Vitamin D
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Impact of vitamin D status on statin-induced myopathy
[https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214623716300503 by Krista D. Riche Pharm.D. a b, Justin Arnall Pharm.D.,Kristin Rieser Pharm. Honey E. East M.D. d Daniel M. Riche Pharm.D., FCCP, BCPS, CDE, ASH-CHC, CLS 12/2016 Journal of Clinical & Translational Endocrinology]
There is a multitude of evidence supporting the benefit of statin use in cardiovascular disease; however, statin-induced myopathy is a major reason for statin discontinuation and non-adherence. Vitamin D deficiency has been independently associated with muscle weakness and severe myopathy, and may be a confounder for statin-induced myopathies. Since there is no consensus on a treatment course of action for statin-induced myopathy, investigation into potential confounders to elucidate the dynamics of statin-induced myopathy is warranted.
A dose of vitamin D history
by nature structural & molecular biology 2/22
Our bodies are capable of producing vitamin D — we are not entirely dependent on obtaining it from food, as is the case with other 'true' vitamins. In fact, we can produce enough vitamin D to maintain essential processes when our skin is adequately exposed to the ultraviolet rays in sunlight.
Vitamin D deficiency 2.0: an update on the current status worldwide
by Karin Amrein 20/1/20 nature
Vitamin D testing and the use of vitamin D supplements have increased substantially in recent years. Currently, the role of vitamin D supplementation, and the optimal vitamin D dose and status, is a subject of debate, because large interventional studies have been unable to show a clear benefit (in mostly vitamin D replete populations).
Official recommendations for vitamin D through the life stages in developed countries
by Samantha M. Kimball 20/8/20 EJCN
Inadequate vitamin D nutritional status is prevalent worldwide and has been associated with autoimmune disorders, heart disease, deadly cancers, insulin resistance, inflammation, neurological disorders, adverse outcomes in pregnancy, and increased risk for mortality. Expert recommendations for vitamin D intake differ between governmental agencies and practice guidelines from medical societies due to differences in the definition of vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency and sufficiency based on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations.
Making vitamin D detection much more accessible
by nature research custom media nature portfolio
Despite the importance of vitamin D for overall health, it is estimated that about one billion people worldwide have a deficiency, usually defined as having serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) — the major circulating form of vitamin D — below 20 nanograms per millilitre (ng/ml).
Vitamin D supplementation vs. placebo and incident type 2 diabetes in an ancillary study of the randomized Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial
by Deirdre K. Tobias 8/4/25 nature communications
Observational and experimental evidence suggests that vitamin D plays a role in type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, prior randomized supplementation trials are limited to high-risk patients with prediabetes. Here we aim to evaluate whether vitamin D supplementation reduces risk of T2D in a general population of older US adults.
Vitamin D metabolites and the gut microbiome in older men
by Robert L. Thomas 26/11/20 nature communications
The vitamin D receptor is highly expressed in the gastrointestinal tract where it transacts gene expression. With current limited understanding of the interactions between the gut microbiome and vitamin D, we conduct a cross-sectional analysis of 567 older men quantifying serum vitamin D metabolites using LC-MSMS and defining stool sub-Operational Taxonomic Units from16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing data.
New aspects of vitamin D metabolism and action — addressing the skin as source and target
by Daniel Bikle 6/2/20 nature reviews
Vitamin D has a key role in stimulating calcium absorption from the gut and promoting skeletal health, as well as many other important physiological functions. Vitamin D is produced in the skin. It is subsequently metabolized to its hormonally active form, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), by the 1-hydroxylase and catabolized by the 24-hydroxylase. In this Review, we pay special attention to the effect of mutations in these enzymes and their clinical manifestations.
Vitamin D testing: advantages and limits of the current assays
by Barbara Altieri 6/1/20 EJCN
Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency has become a pandemic health problem with a consequent increase of requests for determining circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. However, the analytical performance of these immunoassays, including radioimmunoassay and ELISA, is highly variable, and even mass spectrometric methods, which nowadays serves as the gold standard for the quantitatively determination of 25(OH)D, do not necessarily produce comparable results, creating limitations for the definition of normal vitamin D status ranges.
The Vitamin D Connection to Pediatric Infections and Immune Function
by Valencia P Walker 5/09 Pediatric RESEARCH
Over the past 20 y, a resurgence in vitamin D deficiency and nutritional rickets has been reported throughout the world, including the United States. Inadequate serum vitamin D concentrations have also been associated with complications from other health problems, including tuberculosis, cancer (prostate, breast, and colon), multiple sclerosis, and diabetes.
Exploring vitamin D metabolism and function in cancer
Vitamin D, traditionally known as an essential nutrient, is a precursor of a potent steroid hormone that regulates a broad spectrum of physiological processes. In addition to its classical roles in bone metabolism, epidemiological, preclinical, and cellular research during the last decades, it revealed that vitamin D may play a key role in the prevention and treatment of many extra-skeletal diseases such as cancer.
Vitamin D for COVID-19: where are we now?
by Adrian R. Martineau 22/7/22 nature reviews immunology
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, a lack of vaccines and therapies prompted interest in a potential role for vitamin D in reducing risk or severity of disease. This was based on the recognized effects of vitamin D on host responses to other respiratory viruses, and evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showing the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of other acute respiratory infections. Since then, effective drugs and vaccines have been developed for COVID-19, with major effects on mortality.
The potential role of vitamin D supplementation as a gut microbiota modifier in healthy individuals
by Parul Singh 10/12/20 scientific reports
Vitamin D deficiency affects approximately 80% of individuals in some countries and has been linked with gut dysbiosis and inflammation. While the benefits of vitamin D supplementation on the gut microbiota have been studied in patients with chronic diseases, its effects on the microbiota of otherwise healthy individuals is unclear.
Vitamin D deficiency serves as a precursor to stunted growth and central adiposity in zebrafish
by Megan M. Knuth 29/9/20 scientific reports
Emerging evidence demonstrates the importance of sufficient vitamin D (1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) levels during early life stage development with deficiencies associated with long-term effects into adulthood.
Effect of vitamin D on cognitive decline: results from two ancillary studies of the VITAL randomized trial
by Jae H. Kang 1/12/21 scientific reports
Low vitamin D levels have been associated with cognitive decline; however, few randomized trials have been conducted. In a trial, we evaluated vitamin D3 supplementation on cognitive decline.
Vitamin D supplementation: cholecalciferol, calcifediol, and calcitriol
by Reinhold Vieth 23/7/20 EJCN
The specific compound that is meant for use in the context of vitamin D supplementation is often ambiguous. The term “supplementation” has been used in the context of cholecalciferol, ergocalciferol, calcidiol, and calcitriol. In nature, by far the major form of vitamin D that nurtures the body is cholecalciferol.
Vitamin D status and associations with substance use patterns among people with severe substance use disorders in Western Norway
by Mitra Bemanian 11/8/22 scientific reports
Chronic and harmful substance use is associated with a cluster of harms to health, including micronutrient deficiencies. Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D is important for musculoskeletal and other aspects of health.
The aim of this study was to determine the influence of polymorphisms in some key gene actors of the vitamin D (vitD) metabolic pathway on supplementation efficacy.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk Factors in Women from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
by Nora A. AlFaris 30/12/19 scientific reports
Vitamin D deficiency is an epidemic public health problem worldwide. It is common in the Middle East and is more severe in women. This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess vitamin D deficiency and associated risk factors in women living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured in 166 women aged 30–65 years.
The role of vitamin D in reducing cancer risk and progression
by David Feldman 4/4/14 nature reviews
Vitamin D3 is the precursor to the potent steroid hormone calcitriol (1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3)) that regulates the expression of many genes in most tissues of the body.
New insights into the vitamin D requirements during pregnancy
by Bruce W Hollis 29/8/17 Bone Research
Pregnancy represents a dynamic period with physical and physiological changes in both the mother and her developing fetus. The dramatic 2–3 fold increase in the active hormone 1,25(OH)2D concentrations during the early weeks of pregnancy despite minimal increased calcium demands during that time of gestation and which are sustained throughout pregnancy in both the mother and fetus suggests an immunomodulatory role in preventing fetal rejection by the mother.
Comparative analysis of nutritional guidelines for vitamin D
by Roger Bouillon 7/4/17 nature reviews
Vitamin D is essential for calcium and bone homeostasis. Humans are largely dependent on UVB-radiation-induced photosynthesis of vitamin D, as few foods contain vitamin D.
A Quantitative Point-of-Need Assay for the Assessment of Vitamin D3 Deficiency
by S. Vemulapati 26/10/17 scientific reports
Vitamin D is necessary for the healthy growth and development of bone and muscle. Vitamin D deficiency, which is present in 42% of the US population, is often undiagnosed as symptoms may not manifest for several years and long-term deficiency has been linked to osteoporosis, diabetes and cancer.
Nutrition: The vitamin D complex
My sister, Candice Singer, was a smoking fiend. Hooked since age 12, she was up to two packs a day by the time she started university, eventually rolling her own cigarettes to save money. In 2010, at age 50, she was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and needed to wear an oxygen mask at night to regulate her breathing while she slept.
Vitamin D status and arterial hypertension: a systematic review
by Stefan Pilz 18/10/09 nature reviews
Vitamin D deficiency is common and is primarily caused by a lack of ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation from reduced sun exposure, and the consequent limiting of vitamin D production in the skin.
Mechanisms of Disease: vitamin D and inflammatory bowel disease
by Wee-Chian Lim 1/7/05 nature reviews
Until recently, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3)—the active form of vitamin D—was thought to function primarily as a regulator of calcium and phosphate metabolism. More diverse functionality was indicated by the discovery of the vitamin D receptor in tissues that are not involved in calcium and phosphate homeostasis. Detection of the vitamin D receptor in monocytes and activated T cells has sparked interest in the immunomodulatory properties of vitamin D.
Calcium and vitamin D articles within Nature Reviews Endocrinology
Available evidence demonstrates a crosstalk between the renin–angiotensin and the parathyroid hormone–vitamin D systems. A new study suggests that vitamin D supplementation can lower systolic blood pressure and plasma aldosterone levels in patients with primary aldosteronism.
Biofortified tomatoes provide a new route to vitamin D sufficiency
by Aurelia Scarano 23/5/22 nature plants
Poor vitamin D status is a global health problem; insufficiency underpins higher risk of cancer, neurocognitive decline and all-cause mortality. Most foods contain little vitamin D and plants are very poor sources. We have engineered the accumulation of provitamin D3 in tomato by genome editing, modifying a duplicated section of phytosterol biosynthesis in Solanaceous plants, to provide a biofortified food with the added possibility of supplement production from waste material.
Redefining Human Vitamin D Sufficiency: Back to the Basics
by John S. Adams 29/3/13 Bone Research
The role of the endocrine vitamin D pathway in regulating the serum calcium concentration in man is well described. In the presence of a low serum calcium level, the vitamin D metabolic pathway is called upon to produce more of the active vitamin D hormone, 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1, 25-D), via up-regulation of the CYP27b1-hydroxylase activity in the kidney.
Ultra-violet Light and Vitamin D in Nutrition
RECENT work on vitamin D and nutrition has been so extensive and so important in practical application that the appearance of an up-to-date monograph on this subject is most welcome. This book provides a convenient account of widely scattered researches, and also includes judicious summaries of such practical conclusions as are justified in the present state of knowledge.
Microsomal C-25 Hydroxylation of [3H]-Vitamin D3 by the Fetal and Neonatal Rat Liver
by Victor Plourde 11/1985 Pediatric RESEARCH
Thereafter, the activity remained at a plateau of 11.2 ± 0.6 fmol·min-1·15 mg-1 microsomal protein with no further statistically significant increase in the activity of the vitamin D3-25 hydroxylase through 60 days of chronologic age. The microsomal cytochrome P-450 specific content increased during the perinatal period with values ranging from 0.15 nmol·mg protein-1 in 22-day-old fetuses to 0.44 in 60-day-old rats; the developmental pattern of the cytochrome P-450 was similar to that observed for the vitamin D3-25 hydroxylase activity.
Chemistry of Calciferol and Vitamin D3
by A. L. BACHARACH 5/9/1936 nature
CALCIFEROL (Windaus's vitamin D,) and ergosterol have, according to the view accepted to-day, the formulae shown in II and I below, respectively.
Importance of body weight and skin color in determining appropriate vitamin D3 supplement doses for children and adolescents
by Tom Weishaar 24/11/14 Pediatric RESEARCH
Deficiencies in vitamin D directly impact children’s health and place minority and obese youth at risk for a range of health issues. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee to Review Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium has set both a recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D supplementation and a population-wide sufficiency target for the biomarker of vitamin D status, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D).
Relation between vitamin D deficiency and diabetic maculopathy
by Ahmed A. Khater 4/7/25 Scientific Reports
Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to DR progression, its specific role in diabetic maculopathy remains underexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and diabetic maculopathy.
Total and free vitamin D status among apparently healthy adults living in Duhok Governorate
by Masood Abdulkareem Abdulrahman 2/2/22 scientific reports
Serum total 25‐OHD is a main marker of vitamin D which represents the intake and sunlight exposure. Free form of 25‐OHD, the small fraction not bound to a transporter protein has been incorporated as a new marker. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the impact of several factors on total and free vitamin D levels in healthy subjects and to find out if the free form of vitamin D could be a better representative of the body’s vitamin D status.
Vitamin D: the light side of sunshine
Under normal circumstances, vitamin D is mainly obtained from skin through the action of ultraviolet B irradiation on 7-dehydrocholesterol. It is further metabolized to 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD), the major circulating vitamin D compound, and then to 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, the hormonal form. The major function of vitamin D compounds is to enhance active absorption of ingested calcium (and phosphate).
Big studies give mixed news on fish oil, vitamin D
by Marilynn Marchione 11/11/18 PBS NEWS
But higher amounts of a purified, prescription fish oil slashed heart problems and heart-related deaths among people with high triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood, and other risks for heart disease. Doctors cheered the results and said they could suggest a new treatment option for hundreds of thousands of patients like these.
Bone Attacks and Vitamin D
Neil Binkley, Professor, Geriatrics, UW School of Medicine and Public Health, discusses the role of vitamin D in the development of osteoporosis and sarcopenia as we age. Binkley explores whether vitamin D is the fountain of youth and how much is enough.
New Guidelines Boost Vitamin D Recommendation for Bone Health
A government report released early Tuesday raised the recommended amount of vitamin D that most American adults should consume from 200 international units to 600 international units per day. The report, which also examined calcium intake, said that that level of vitamin D, together with sufficient calcium, is necessary to keep people’s bones healthy.
Vitamin D May Help Hearts Grow Stronger
The skin’s ability to create vitamin D decreases with age, though scientists don’t know why. In addition, older people tend not to get as much sunlight—a major source of vitamin D (along with fish, eggs, and cheese). This study focused on people with an average age of 70 years old, so it’s a positive development that they were able to see such obvious health benefits as a result of making up for that deficiency.
Children Not Getting Enough Vitamin D, Study Concludes
So, Vitamin D — it's important to know that Vitamin D is actually not a vitamin. It's a hormone. And so it actually plays a very important role in the body.
Is Vitamin D the Fountain of Youth?
Neil Binkley Department of Medicine and Institute on Aging, UW Madison. Neil Binkley delves into the history and health benefits of Vitamin D. Find out which foods contain Vitamin D and how the way foods are prepared can change the amount.
What to know about treating Seasonal Affective Disorder
by Julia Griffin 22/11/23 PBS NEWS
The feelings of fatigue, sadness, loss of appetite and other symptoms of SAD are all tied to the body’s ability to sense and cope with the annual reduction of sunlight, said Dr. Paul Desan, the director of the Winter Depression Research Clinic at the Yale School of Medicine.
Big studies give mixed news on fish oil, vitamin D
by Marilynn Marchione 11/11 PBS NEWS
More than 60 percent of children have "insufficient" levels of Vitamin D, a study published by the journal Pediatrics concluded on Monday. Gwen Ifill reports.
Low on Vitamin D, Sleep Suffers
[https://www.huffpost.com/entry/low-on-vitamin-d-sleep-suffers_b_9332008 by Dr. Michael J. Breus 4/3/17 HUFFPOST]
The body actually produces its own Vitamin D, in response to exposure to sunlight. For this reason, Vitamin D isn't actually considered a vitamin at all, but rather is classified as a hormone. Besides sun exposure, people also receive Vitamin D through foods -- fatty fish and fish oils, egg yolks, as well as fortified foods like dairy and juice -- and also from supplements.
Getting Ahead of the Vitamin D Revolution Curve
by Bill Sardi 24/7/12 HUFFPOST
No question, doctors and patients are now joining the vitamin D revolution in large numbers. More and more doctors are ordering tests to determine vitamin D blood levels and more patients are reading about the positive benefits of vitamin D in news reports. There have been more than 3,000 published studies and reports involving vitamin D listed at the National Library of Medicine in just the past 14 months.
Boost Your Energy This Winter With Foods That Are High In Vitamin D
by Garin Pirnia 31/1/25 HUFFPOST
According to research, it could take about two hours’ worth of afternoon sun exposure, if not more, for the skin to produce enough vitamin D in the winter, when accounting for the types of clothing typically worn during the season. But prolonged sun exposure can put us at risk of skin cancer, and spending hours outside in the cold isn’t exactly fun.
High Vitamin D Levels Needed For Osteoporosis Treatment Success
by Amanda Chan 13/6/11 HUFFPOST
Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College found that women who have low bone density are seven times more likely to respond to bisphosphonates -- the standard therapy for osteoporosis -- if their vitamin D levels are higher than the levels recommended by the Institute of Medicine. The research was presented last week at a meeting of the Endocrine Society.
Why Would I Be Low in Vitamin D?
by Dr. Alan Christianson 20/11/15 HUFFPOST
My doctors and I test blood levels of vitamin D on everyone we see in our clinic. When the results come in, two things happen:
The Real Reason The Dairy Industry Adds Vitamin D To Your Milk
by Julie R. Thomson 29/3/17 HUFFPOST
Chances are, there’s more than just milk in your carton. If you take a look at the ingredients on your milk jug, you’ll likely see vitamin D listed, even if the milk doesn’t advertise that it’s been fortified with a vitamin. These days, milk is almost always fortified with vitamin D and the reason dates back to the 1900s.
Sunshine & Happiness Study Links Time Outdoors To Improved Mood
by Jacqueline Howard 6/10/13 HUFFPOST
"This is just a pilot study and we need larger sample size but we found that behavioral change is associated with mood change and vitamin D status," study co-author Dr. Fatme Al Anouti, an assistant professor in Zayed University's college of sustainability sciences and humanities, told The Huffington Post in an email. "So participants who adopted a more outdoor lifestyle got better in terms of mood and vitamin D status."
Place Mushrooms in Sunlight to Get Your Vitamin D: Part One
by Paul Stamets 6/12/17 HUFFPOST
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that boosts the immune system and plays vital roles in human metabolism. Did you know that tasty mushrooms are one source for vitamin D, and that you can naturally multiply their levels by exposing them to sunlight?
Can Vitamin D Help With Cramps?
by Catherine Pearson 27/12/17 HUFFPOST
"Vitamin D appears promising for the treatment of inflammation-related pain syndromes and one of them is menstrual cramping pain," said Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, who co-authored a commentary on the new trial, also published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Are You Getting Enough Vitamin D?
by SELF, Contributor 6/12/17 HUFFPOST
No matter how old you are or where you live, there's a good chance that you could be deficient in vitamin D. A study published in thereported that an estimated 1 billion people worldwide have inadequate amounts of vitamin D in their blood.
The Winter Means Lower Vitamin D. Here's How Much You Really Need.
by Jillian Wilson 14/12/22 HUFFPOST
Dr. Jad Sfeir, an endocrinologist and geriatrician at Mayo Clinic, said vitamin D is essential for the absorption of minerals in our gut. It’s key to the absorption of calcium and phosphorus — without vitamin D these minerals are not absorbed to the level the body needs for the development of a healthy skeleton.
Low vitamin D 'boosts dementia risk'
UK researchers, writing in Neurology, looked at about 1,650 people aged over 65.
This is not the first study to suggest a link - but its authors say it is the largest and most robust.
New guidance on vitamin D recommends midday sunshine
Professor Rona Mackie, from the British Association of Dermatologists, said: "Total sun protection with high factor suncream on all the time is not ideal, in terms of vitamin D levels.
Do I Get Enough Vitamin D in the Winter?
by Alice Callahan 16/2/18 The New York Times
Most people can make enough vitamin D from sun exposure during the summer, but for many, synthesis can be inadequate in the winter. A 2016 study led by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that 14 to 18 percent of Americans have inadequate vitamin D, although what constitutes a healthy blood level is subject to debate.
Low Levels of Vitamin D Tied to Numerous Health Ailments, Studies Find
by PBS NEWS Hour 13/6/08 PBS NEWS
A study released in May, for example, found that women with breast cancer who had low vitamin D levels at the time of their diagnosis were 73 percent more likely to die from the disease, and nearly twice as likely to have it recur.
Vitamin D Deficiency May Lurk in Babies
by Roni Caryn Rabin 25/8/08 The New York Times
Until she was 11 months old, Aleanie Remy-Marquez could have starred in an advertisement for breast milk. She took to nursing easily, was breast-fed exclusively for six or seven months, and ate little else even after that. She was alert and precocious and developed at astonishing speed, her mother said, sitting at four months and walking by eight months.
Panel Clarifies Advice On Vitamin D Intake
by All Things Considered 30/11/10 npr
A government-organized panel of doctors goes against recent advice to increase vitamin D intake. Their new study says most Americans get plenty of vitamin D in their regular routine and diet — and supplements can even be harmful. NPR's Guy Raz talks with one of the doctors on the panel that released the report — bone specialist Clifford Rosen.
Low Vitamin D Levels? Sardines To The Rescue
Sardines may not appeal to your toddler, but that may be just what the doctor ordered. Researchers have published two studies in this week's online version of the journal Pediatrics that raise some concerns about whether children receive adequate amounts of vitamin D.
How A Vitamin D Test Misdiagnosed African-Americans
"The population in the United States with the best bone health happens to be the African-American population," says Dr. Ravi Thadhani, a professor of medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and lead author of the study. "But almost 80 percent of these individuals are defined as having vitamin D deficiency. This was perplexing."
Millions of Americans take vitamin D. Most should just stop.
Outside of rare cases, rigorous studies of the supplement don’t find any health benefit.
by Anahad O’Connor 10/6/20 The New York Times
In the past decade, studies have found that taking vitamin D can lower the odds of developing respiratory infections like the cold and the flu, especially among people who have documented deficiencies. Now scientists are trying to find out whether vitamin D might also help protect against Covid-19.
Medical Panel: Don't Go Overboard On Vitamin D
Humans make vitamin D when they are exposed to the sun. But many worry that clothing, indoor living and sunscreen are depriving most people from enough of the sunshine vitamin. It's also hard to get enough vitamin D from the diet, proponents say, despite fortification of milk and orange juice.
Vitamin D 'heals damaged hearts'
by James Gallagher 4/4/16 BBC NEWS
A trial on 163 heart failure patients found supplements of the vitamin, which is made in the skin when exposed to sunlight, improved their hearts' ability to pump blood around the body.
Low vitamin D levels 'linked to Parkinson's disease'
Having low vitamin D levels may increase a person's risk of developing Parkinson's disease later in life, say Finnish researchers.
Low vitamin-D genes linked to MS
by Michelle Roberts 26/8/15 BBC NEWS
The findings, based on the DNA profiles of tens of thousands of people of European descent, add weight to the theory that the sunshine vitamin plays a role in MS.
Vitamin D 'significantly reduces severe asthma attacks'
An independent review by the Cochrane research body of nine clinical trials found it also cut the rate of asthma attacks needing steroid treatment.
Panel Questions Benefits Of Vitamin D Supplements
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force concluded in draft recommendations released Tuesday that taking less than 400 international units of vitamin D and 1,000 milligrams of calcium every day doesn't reduce the risk for bone fractures among postmenopausal women. And so the task force recommended against doing that.
'Action needed on vitamin D levels'
by Professor Mitch Blair 14/12/12 BBC
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient that contributes to healthy, strong bones and helps to control the amount of calcium in the blood.
Vitamin D Deficiency
by Jasleen Kaur; Swapnil Khare; Omeed Sizar; Amy Givler. 15/2/25 NIH
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient essential for bone development and maintenance, as it enhances calcium, magnesium, and phosphate absorption. A circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D level above 30 ng/mL is necessary to ensure adequate levels of the unmodified molecule. Deficiency can lead to various complications, most notably rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults. Milk fortification with vitamin D in the 1930s effectively eradicated rickets worldwide, yet deficiency remains widespread, warranting screening in high-risk populations. Studies have shown conflicting associations between vitamin D deficiency and cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and depression.
Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D
The charge to the committee (Institute of Medicine Committee to Review Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium) was to assess current relevant data and update, as appropriate, the DRIs (Dietary Reference Intakes) for vitamin D and calcium. The review was to include consideration of chronic disease indicators (e.g., reduction in risk of cancer) and other (non-chronic disease) indicators and health outcomes. The definitions of these terms are discussed below. Consistent with the framework for DRI development, the indicators to assess adequacy and excess intake were to be selected based on the strength and quality of the evidence and their demonstrated public health significance, taking into consideration sources of uncertainty in the evidence. Further, the committee deliberations were to incorporate, as appropriate, systematic evidence-based reviews of the literature.
Association of Vitamin D Status and Other Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19 Test Results
In this cohort study of 489 patients who had a vitamin D level measured in the year before COVID-19 testing, the relative risk of testing positive for COVID-19 was 1.77 times greater for patients with likely deficient vitamin D status compared with patients with likely sufficient vitamin D status, a difference that was statistically significant.
Vitamin D and depression
by Gordon B. Parker 15/1/17 ScienceDirect
Empirical studies appear to provide increasing evidence for an association between vitamin D insufficiency and depression, and for vitamin D supplementation and augmentation in those with clinical depression who are vitamin D deficient. Methodological limitations associated with many of the studies are detailed.
Vitamin D fortification in the United States and Canada: current status and data needs
by Calvo Mona 12/04 ScienceDirect
Most circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D originates from exposure to sunlight; nevertheless, many factors can impair this process, necessitating periodic reliance on dietary sources to maintain adequate serum concentrations. The US and Canadian populations are largely dependent on fortified foods and dietary supplements to meet these needs, because foods naturally rich in vitamin D are limited.
Vitamin D deficiency: A forgotten aspect in sleep disorders? A critical update
by Sophia Schiza 9/24 ScienceDirect
Over the past few years, there has been a surge in interest regarding the connection between sleep duration and quality, sleep disorders, mainly Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and Vitamin D. There is growing evidence to support a new role of Vitamin D in the maintenance and regulation of optimal sleep.
Vitamin D deficiency: a worldwide problem with health consequences
by Michael F Holick 4/08 ScienceDirect
Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as a pandemic. The major cause of vitamin D deficiency is the lack of appreciation that sun exposure in moderation is the major source of vitamin D for most humans. Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and foods that are fortified with vitamin D are often inadequate to satisfy either a child's or an adult's vitamin D requirement. Vitamin D deficiency causes rickets in children and will precipitate and exacerbate osteopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures in adults.
Overview of general physiologic features and functions of vitamin D
by DeLuca Hector 12/04 ScienceDirect
Vitamin D3 is a prohormone produced in skin through ultraviolet irradiation of 7-dehydrocholesterol. It is biologically inert and must be metabolized to 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the liver and then to 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in the kidney before function.
Decreased bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity
by Jacobo Wortsman 9/2000 ScienceDirect
Healthy, white, obese [body mass index (BMI; in kg/m2) ≥ 30] and matched lean control subjects (BMI ≤ 25) received either whole-body ultraviolet radiation or a pharmacologic dose of vitamin D2 orally.
Effects of vitamin D on mood and sleep in the healthy population: Interpretations from the serotonergic pathway
by Laura M. Huiberts 2/21 ScienceDirect
Vitamin D insufficiency is common in the healthy population. Recent insights addressed the role of vitamin D in serotonin and melatonin regulation, suggesting that increasing vitamin D status may be helpful for improving mood and sleep.
Vitamin D Toxicity
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin found in some animal food products and is also synthesized in the human body via exposure to the sun. Toxicity of vitamin D leads to hypercalcemia and an imbalance in the regulation of bone metabolism; the resultant hypercalcemia leads to clinical manifestations and symptoms of toxicity. This activity reviews the etiology, evaluation, and treatment of vitamin D toxicity. In addition, it highlights the role of healthcare practitioners in identifying the patients at risk for toxicity and the importance of appropriate medication reconciliation to help prevent such adverse outcomes.
Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of stratified aggregate data
by David A Jolliffe 4/25 ScienceDirect
Updated systematic review and meta-analysis of data from RCTs of vitamin D for ARI prevention using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses were done to determine whether effects of vitamin D on risk of ARI varied according to baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentration, dosing regimen, or age.
Pharmacokinetics of vitamin D toxicity
by Glenville Jones 8/08 ScienceDirect
Although researchers first identified the fat-soluble vitamin cholecalciferol almost a century ago and studies have now largely elucidated the transcriptional mechanism of action of its hormonal form, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1α,25(OH)2D3], we know surprisingly little about mechanisms of vitamin D toxicity.
High-Dose Vitamin D in Clinically Isolated Syndrome Typical of Multiple Sclerosis
In this randomized clinical trial including 303 patients treated with oral high-dose cholecalciferol or placebo, the primary outcome measure of disease activity, defined as occurrence of a relapse and/or magnetic resonance imaging activity (new and/or contrast-enhancing lesions) over 24 months of follow-up, was observed in 94 patients (60.3%) in the vitamin D group and 109 patients (74.1%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.66). This was a statistically significant difference.
Vitamin D across the lifecycle: physiology and biomarkers
by Ann Prentice 8/08 ScienceDirect
The field of vitamin D public health research has a pressing need to define sensitive and specific predictors of vitamin D status that can be used to determine whether an individual or population has a supply of vitamin D that is sufficient to meet requirements.
Is vitamin D deficiency a major global public health problem?
by Cristina Palacios 8/14 ScienceDirect
Vitamin D deficiency is a major public health problem worldwide in all age groups, even in those residing in countries with low latitude, where it was generally assumed that UV radiation was adequate enough to prevent this deficiency, and in industrialized countries, where vitamin D fortification has been implemented now for years.
Sunlight and vitamin D for bone health and prevention of autoimmune diseases, cancers, and cardiovascular disease
by Holick Michael 12/04 ScienceDirect
Most humans depend on sun exposure to satisfy their requirements for vitamin D. Solar ultraviolet B photons are absorbed by 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin, leading to its transformation to previtamin D3, which is rapidly converted to vitamin D3. Season, latitude, time of day, skin pigmentation, aging, sunscreen use, and glass all influence the cutaneous production of vitamin D3.
A systematic review of vitamin D and endometriosis: role in pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
by Bhavjeet Kaur Kahlon M.B.B.S 1/23 ScienceDirect
A systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines within PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, the Web of Science, and Scopus. A comprehensive search strategy was developed by a data informationist.
Vitamin D – what is normal according to latest research and how should we deal with it?
by Neil JL Gittoes 4/16 ScienceDirect
Vitamin D deficiency is a public health concern. Mediated by classical endocrine effects, vitamin D deficiency is causally linked with bone and calcium disorders. Non-endocrine actions of vitamin D are also widely recognised and these effects are mediated by local tissue activation of vitamin D bringing about intracrine effects in non-classical sites.
Impact of vitamin D status on statin-induced myopathy
by Krista D. Riche Pharm.D. 12/16 ScienceDirect
There is a multitude of evidence supporting the benefit of statin use in cardiovascular disease; however, statin-induced myopathy is a major reason for statin discontinuation and non-adherence. Vitamin D deficiency has been independently associated with muscle weakness and severe myopathy, and may be a confounder for statin-induced myopathies. Since there is no consensus on a treatment course of action for statin-induced myopathy, investigation into potential confounders to elucidate the dynamics of statin-induced myopathy is warranted.
Vitamin D content in human breast milk: a 9-mo follow-up study
by við Streym Susanna 1/16 ScienceDirect
Parents are advised to avoid the direct sun exposure of their newborns. Therefore, the vitamin D status of exclusively breastfed newborns is entirely dependent on the supply of vitamin D from breast milk.
The effect of vitamin D supplementation on primary depression: A meta-analysis
by Rui Wang 1/1/24 ScienceDirect
Previous meta-analyses reported inconsistent results on the effect of vitamin D on depression because of different baseline concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], highlighting the need for a more accurate subgroup analysis of previously published findings. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on depression in adults.
Forgotten Mysteries in the Early History of Vitamin D
by Kenneth J. Carpenter 5/1999 ScienceDirect
In the early 1920s, workers in both England and the US had discovered that rats on a rachitic diet would remain healthy if irradiated with ultraviolet light. However, they also found, to their surprise, that “control” rats too would recover if either their jar was irradiated without the rat in it or if a cage-mate was removed for irradiation and then returned.
Cancer, sunlight and vitamin D
by Michael F. Holick 12/14 ScienceDirect
The sunshine vitamin has been associated with reduced risk for many chronic illnesses including cancer and cancer mortality. Epidemiologic and ecological studies have suggested that living at higher latitudes and having lower blood levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D are associated with increased risk for up to 15 cancers including breast, colon, lung, lymphoma, pancreatic, ovarian and prostate cancer.
Role of vitamin D in preventing of COVID-19 infection, progression and severity
by Nurshad Ali 10/20 ScienceDirect
The outbreak of COVID-19 has created a global public health crisis. Little is known about the protective factors of this infection. Therefore, preventive health measures that can reduce the risk of infection, progression and severity are desperately needed.
A review of the critical role of vitamin D axis on the immune system
by Gholamreza Daryabor 8/23 ScienceDirect
In recent years, the physiological and molecular functions of vitamin D (Vit-D) have been deeply investigated. At first, Vit-D was considered a regulator of mineral and skeletal homeostasis.
Vitamin D in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials
by Paraskevi Detopoulou 12/23 ScienceDirect
In recent years, neurodegenerative diseases are a leading cause of morbidity and disability worldwide, with Parkinson's disease (PD) being the most prevalent [1] and having a higher incidence in adults above 60 years (1%) [2]. In Europe, the prevalence of PD is estimated at approximately 183/100.000 per year [3]. PD is characterized by the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the brain, causing problems with movement and emotions [4].
Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-lasting inflammatory neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system caused by an inappropriate attack of the body’s immune system on its own cells. To date, its etiology remains highly enigmatic, with insufficient evidence on the exact cause triggering the disease.
Vitamin D status and weight loss: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and nonrandomized controlled weight-loss trials
by Mallard Simonette R 10/16 ScienceDirect
Obesity is associated with lower concentrations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D; however, uncertainty exists as to the direction of causation. To date, meta-analyses of randomized controlled vitamin D–supplementation trials have shown no effect of raising circulating vitamin D on body weight, although several weight-loss–intervention trials have reported an increase in circulating vitamin D after weight reduction.
The Effect of Maternal Vitamin D Supplementation on Vitamin D Status of Exclusively Breastfeeding Mothers and Their Nursing Infants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials
by Elham Kazemain 3/22 ScienceDirect
Vitamin D is a steroid hormone that regulates calcium and phosphorus homeostasis, which is essential in maintaining bone health (1). Besides the classical role of vitamin D in bone homeostasis, vitamin D also has noncalcemic actions, such as modulating the immune system, inhibiting cancer progression, and regulating the cardiovascular and neurological systems
