What is the best solution to manage vitamin D deficiency?
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of food fortification, including staple foods like milk, as a long-term solution for addressing vitamin D deficiency at a population level.
Results Summary
The study suggests that food fortification, particularly with staple foods, is the most effective method for increasing vitamin D consumption and treating deficiency long-term, compared to short-term supplementation. It highlights the limitations of relying solely on sunlight exposure or dietary intake for adequate vitamin D levels.
Population
General population with vitamin D deficiency (not specified further).
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
effective solar ultraviolet B exposure | increase | serum concentrations of vitamin D | everyone | - | obtain sufficient serum concentrations | #1 |
usual dietary intake | increase | serum concentrations of vitamin D | everyone | - | obtain sufficient serum concentrations | #2 |
Nutritional supplements | increase | vitamin D | - | - | provide the recommended amount | #3 |
fortified foods | increase | vitamin D | - | - | provide the recommended amount | #4 |
vitamin D supplementation | neutral | vitamin D deficiency treatment | - | - | considered a good and simple short-term solution | #5 |
food fortification, using staple foods | increase | vitamin D consumption | population | - | the best method to increase | #6 |
food fortification, using staple foods | neutral | long-term treatment of vitamin D deficiency | population | - | the best method for | #7 |
Nowadays, vitamin D deficiency is the most common nutritional deficiency worldwide. In addition to the skeletal effects, it is now recognized that vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Currently, optimizing serum concentration of 25-hydroxy vitamin D with targeted strategies is becoming one the most interesting topics of public health nutrition. It is not possible for everyone to obtain sufficient serum concentrations of vitamin D by effective solar ultraviolet B exposure or usual dietary intake. Nutritional supplements and fortified foods as an available and cost-effective way to provide the recommended amount of vitamin D. Although, vitamin D supplementation is considered a good and simple short-term solution for vitamin D deficiency treatment; however, it seems that at a population level, food fortification, using staple foods, is the best method to increase vitamin D consumption and long-term treatment of vitamin D deficiency. © 2019 IUBMB Life, 71(9):1190-1191, 2019.