Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [24,25(OH)2D], and 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1 alpha,25(OH)2D] were measured in ten cadmium (Cd)-exposed subjects and five non exposed subjects. The Cd-exposed subjects were divided into two groups according to serum 1 alpha,25(OH)2D levels. No significant differences for 25(OH)D were found between the Cd-exposed group with low or normal serum 1 alpha,25(OH)2D and the non exposed group. The concentrations of 24,25(OH)2D were the lowest in the Cd-exposed group with low serum 1 alpha,25(OH)2D, highest in the non exposed group, and significantly lower in the Cd-exposed group with normal serum 1 alpha,25(OH)2D than in the non exposed group. Renal function was much worse in the Cd-exposed group with low serum 1 alpha,25(OH)2D than in the group with normal serum 1 alpha,25(OH)2D. These findings indicate that Cd initially disturbs hydroxylation from 25(OH)D to 24,25(OH)2D and then disturbs hydroxylation from 25(OH)D to 1 alpha,25(OH)2D. The decrease of serum 24,25(OH)2D and 1 alpha,25(OH)2D in Cd-exposed subjects is not due to a decrease of the serum 25(OH)D level.