New Study Revolutionizes Vitamin D Guidelines
By TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN
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The research highlights the ongoing issue of high vitamin D deficiency rates, despite extensive studies on the factors influencing vitamin D status.
Dr Margaret M. Brennan, Research Assistant, Department of
Public Health and Primary Care, School of Medicine, Trinity College and first
author, said:
“We hope this work can highlight the significant
differences in vitamin D levels among different ethnic groups at northern
latitudes and contribute to efforts to address the long-standing population
health issue of vitamin D deficiency.”
Research Methodology and Insights
The authors analyzed data from half a million
participants from the United Kingdom (UK,) and for each person, they calculated
the individualized estimate of ambient ultraviolet-B (UVB) level, which is the
wavelength of sunlight that induces vitamin D synthesis in the skin.
A comprehensive analysis of key determinants of vitamin D and their interactions revealed novel insights. The first key insight is that ambient UVB emerges as a critical predictor of vitamin D status, even in a place like the UK, which receives relatively little sunlight.
The second is
that age, sex, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol level, and vitamin D
supplementation significantly influence how individuals respond to UVB. For
example, as BMI and age increase, the amount of vitamin D produced in response
to UVB decreases.
Professor Lina Zgaga, Associate Professor of
Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, School of Medicine,
Trinity College and the principal investigator, said:
“We believe our findings have significant implications
for the development of tailored recommendations for vitamin D supplementation.
Our study underscores the need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach
towards personalized strategies for optimizing vitamin D status.”
Rasha Shraim, PhD candidate, Department of Public Health
and Primary Care, School of Medicine, Trinity College, and co-principal
investigator on this study said:
“Our study also highlights the effect that natural
environmental factors, like sunlight, can have on our health. We hope that our
approach encourages future researchers and public health bodies to integrate
these factors into their health and disease work.”
The authors hope that their manuscript will contribute to
the ongoing discourse on vitamin D supplementation guidelines.
Reference: “Ambient ultraviolet-B radiation, supplements
and other factors interact to impact vitamin D status differently depending on
ethnicity: A cross-sectional study” by Margaret M. Brennan, Jos van Geffen,
Michiel van Weele, Lina Zgaga and Rasha Shraim, 12 April 2024, Clinical Nutrition.
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2024.04.006
