk of colon, prostate, and breast cancer.

An interesting finding is the reduction in blood pressure in hypertensive patients when they are exposed to ultraviolet B radiation that raises their circulating vitamin D. Exposure to ultraviolet A radiation had no effect on these patients' vitamin D levels, or their raised blood pressure.

Finally, some people are mistakenly diagnosed with fibromyalgia, when they really have a vitamin D deficiency.