Vitamin D: a clinical perspective

Vitamin D has been the focus of considerable recent scientific study and media attention because of a growing appreciation of its potential importance in extra‐skeletal health. This ‘Perspective’ presents data supporting the viewpoint that physicians should not routinely test vitamin D levels in the general population but should routinely endorse vitamin D supplementation at levels recommended by the Institute of Medicine. It further reasons that it is unadvisable to recommend intentional limited sun exposure as a source of vitamin D.