Dataset Information

Do extreme summers increase blood vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels?

ABSTRACT: Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as extended heat waves and droughts in the northern hemisphere. Besides affecting ecosystems worldwide, these changes in climate patterns will also affect the environmental health of human populations. While the medical community is mostly concerned with the negative impact of climate change, there might also be some beneficial effects. In this study we used laboratory data from a large university clinic in Germany (n = 13 406), to test for any detectable impact of two extreme summers on Vitamin-D [25(OH)D] plasma concentrations over a six year period (2014-2019). For the two years with extreme summers (2018 and 2019) the 25(OH)D plasma concentrations were significantly higher than in the previous four years (p < 0.001). A time series analysis (autoregressive term, AR, ? = 0.84, with an AR of one indicating a persistent effect) showed that 25(OH)D concentrations rise by 0.04 nmol/l (95% CI: 0.04-0.05 nmol/l) per hour of sunshine. The incidence of vitamin D deficiency was generally high (60% for 2014-2017) but dropped by 10% in 2018 and 2019. As such, the summers of 2018 and 2019, which are among the hottest and driest in Germany since the start of modern climate recordings, had a measurable positive effect on 25(OH)D plasma levels of the examined population. Given that 25(OH)D deficiency is widespread in higher latitudes, this implies that while mostly considered negative, climate change might also confer some health benefits with regard to vitamin D related medical conditions.

SUBMITTER: Kraus FB

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7654803 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Do extreme summers increase blood vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels?

Kraus Frank Bernhard FB Medenwald Daniel D Ludwig-Kraus Beatrice B

PloS one 20201110 11

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as extended heat waves and droughts in the northern hemisphere. Besides affecting ecosystems worldwide, these changes in climate patterns will also affect the environmental health of human populations. While the medical community is mostly concerned with the negative impact of climate change, there might also be some beneficial effects. In this study we used laboratory data from a large university clinic in Germ ...[more]

PMID: 33170904

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Project description:Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) levels vary among human populations. Only limited information regarding determinants of these measures is available for infants and children, particularly in minority groups at greatest risk for vitamin D deficiency. We identified demographic determinants of circulating 25-OHD in a large cohort of minority children, and now extend our studies to examine potential roles of vitamin D binding protein (DBP) as a determinant of 25-OHD levels. Serum DBP level and common single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at positions 432 and 436 in the GC gene, encoding DBP, were examined. We confirmed self-reported ancestry using ancestry informative markers (AIMs), and included quantitative AIMs scores in the analysis. The multivariate model incorporated previously identified demographic and nutritional determinants of 25-OHD in this cohort, as well as GC SNPs and circulating DBP. Genetic variants in GC differed by self-reported ancestry. The 1f allele (D432/T436) was enriched in African Americans, occurring in 71%. Homozygosity for the 1f allele (DDTT) occurred in 53% of African Americans but only 6% of Caucasians and 13% of Hispanics. Circulating DBP was significantly correlated with 25-OHD. GC SNPs were associated with both circulating DBP and 25-OHD. It appears that progressive substitution of lysine for threonine at the 436 position results in lower circulating 25-OHD. Multivariate analysis revealed that genetic variance in GC significantly contributes to circulating DBP as well as 25-OHD. Moreover, the effect of GC SNPs on 25-OHD are evident after adjusting for their effects on circulating DBP. Thus in young children genetic variance of the common GC T436K SNP affects circulating levels of the DBP protein, which in turn affects circulating 25-OHD. However, the GC genotype also affects circulating 25-OHD independently of its effect on circulating DBP. These findings provide data that may be important in the interpretation of vitamin D status in children of varying ancestral backgrounds.

Dataset Information

Do extreme summers increase blood vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels?

Publications

Do extreme summers increase blood vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels?

Similar Datasets

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