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Assessment of Vitamin Deficiency and Benefits of Vitamin Supplementation for Human Health—2nd Edition

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A Special Issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643) belonging to the section "Nutrition Methodology & Assessment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 November 2026 | Viewed by 1472

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Dr. Manfred L. Eggersdorfer

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Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
Interests: micronutrients; nutrient intake and status; biomarker; impact of inadequate intake on health; healthy ageing
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Following the success of the first volume of the Special Issue, titled, “Assessment of Vitamin Deficiency and Benefits of Vitamin Supplementation for Human Health” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients/special_issues/RBRWY8XO34), we hereby announce the 2nd Edition.

Vitamins are essential nutrients that the body needs to function properly. Regular intake via one’s diet often does not meet recommended intake levels, which are often defined to prevent deficiencies. However, it is no longer about vitamin deficiency. Optimal status provides many health benefits. In this Special Issue, the following aspects will be covered:

What are the cut-off points for deficiency, suboptimal status, and optimal status?
Which biomarkers should be used to assess vitamin status?
What are the benefits of optimal status for long-term health?

Moreover, contributions should address the benefits of single vitamins and how vitamins work in concert regarding the optimal range.

Dr. Manfred Eggersdorfer
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nutrients is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

vitamins
intake
optimal status
health benefits
deficiency

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 2689 KB

Open AccessArticle

Development and Internal Validation of a Clinical Risk Score for Hypovitaminosis D in Italian Adults Aged ≥50 Years Attending Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Centers

by Ranuccio Nuti, Luigi Gennari, Bruno Frediani, Stefano Gonnelli, Daniela Merlotti, Carla Caffarelli, Giovanni Minisola, Antonino Catalano, Nazzarena Malavolta, Monica Pinto, Giulia Letizia Mauro, Vito Mascolo, Cristiano Maria Francucci, Vincenzo Vinicola, Anna Capozzi, Maria Punzo, Orazio Falla, Luca Dalle Carbonare, Serena Guiducci, Rosario Coltraro, Agostino Gaudio, Domenico Maria Carlucci, Alessandra Randazzo, Eleonora Mastria, Colin Gerard Egan, Mariangela Morelli and Giovanni Tripepi Show full author list Hide full author list

Nutrients 2026, 18(17), 2805; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18172805 - 27 Aug 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Hypovitaminosis-D is a highly prevalent condition worldwide, associated with adverse skeletal and extra-skeletal outcomes. Increasing demand for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) testing points toward the need for simple tools to identify individuals at risk and optimize laboratory use. We aimed to develop and validate a clinical risk score for predicting hypovitaminosis-D based on easily assessable risk factors. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 1408 adults aged ≥50 years (1286 women and 122 men) attending centers across Italy dedicated to osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases. Demographic, clinical, lifestyle, and dietary data were collected through a standardized questionnaire. Overall, 1147 subjects (81.5%) were receiving cholecalciferol supplementation. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses identified predictors of 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL (primary outcome) and <30 ng/mL. Risk scores were derived from models and internally validated. Discriminative ability was assessed using ROC curves, and calibration was conducted by comparing predicted and observed probabilities. Results: The median age was 67 years, and 91.3% were female. Median 25(OH)D was 33.2 ng/mL; 9.8% had levels < 20 ng/mL. Independent predictors of hypovitaminosis-D (25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL) included higher body mass index, residence in Northern Italy, reduced summer sun exposure, sunscreen use, cardiovascular disease, glucocorticoid use, absence of cholecalciferol supplementation, and no prior vitamin D use. The score (range 9–18) showed good discrimination (Area under the curve; AUC: 79.1%, 95% CI: 75.3–82.9) and calibration (r = 0.98, p < 0.001). A screening cut-off (10.3–10.7) ensured high sensitivity (87.0–92.7%), while 11.9–12.0 balanced sensitivity (~62%) and specificity (~80%). A second score for 25(OH)D < 30 ng/mL showed moderate discrimination (AUC: 69.6%). Performance remained stable across seasons and in untreated subjects (AUC: 72.7%). Female predominance, widespread vitamin D use, and the absence of external validation or impact analyses limit generalizability. Conclusions: The proposed data-driven clinical risk score may help identify individuals at risk of vitamin D deficiency and support targeted screening strategies, potentially reducing unnecessary testing in routine clinical practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Vitamin Deficiency and Benefits of Vitamin Supplementation for Human Health—2nd Edition)

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13 pages, 296 KB

Open AccessArticle

Calcidiol Status and Metabolic Syndrome in 40–60-Year-Old Women: Association with Metabolic Components

by Alexandra Tijerina-Sáenz, Ana Paula Romo-Uribe, Adbel Zaid Martínez-Báez, Elizabeth Solís-Pérez, Michel Stéphane Heya, Cristina Bouzas, Daniela Rodrigues and Josep A. Tur

Nutrients 2026, 18(14), 2311; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18142311 - 14 Jul 2026

Viewed by 407

Abstract

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a public health problem with high prevalence in adult Mexican women. Evidence suggest that vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among individuals’ metabolic disorders, obesity, and insulin resistance. Objective: To assess the association between calcidiol status (25D₃) and metabolic syndrome in 40-to-60-year-old Mexican women. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted in 202 women from the northeast of Mexico. The diagnosis of MetS was established using the definition of the International Diabetes Federation. Calcidiol was quantified using a validated method of liquid chromatography (HPLC-UV). Results: The prevalence of MetS was 59.9% and calcidiol deficiency (<20 ng/dL) 67.8%. Women with MetS had lower calcidiol levels than those in the NoMetS group (9.0 ng/mL vs. 17.2 ng/mL; p = 0.003). Presence of MetS was associated with deficient calcidiol levels (p = 0.023). Most MetS components showed an increased likelihood, 1.7 to 9.1%, of the presence of MetS at deficient (<20 ng/dL) and low (<30 ng/mL) calcidiol levels. Conclusions: Maintaining calcidiol levels at or above 30 ng/mL has been stated as protective for 40–60-year-old women; however, vitamin D supplementation as a protective strategy against MetS cannot be recommended. Longitudinal and intervention studies are needed to clarify causality and evaluate the benefits of vitamin D in women with metabolic syndrome. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Vitamin Deficiency and Benefits of Vitamin Supplementation for Human Health—2nd Edition)

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16 pages, 915 KB

Open AccessArticle

Update on Vitamin D Status and Seasonal Variation in a Non-Supplemented Population Living in a High Polluted Urban Area—A Cross-Sectional Study

by Francesco Bertoldo, Renata Bortolus, Francesca Filippini, Francesca Chiaffarino, Silvia Udali, Monica Rizzi, Rachele Montemezzi, Giorgio Gandini, Martina Montagnana, Giuseppe Lippi, Sara Moruzzi, Fabio Parazzini, Nicola Martinelli, Matteo Lombini, Sergio De Marchi, Francesca Pizzolo and Simonetta Friso

Nutrients 2026, 18(10), 1614; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18101614 - 20 May 2026

Viewed by 729

Abstract

Background: Serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] are associated with the risk of several chronic and acute diseases. However, updated data on vitamin D status in Mediterranean countries, including Italy, remain limited, hindering effective public health strategies. Objective: To assess serum 25(OH)D levels and their seasonal variation in healthy blood donors aged 18–65 years living in Northern Italy and not taking vitamin D supplements. Given the latitude and the high levels of environmental pollution, cutaneous vitamin D synthesis may be impaired in this population. Recent Italian guidelines on supplementation emphasize the need for updated data on the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and seasonal variation in endogenous vitamin D synthesis. Methods: In this exploratory retrospective cross-sectional study, 534 blood donors (268 men and 266 women) attending the Transfusion Medicine Unit of the Verona University Hospital were enrolled between April 2016 and May 2018. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were analyzed by season. Clinical, lifestyle, pharmacological and dietary characteristics were also collected. Results: Among healthy, normal-weight individuals, the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency (25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L) was low and limited to one-two months per year. Overweight and obesity significantly reduced the likelihood of achieving adequate 25(OH)D levels through cutaneous synthesis for several months. Mean 25(OH)D concentrations were higher than those previously reported in the same area, while seasonal variation remained preserved. Conclusions: In a relatively small non-supplemented population of blood donors living in a high polluted urban area of Northern Italy, seasonal vitamin D synthesis seems to be preserved. These updated data show higher 25(OH)D levels compared to past findings. Although these data certainly warrant further validation through a national survey involving other regions of Italy and in not selected population, they appear to be in line with the SIOMMMS recommendations against indiscriminate serum 25(OH)D testing and against routine supplementation for healthy normal-weight individuals under 70 years. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Vitamin Deficiency and Benefits of Vitamin Supplementation for Human Health—2nd Edition)

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