This presentation given to the International Society for Enzymology in Corfu details the extent of vitamin D deficiency in the largest state of Australia, NSW. It highlights the over=testing phenomenon that has occurred and how to correct the problem.
3. Nutrition Related Disorders
Micronutrition
Undernutrition PCM
Minerals and Vitamins
Folic Acid
Vitamin D deficiency
Vitamin A deficiency
Fe deficiency
Selenium deficiency
Iodine deficiency
Macronutrition
Obesity
Hyperlipidemia
Insulin Resistance
Diabetes
Alcohol
4. Key questions
1. Are we vitamin D deficient and whose is at
risk?
2. Are we over-diagnosing and over-testing?
3. How much vitamin D do we need and how
should we supplement?
6. Synthesis and Metabolism of Vitamin D in the Regulation of Calcium, Phosphorus, and Bone
Metabolism
Holick M. N Engl J Med 2007;357:266-281
Physiology: skeletal and non
skeletal
7. Health benefits of vitamin D:
Low levels of vitamin D linked to
Osteoporosis and
osteopenia
Cancer
Diabetes
Cardiovascular
disease
Autoimmune
disease
Multiple sclerosis
Respiratory Illness
Mental Health
Skeletal Non Skeletal
9. Factors affecting vitamin D
levels
Season
Latitude
UVR
Cloud cover
Age
Skin colour
Body fatness
Fat malabsorption
Geographical Physiological
• Other factors
– Sunscreen
– Clothing
10. Causes of vitamin D deficiency
Reduced skin synthesis
Decreased bioavailability
Malabsorption
Obesity
Increased catabolism
Decreased synthesis eg liver failure
Increased renal loss
Decreased production of 1,25 OH vitamin D
Heritable disorders
Acquired disorders eg hyperthyroidism,
hyperparathyroidism, tumour induced osteomalacia,
granulomatous disorders
11. Adequate vitamin D status
Vitamin D (nmol/L*)
Conventional
guidelines
Newer
recommendations+
Severe Deficiency <12.5
Moderate deficiency 12.5-25
Mild deficiency 25-50 <50
Insufficiency 50-75
Sufficiency >50 >75
*2.5 nmol/L = 1 ng/ml
+Bischoff Ferrari, AJCN 2006
12.
13. Australian Studies
No. of
subject
s
Latitude
(0S)
Mean
25(OH)D
Prevalence (%) Ref.
<28 nmol/L <50
nmol/L
Overall
VIC 861 38 - 7.2 30.0 Pasco 2001
SE QLD 414 28 69.1 8.0 23.4 McGrath
2001
Winter
SE QLD 28 - 40.5 McGrath
2001
VIC 861 38 59.1 11.3 43.2 Pasco 2001
VIC 287 38 17.6 60.3 Pasco 2004
TAS 404 43 36.2 ~7.4 50.7 Van der Mei
2007
QLD/VI
C/TAS
1669 28-43 67.0/75.5
/ 51.1
7.1/7.9/
13.0
40.5/37.4
/ 67.3
Van der Mei
2007 b
(pooled
14. 4697
31131 25(OH)D assays
1 July 2008 and 30 July 2010
Primary test, complete data
available for gender, age,
patient setting, date of test,
postcode**, known breast
cancer case, 25(OH)D ≤400
nmol/L
Sample type
10839 13979
Diagnostic
referral
Outpatient
Private outpatient
Emergency
Inpatient
Private hospital patient
Public hospital patient
Private patient
29516
24819
Ye
s
680618012
Femal
e
Mal
e
62016251
Summe
r Winter
61216245
Autumn Spring
1615
QC sample
Research
Miscellaneou
s
Unknown
* *Matched
to ARIA,
SEIFA,
Latitude,
Longitude
15. Mean 25(OH)D by gender
74.0
45.1
65.5
43.2
40.0
45.0
50.0
55.0
60.0
65.0
70.0
75.0
Male
Female
45%
reduction
by June
P<.001
37%
reduction
by June
17. Mean 25(OH)D by gender and
patient setting
Supporting Women with Breast
Cancer Today and Every Day
79.1
48.6
60.4
42.6
40.0
45.0
50.0
55.0
60.0
65.0
70.0
75.0
80.0
Ambulatory Male
Ambulatory Female
Inpatient Male
Inpatient Female
18. Mean 25(OH)D by age group
*77.0
65.6
40.7
*61.2
40.0
45.0
50.0
55.0
60.0
65.0
70.0
75.0
80.0
<20
20-39
40-59
60-79
≥80
*P<.001
31. Vitamin D Test Medicare Benefit
($m) per annum: Australia
0
20,000,000
40,000,000
60,000,000
80,000,000
100,000,000
120,000,000
140,000,000
160,000,000
1994 1999 2004 2009 2014
$million
Year
Medicare Benefit ($m)
32. Vitamin D intake
recommendations
*Recommendations based on maintaining serum vitamin D > 75 nmol/L
(30ng/ml)
Recognition that individuals who are obese or on certain medications be
give 2-3 times more vitamin D
40 IU = 1 µg
Age NHMRC IOM US Endo
Society*
0-1 200 400 1000
1-18 200 600 1000
19-49 200 600 1500-2000
50-69 400 600 1500-2000
70 and over 600 800 1500-2000
33. Health Implications
Public health messages
required to address
high prevalence of
vitamin D deficiency
Australians are not
adequately
supplementing -
suitable guidelines are
required
Implications regarding
frequency and timing of
testing
Fortification of food
may be a better
approach
34. Acknowledgements
Australia
CJ Eastman
JP Halpern
John K Collins
Li Mu
China
Indonesia
The Netherlands
Hemmo Drexhage
USA, Atlanta
GF Maberly
Italy, Pisa
Alessandro Antonelli
Notes de l'éditeur
As part of a more specific study we are conducting to understand the relationship between vitamin D status and factors associated with breast cancer prognosis we wanted to assess vitamin D status in the a large population of individuals in and examine the relationship between vitamin D and other environmental factors.
Australian studies to date have been limited. Most have sample sizes or examine vitamin D status in individuals at high risk of deficiency.
Sunlight 1 MED = 20000 IU
Hands, arms, neck (11%) for 20 minutes in summer early am = 1000 IU
Salmon 160g fillet approx. 530 IU
Fortified cheese slice 55 IU
Regular milk 20 IU
Margarine 12 IU
Multivitamins ave.200 IU
Caltrate with D 400 IU
Specific D ave. 1000IU
Current recommendations generally focus on bone health in older people. Evidence suggests that vitamin D intakes above current recommendations may be associated with better health outcomes although the optimal level is not known.
The most advantageous serum concentrations of 25(OH)D of 75nmol/L (30ng/mL) are based on factors such as reduction in fractures rates, maximum suppression of PTH and maximum calcium absorption as well as non skeletal outcomes.
An intake of at least 1000 IU is suggested to bring at least 50% of the population up to 75nmol/L
Australian studies have included limited numbers of subjects.
Study Design
Explain patient status
Define setting
Aria; SEIFA. latitude obtained from postcode
Based on visual inspection of vitamin D level by age we classified subjects into age groups: <20; 20-39. 40-59, 60-79, ≥80
Inpatients always lower than ambulatory subjects except females in very remote Australia.
The high frequency of testing in individuals suggest that better value could be derived. Subgroup analysis between 1 April 2006 and 31 October 2010 showed that although 49.5% of individuals had an average of two tests in that period, 14.5% had over four tests, and 8.2% had over five tests (with some individuals having up to 79 tests in that period).
This increase in 25OHD testing has risen above the general trend of other common pathology tests such as full blood count
The annual benefit for 25OHD testing subsidised by the MBS increased from $1.02 million in 2000 to $96.7 million in 2010, an average increase of approximately 59% per year
Based on adequate sunlight exposure
Developed for maintenance of calcium homeostasis and prevention of osteoporosis
Call for new recommendations based on newly discovered actions