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Vitamin D: A Global Perspective for Health

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutrition and Public Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2022) | Viewed by 23467

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Dr. Cristiana Cipriani

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Guest Editor

Department of Clinical, Internal, Anesthesiology and Cardiovascular Sciences (SCIAC), "Sapienza" University of Rome, Viale del Policlinico 155, 00161 Rome, Italy
Interests: vitamin D; parathyroids; osteoporosis; bone metabolism

Prof. Dr. Luisella Cianferotti

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Guest Editor

1. Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
2. Bone Metabolic Diseases Unit, University Hospital of Florence, largo Palagi 1, 50139 Florence, Italy
Interests: vitamin D; parathyroids; osteoporosis; osteomalacia; fragility fractures; bone metabolism

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The purpose of this Special Issue, “Vitamin D: A Global Perspective for Health”, is to publish a comprehensive volume including original data and review papers on how vitamin D could impact global health. The effect of vitamin D on metabolic bone disease, as well as other metabolic pathways and immunity, will be covered.

In addition to this known effect on bone health, increasing evidence demonstrates the close relationship between vitamin D metabolism and pathways associated with glucose and insulin metabolism. Additionally, vitamin D deficiency may have a significant impact on several conditions, causing secondary osteoporosis and fragility fractures. Finally, the role of vitamin D as a modulator of the immune system may have several interesting clinical implications.

Potential topics of interest are:

Metabolic bone disease, secondary osteoporosis, fragility fracture: the role of hypovitaminosis D and its correction;
Vitamin D and glucose homeostasis in healthy and diabetic subjects;
Vitamin D and adipose tissue metabolism;
Vitamin D and autoimmune disease.

The goal of this Special Issue is to provide the most recent and original evidence from observational, interventional, and experimental studies that investigate the impact of vitamin D on different health outcomes.

Dr. Cristiana Cipriani
Prof. Dr. Luisella Cianferotti
Guest Editors

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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-blind 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

vitamin D
metabolism
immunity
fragility fractures

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 13409 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vitamin D Deficiency and Its Association with Iron Deficiency in African Children

by Reagan M. Mogire, John Muthii Muriuki, Alireza Morovat, Alexander J. Mentzer, Emily L. Webb, Wandia Kimita, Francis M. Ndungu, Alex W. Macharia, Clare L. Cutland, Sodiomon B. Sirima, Amidou Diarra, Alfred B. Tiono, Swaib A. Lule, Shabir A. Madhi, Andrew M. Prentice, Philip Bejon, John M. Pettifor, Alison M. Elliott, Adebowale Adeyemo, Thomas N. Williams and Sarah H. Atkinson Show full author list Hide full author list

Nutrients 2022, 14(7), 1372; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14071372 - 25 Mar 2022

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 10909

Abstract

Vitamin D regulates the master iron hormone hepcidin, and iron in turn alters vitamin D metabolism. Although vitamin D and iron deficiency are highly prevalent globally, little is known about their interactions in Africa. To evaluate associations between vitamin D and iron status we measured markers of iron status, inflammation, malaria parasitemia, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations in 4509 children aged 0.3 months to 8 years living in Kenya, Uganda, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, and South Africa. Prevalence of iron deficiency was 35.1%, and prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was 0.6% and 7.8% as defined by 25(OH)D concentrations of <30 nmol/L and <50 nmol/L, respectively. Children with 25(OH)D concentrations of <50 nmol/L had a 98% increased risk of iron deficiency (OR 1.98 [95% CI 1.52, 2.58]) compared to those with 25(OH)D concentrations >75 nmol/L. 25(OH)D concentrations variably influenced individual markers of iron status. Inflammation interacted with 25(OH)D concentrations to predict ferritin levels. The link between vitamin D and iron status should be considered in strategies to manage these nutrient deficiencies in African children. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vitamin D: A Global Perspective for Health)

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13 pages, 871 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Genetic Risk Score and Dietary Protein Intake on Vitamin D Status in Young Adults from Brazil

by Buthaina E. Alathari, Nathália Teixeira Cruvinel, Nara Rubia da Silva, Mathurra Chandrabose, Julie A. Lovegrove, Maria A. Horst and Karani S. Vimaleswaran

Nutrients 2022, 14(5), 1015; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14051015 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2424

Abstract

Given the relationship between vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and adverse outcomes of metabolic diseases, we investigated the interplay of dietary and genetic components on vitamin D levels and metabolic traits in young adults from Brazil. Genetic analysis, dietary intake, and anthropometric and biochemical measurements were performed in 187 healthy young adults (19–24 years). Genetic risk scores (GRS) from six genetic variants associated with vitamin D (vitamin D-GRS) and 10 genetic variants associated with metabolic disease (metabolic-GRS) were constructed. High vitamin D-GRS showed a significant association with low 25(OH)D concentrations (p = 0.001) and high metabolic-GRS showed a significant association with high fasting insulin concentrations (p = 0.045). A significant interaction was found between vitamin D-GRS and total protein intake (g/day) (adjusted for non-animal protein) on 25(OH)D (p_interaction = 0.006), where individuals consuming a high protein diet (≥73 g/d) and carrying >4 risk alleles for VDD had significantly lower 25(OH)D (p = 0.002) compared to individuals carrying ≤4 risk alleles. Even though our study did not support a link between metabolic-GRS and vitamin D status, our study has demonstrated a novel interaction, where participants with high vitamin D-GRS and consuming ≥73 g of protein/day had significantly lower 25(OH)D levels. Further research is necessary to evaluate the role of animal protein consumption on VDD in Brazilians. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vitamin D: A Global Perspective for Health)

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17 pages, 3346 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes of 25(OH)D Concentration, Bone Resorption Markers and Physical Performance as an Effect of Sun Exposure, Supplementation of Vitamin D and Lockdown among Young Soccer Players during a One-Year Training Season

by Joanna Jastrzębska, Maria Skalska, Łukasz Radzimiński, Guillermo F. López-Sánchez, Katja Weiss, Lee Hill and Beat Knechtle

Nutrients 2022, 14(3), 521; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14030521 - 25 Jan 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3270

Abstract

The main purpose of this research was to demonstrate the changes in 25(OH)D concentration, bone resorption markers, and physical fitness along the one-year training season in young soccer players. A total of 24 young soccer players (age: 17.2 ± 1.16 years, mass: 70.2 ± 5.84, height: 179.1 ± 4.26 cm) were tested at four different time points across one year (T1—September 2019; T2—December 2019; T3—May 2020; T4—August 2020). After T2 (during COVID-19 lockdown), players were divided into a supplemented (GS) group and a placebo group (GP). Variables such as 25(OH)D, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), parathyroid hormone (PTH), aerobic capacity, speed, and explosive power were measured. Analyses performed for all participants indicated significant changes in all selected blood markers and running speed. The highest values in 25(OH)D were noted during summertime in T1 and T4. After individuals were split into two groups, a two-factorial ANOVA demonstrated a significant time interaction for 25(OH)D, Ca, P, PTH, 30 m sprint, and counter-movement jump. Significant time x group effect was calculated for aerobic capacity. This study confirmed that 25(OH)D concentration varies between four seasons, with the greatest decreases in the low sunlight periods. Vitamin D supplementation did not cause a preventive and long-lasting effect of increasing the 25(OH)D concentration in the young soccer players. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vitamin D: A Global Perspective for Health)

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Review

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17 pages, 308 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Update on Vitamin D Deficiency Status in Malaysia

by Zaleha Md Isa, Nor Rumaizah Mohd Nordin, Muhammad Hilmi Mahmud and Syahirah Hashim

Nutrients 2022, 14(3), 567; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14030567 - 27 Jan 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 6141

Abstract

Vitamin D is essential for maintaining serum calcium levels, ensuring sufficient bone mineralization, immunomodulatory properties, and a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, renal disease, cancer, as well as in pregnancy. Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent worldwide, and it is not related to a country’s development index. However, the data on vitamin D deficiencies are primarily taken from out-of-date, small-scale studies on target age groups or specific diseases, rather than from large-scale, population-based surveys. In Malaysia, for the past 16 years, studies were conducted involving adult men and women, pregnant women, postmenopausal women, adolescent, and children especially with specific diseases such as spina bifida, epilepsy, chronic liver disease, and atopic dermatitis. Only a few large surveys were conducted involving children and adolescents. Across the specific target population studied, vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were seen particularly among females, Indians, and those of Malay ethnicity. This is related to widely known causes of vitamin D deficiency such as skin type (melanin) and sun avoidant lifestyles that include covering clothes, largely practiced by Malay Muslims in Malaysia. Other related causes or the high-risk groups are breastfed infants, the elderly, the obese, those on medications, and those characterized by fat malabsorption and geophysical factors. Vitamin D deficiency can be managed with pharmacological or non-pharmacological approaches, depending on the severity. The objective is to raise serum vitamin D to a normal level, hence, relieving the symptoms and reducing the adverse health outcomes. Despite no clear guidelines in treating vitamin D deficiency in Malaysia, this condition can be prevented with taking adequate vitamin D in food resources, sun exposure, or supplementation. Special attention should be given to high-risk groups including infants, obese patients, and the elderly. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Vitamin D: A Global Perspective for Health)

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