05.10.24
While most dietary supplementation guidelines for vitamin D follow a one-size-fits-all model, several factors can heavily influence vitamin D status, such as exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation, genetics, age, health status, and more.
A new study of 438,978 participants from the UK Biobank cohort by a team of researchers from Trinity College Dublin sheds light on the complexities of achieving optimal vitamin D status across a diverse population. Levels of vitamin D deficiency remain high, and these findings could help to challenge dietary guidelines that recommend a single standard daily intake of the vitamin and improve population-wide vitamin D status, according to the authors.
“We hope this work can highlight the significant differences in vitain 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,” said Dr. Margaret M. Brennan, research assistant at Trinity College School of Medicine and first author.
For each of the participants in the study, the authors calculated individualized estimates of ambient UVB level, and analyzed key determinants of vitamin D status. Aside from UVB exposure, the authors broke down how age, sex, body mass index (BMI) cholesterol level, and vitamin D supplementation significantly influenced how individuals responded to UVB. For instance, as age and BMI increased, vitamin D synthesis in response to UVB decreased.
“We believe our findings have significant implications for the development of tailored recommendations for vitamin D supplementation,” said Lina Zgaga, associate professor of epidemiology at Trinity College and principal investigator. “Our study underscores the need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach toward personalized strategies for optimizing vitamin D status.”
“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,” said Rasha Shraim, PhD candidate and co-principal investigator in the study.
A new study of 438,978 participants from the UK Biobank cohort by a team of researchers from Trinity College Dublin sheds light on the complexities of achieving optimal vitamin D status across a diverse population. Levels of vitamin D deficiency remain high, and these findings could help to challenge dietary guidelines that recommend a single standard daily intake of the vitamin and improve population-wide vitamin D status, according to the authors.
“We hope this work can highlight the significant differences in vitain 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,” said Dr. Margaret M. Brennan, research assistant at Trinity College School of Medicine and first author.
For each of the participants in the study, the authors calculated individualized estimates of ambient UVB level, and analyzed key determinants of vitamin D status. Aside from UVB exposure, the authors broke down how age, sex, body mass index (BMI) cholesterol level, and vitamin D supplementation significantly influenced how individuals responded to UVB. For instance, as age and BMI increased, vitamin D synthesis in response to UVB decreased.
“We believe our findings have significant implications for the development of tailored recommendations for vitamin D supplementation,” said Lina Zgaga, associate professor of epidemiology at Trinity College and principal investigator. “Our study underscores the need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach toward personalized strategies for optimizing vitamin D status.”
“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,” said Rasha Shraim, PhD candidate and co-principal investigator in the study.
