Vitamin D: Benefits and Recent Changes in Dietary Recommendations

Program length: 0.1 CEU
Target audiences: Pharmacists
Knowledge based activity

EXPIRES: June 7, 2014

This course requires completion of survey and a 70% passing quiz grade to receive certificate.

Universal Activity Number: 0048-0000-11-035-H01-P

Course Cost: $10

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Description:

Research within the past decade has shown that the physiological roles of vitamin D go beyond calcium homeostasis, skeletal development and bone metabolism. The discovery of vitamin D receptors and 1α-hydroxylase on a variety of extraskeletal tissues has prompted research on the effects of vitamin D on multiple physiological systems and processes. Vitamin D deficiency is widely known to be directly associated with skeletal diseases such as osteoporosis and rickets.

Objectives:

At the completion of this program, the participant will be able to:

1. Identify environmental and dietary sources of vitamin D
2. Recognize risk factors for vitamin D deficiency
3. Describe the physiologic roles of vitamin D
4. Initiate an appropriate vitamin D supplementation regimen based on current recommendations
5. Discuss the importance of carefully scrutinizing claims of vitamin D benefits