Vitamin D status, receptor gene polymorphisms, and supplementation on tuberculosis: A systematic review of case-control studies and randomized controlled trials *

•Lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D increases susceptibility to tuberculosis.•BsmI and FokI VDR gene polymorphisms may confer increased risk of acquiring tuberculosis.•Vitamin D supplementation reduces tuberculosis incidence and increases recovery from tuberculosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the impacts of vitamin D status, supplementation and vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms on tuberculosis (TB).MethodsWe conducted a systematic review of published studies pertaining to case–control and randomized-control trials from 2002 to 2014 using the PubMed database.Results and conclusionIndividuals with TB have lower vitamin D status than healthy individuals. Some VDR gene polymorphisms are associated with increased susceptibility to TB while others may not. Supplementation with vitamin D leads to improved clinical outcomes. However, further studies with a larger patient population and different ethnicities are needed to confirm these effects.