Faculty Opinions recommendation of Effects of Supplemental Vitamin D on Bone Health Outcomes in Women and Men in the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL).

Offspring health outcomes are often linked with epigenetic alterations triggered by maternal nutrition and intrauterine environment. Strong experimental data also link paternal preconception nutrition with pathophysiology in the offspring, but the mechanism(s) routing the effects of paternal exposures remain elusive. Animal experimental models have highlighted small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) as potential regulators of paternal effects, though less is known about the existence of similar mechanisms in human sperm. Here, we first characterised the baseline sncRNA landscape of human sperm, and then studied the effects of a 6-week diet intervention on their expression profile. Baseline profiling identified tRFs, miRNAs and piRNAs to be the most abundant sncRNA subtypes, primarily expressed from regulatory elements like UTRs, CpG-rich regions and promoters. Expression of a subset of these sncRNAs varied with age, BMI and sperm quality of the donor. Diet intervention enriched in vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids showed a marked increase of these nutrients in circulation and altered the sperm sncRNA expression. These included 3 tRFs, 15 miRNAs and 112 piRNAs, with gene targets involved in fatty acid metabolism, vitamin D response (LXR/RXR activation, TGF-beta and Wnt signaling), and transposable elements. These findings provide evidence that human sperms are sensitive to alterations in exposures such as diet, and sncRNAs capture the epigenetic imprint of this change. Hence changes to paternal nutrition during preconception may improve sperm quality and offspring health outcomes. To benefit future research, we developed iDad_DB, an open access database of baseline and diet-altered sncRNA in human male germline.

Download Full-text

Vitamin D and adverse pregnancy outcomes: beyond bone health and growth

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665111003399 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 71 (2) ◽

pp. 205-212 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Patsy M. Brannon

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Bone Health ◽

Vitamin D Status ◽

Vitamin D Metabolism ◽

Maternal Vitamin ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Maternal Vitamin D Status

Concerns exist about adequacy of vitamin D in pregnant women relative to both maternal and fetal adverse health outcomes. Further contributing to these concerns is the prevalence of inadequate and deficient vitamin D status in pregnant women, which ranges from 5 to 84% globally. Although maternal vitamin D metabolism changes during pregnancy, the mechanisms underlying these changes and the role of vitamin D during development are not well understood. Observational evidence links low maternal vitamin D status with an increased risk of non-bone health outcome in the mother (pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, obstructed labour and infectious disease), the fetus (gestational duration) and the older offspring (developmental programming of type 1 diabetes, inflammatory and atopic disorders and schizophrenia); but the totality of the evidence is contradictory (except for maternal infectious disease and offspring inflammatory and atopic disorders), lacking causality and, thus, inconclusive. In addition, recent evidence links not only low but also high maternal vitamin D status with increased risk of small-for-gestational age and schizophrenia in the offspring. Rigorous and well-designed randomised clinical trials need to determine whether vitamin D has a causal role in non-bone health outcomes in pregnancy.

Download Full-text

Vitamin D and bone health outcomes in older age

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665113002036 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 72 (4) ◽

pp. 372-380 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Tom R. Hill ◽

Terence J. Aspray ◽

Roger M. Francis

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Fracture Risk ◽

Vitamin D Deficiency ◽

Bone Health ◽

Vitamin D Supplementation ◽

Drop Out ◽

Vitamin D Status ◽

Mineral Density

The aim of this review is to summarise the evidence linking vitamin D to bone health outcomes in older adults. A plethora of scientific evidence globally suggests that large proportions of people have vitamin D deficiency and are not meeting recommended intakes. Older adults are at particular risk of the consequences of vitamin D deficiency owing to a combination of physiological and behavioural factors. Epidemiological studies show that low vitamin D status is associated with a variety of negative skeletal consequences in older adults including osteomalacia, reduced bone mineral density, impaired Ca absorption and secondary hyperparathyroidism. There seems to be inconsistent evidence for a protective role of vitamin D supplementation alone on bone mass. However, it is generally accepted that vitamin D (17·5 μg/d) in combination with Ca (1200 mg/d) reduces bone loss among older white subjects. Evidence for a benefit of vitamin D supplementation alone on reducing fracture risk is varied. According to a recent Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality review in the USA the evidence base shows mixed results for a beneficial effect of vitamin D on decreasing overall fracture risk. Limitations such as poor compliance with treatment, incomplete assessment of vitamin D status and large drop-out rates however, have been highlighted within some studies. In conclusion, it is generally accepted that vitamin D in combination with Ca reduces the risk of non-vertebral fractures particularly those in institutional care. The lack of data on vitamin D and bone health outcomes in certain population groups such as diverse racial groups warrants attention.

Download Full-text

Vitamin D and Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Bone Health: Ancillary Studies in the VITAL Randomized Controlled Trial

Nutritional Influences on Bone Health ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-32417-3_21 ◽

2016 ◽

pp. 217-226

Author(s):

Meryl S. LeBoff ◽

Amy Y. Yue ◽

Nancy Cook ◽

Julie Buring ◽

JoAnn E. Manson

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Vitamin D ◽

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Bone Health ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Omega 3 Fatty Acids ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Ancillary Studies

Download Full-text

Effects of Vitamin D3 Supplementation on Body Composition in the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL)

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism ◽

10.1210/clinem/dgaa981 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sharon H Chou ◽

Elle M Murata ◽

Cindy Yu ◽

Jacqueline Danik ◽

Gregory Kotler ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vitamin D ◽

Body Composition ◽

Vitamin D3 ◽

Omega 3 ◽

Fat Percentage ◽

Science Center ◽

Lean Tissue ◽

Hydroxyvitamin D ◽

Supplemental Vitamin ◽

Vitamin D3 Supplementation

Abstract Context Although observational studies show inverse associations between vitamin D status and body weight/adiposity, there are few large randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating this relationship. Objective To determine whether vitamin D3 supplementation lowers weight or improves body composition. Design The VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) was a double-blinded, placebo-controlled RCT including 25,871 U.S. adults. This ancillary study was completed in a sub-cohort that underwent body composition assessments at baseline and 2-year follow-up (89% retention). Setting Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center in Boston Participants 771 participants (men ≥50 and women ≥55 years) Interventions 2x2 factorial design of supplemental vitamin D3 (2000 IU/day) and/or omega-3 fatty acids (1 g/day) Main Outcome Measures Endpoints were 2-year changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and total and/or regional fat and lean tissue measures determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Effect modification by clinical variables and total and free 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels was explored. Results There were no effects of supplemental vitamin D3 versus placebo on weight, BMI, or measures of adiposity and lean tissue. Effects did not vary by sex, race/ethnicity, fat mass index, or baseline total or free 25(OH)D levels. Vitamin D3 supplementation did slightly improve body fat percentage in participants with normal BMI at baseline, but not in the overweight or obese (p for interaction=0.04). Conclusions Daily vitamin D3 supplementation versus placebo in the general older population did not improve weight or body composition. Whether supplemental vitamin D3 may benefit individuals with normal BMI warrants further study.

Download Full-text