“…Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and its active metabolites, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (calcidiol) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol), have long been known to be important for their direct or indirect effects on the uptake of calcium and phosphorus from the gut and into bone (Weaver and Fleet, 2004), but over the past decade it has become clear that this vitamin also has favorable effects in a number of other health-related areas, including those associated with multiple sclerosis (Munger et al, 2004;VanAmerongen et al, 2004), diabetes (Hypponen et al, 2001), certain forms of cancer (Guy et al, 2004), periodontal disease (Dietrich et al, 2004), fracture prevention (DawsonHughes, 2005), and immune activation (Griffin et al, 2003). Partly as a result of these findings the recommended adequate dietary intakes for vitamin D (Weaver and Fleet, 2004) are under discussion and a number of researchers have suggested that these levels should be higher than is currently the case (Heaney, 2003;Holick, 2004;Vieth, 2004;Weaver and Fleet, 2004;Hollis, 2005).…”