The D-Lightful Vitamin D for Health
Dr. Holick
Professor
Education:
PhD, MD – University of Wisconsin
Residency – Massachusetts General Hospital
General field of research:
Vitamin D; Bone Health; Cancer; Psoriasis
Affiliations other than medicine:
Evans Center for Interdisciplinary Biomedical Research
Physiology and Biophysics
Contact information:
Office and Lab:
85 East Newton Street, Room 1013, Boston MA 02118
Other research websites:
Keywords:
Vitamin D; Cancer; Bone health; Psoriasis; Muscle strength; Alopecia
Summary of research interest:
Dr. Holick and his team continue to be leaders in the field of vitamin D as it relates to bone health, the use of vitamin D and vitamin D analogues for the prevention and treatment of colorectal and prostate cancer, osteoporosis, metabolic bone disease, psoriasis and hair research.
The recognition that vitamin D deficiency increases risk of many deadly cancers has prompted Dr. Holick’s Laboratory to investigate the role of vitamin D deficiency and calcium intake on prostate cancer and colorectal cancer tumor formation and progression in mouse models. Studies are underway to understand the mechanism by which vitamin D is able to have such a profound effect on inhibiting tumor growth.
We are evaluating the effectiveness of a pharmacologic dose of vitamin D 4,000 IU/day on prostatic specific antigen (PSA) and quality of life in men with prostate cancer who after treatment have an increase in their PSA levels. A group will be exposed to ultraviolet B radiation three times a week to maintain vitamin D status and to determine whether there is any additional benefit by being exposed to ultraviolet B radiation compared to taking a pharmacologic dose of vitamin D.
Recent publications:
Tangpricha, V., Flanagan, J.N., Whitlatch, L.W., Tseng, C.C., Chen, T.C., Holt, P.R., Lipkin, M.S., and Holick. 2001 May 26. 25-hydroxyvitamin D-α-hydroxylase in normal and malignant colon tissue. Lancet 357:1673-1674.
Peters, Eva, M.J., Foitzik, K., Paus, R., Ray, S., and Holick, M.F. 2001. A new strategy for modulating chemotherapy-induced alopecia, using PTH/PTHrP receptor agonist and antagonist. J. Invest. Dermatol. 117:173-178.
Holick, M.F. 2007. Vitamin D Deficiency. New Engl. J. Med. 357:266-81.
Holick, M.F., Biancuzzo, R.M., Chen, T.C., Klein, E.K., Young, A., Bibuld, D., Reitz, R., Salameh, W., Ameri, A., and Tannenbaum, A.D. 2008. Vitamin D2 Is as Effective as Vitamin D3 in Maintaining Circulating Concentrations of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D. J. Clin. Endo. Metab. 93:677 – 681.
Holick, M.F. 2008. Vitamin D and Sunlight: Strategies for Cancer Prevention and Other Health Benefits. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 3:1548-1554.
Holick, MF. 2008. Vitamin D: A D-Lightful Health Perspective. Nutr Rev. 66(Suppl.2): S190-S202.
Lee, J.H., O’Keefe, J.H., Bell, D., Hensrud, D.D., and Holick, M.F. 2008. Vitamin D Deficiency: An important, common, and easily treatable cardiovascular risk factor. J. Amer. Coll. Cardiol. 52:1949-1956.
Merewood, A., Mehta, S.D., Chen, T.C., Holick, M.F., Bauchner, H. 2009. Association between severe vitamin D deficiency and primary caesarean section. J Clin Endo Metab. 94(3): 940-5.
Technologies available for sharing upon request:
HPLC technology
