A new study from Trinity College Dublin reveals important factors influencing vitamin D levels, making the case for personalized supplementation strategies to effectively combat widespread deficiencies.
The researchers suggest their findings could be crucial in creating personalized vitamin D supplementation guidelines.
A recent study by researchers at Trinity College Dublin, published in the journal Clinical Nutrition, explores the challenges of maintaining adequate vitamin D levels among diverse populations. Research highlights the continuing problem of high rates of vitamin D deficiency, despite extensive studies on 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 that this work can highlight significant differences in vitamin D levels between different ethnic groups at northern latitudes and contribute to efforts to address the long-standing health problem of vitamin D deficiency.”
Methodology and research perspectives
The authors analyzed data from half a million participants from the United Kingdom and for each person, they calculated the individualized estimate of the ambient level of ultraviolet B (UVB), which is the wavelength of the sunlight which induces the synthesis of vitamin D in the body. skin.
A comprehensive analysis of key vitamin D determinants and their interactions revealed new insights. The first key insight is that ambient UVB appears to be a key indicator of vitamin D status, even in a place like the UK, which receives relatively little sunlight. The second is that age, gender, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol levels, 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 Principal Investigator, said:
“We believe our findings have significant implications for the development of personalized recommendations for vitamin D supplementation. Our study highlights the need to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach toward personalized strategies to optimize vitamin D status. vitamin D. “
Rasha Shraim, PhD candidate, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, School of Medicine, Trinity College, and co-principal investigator of this study, said:
“Our study also highlights the effect that natural environmental factors, such as sunlight, can have on our health. We hope that our approach will encourage future researchers and public health organizations to integrate these factors into their work on health and disease.
The authors hope that their manuscript will contribute to the ongoing debate on vitamin D supplementation guidelines.
