Miroslav Šašinka, Katarína Furková
Despite the sophisticated prevention, vitamin D deficiency has been the problem of both, developed and developing countries. Recent years has brought a lot of evidence of less known vitamin D effects also on organs besides the bone system. The authors analyze these effects in reference to the world-wide epidemic of vitamin D deficiency and its relation to diseases. They emphasize the anti-proliferative effects of vitamin D, its relation to malignant diseases, changes of natural immunity (connection to infections, for example tuberculosis, viral infections), autoimmune diseases (inflammatory bowel disease, sclerosis multiplex, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis), type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases (arterial hypertension, coronary and vascular diseases), neurological, mental and respiratory diseases. Particularly serious problem is the high mortality of these diseases in the course of vitamin D deficiency.