Vitamin D

Prospective study of serum vitamin D and cancer mortality in the United States. Freedman DM, Looker AC, Chang SC, Graubard BI. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007 Nov 7;99(21):1594-602. Epub 2007 Oct 30. PMID: 17971526 doi:10.1093/jnci/djm204 CONCLUSIONS: Our results do not support an association between 25(OH)D and total cancer mortality, although there was an inverse relationship between 25(OH)D levels and colorectal cancer mortality.

25-hydroxyvitamin D, IGF-1, and metabolic syndrome at 45 years of age: a cross-sectional study in the 1958 British Birth Cohort. Hyppönen E, Boucher BJ, Berry DJ, Power C. Diabetes. 2008 Feb;57(2):298-305. Epub 2007 Nov 14. PMID: 18003755 doi: 10.2337/db07-1122 CONCLUSIONS-Serum 25(OH)D is inversely associated with metabolic syndrome, whereas the inverse association with IGF-1 was found only among those without hypovitaminosis D. These results suggest that metabolic syndrome prevalence is the lowest when both 25(OH)D and IGF-1 are high.

Use of cod liver oil during the first year of life is associated with lower risk of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes: a large, population-based, case-control study. Stene LC, Joner G; Norwegian Childhood Diabetes Study Group. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003 Dec;78(6):1128-34. PMID: 14668274 Conclusion: Cod liver oil may reduce the risk of type 1 diabetes, perhaps through the antiinflammatory effects of long-chain n-3 fatty acids.

Hypovitaminosis D is associated with insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. Chiu KC, Chu A, Go VL, Saad MF. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 May;79(5):820-5. PMID: 15113720 Conclusions: The data show a positive correlation of 25(OH)D concentration with insulin sensitivity and a negative effect of hypovitaminosis D on ß cell function. Subjects with hypovitaminosis D are at higher risk of insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome. Further studies are required to explore the underlying mechanisms.

Food chain as origin of vitamin D in fish D. Sunita Rao and N. Raghuramulu. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Physiology Volume 114, Issue 1, May 1996, Pages 15-19 doi:10.1016/0300-9629(95)02024-1 Plankton, the chief food source of fish, was assessed as the possible dietary origin of vitamin D in fish. The presence of vitamin D compounds were examined in fresh water phytoplankton and zooplankton employing a series of chromatographic procedures. Abundant amounts of provitamins D and vitamins D (D2 and D3) were found in the fresh water plankton. The high amount of vitamin D observed may be due to exposure of plankton to sunlight because the plankton were caught during the summer month. Thus, plankton may be an important contributor to vitamin D in fish.

Vitamin D content in Alaskan Arctic zooplankton, fishes, and marine mammals. David E. Kenny 1, Todd M. O'Hara, Tai C. Chen, Zhiren Lu, Xiao Tian, Michael F. Holick. Zoo Biology Volume 23 Issue 1, Pages 33 - 43 Published Online: 13 Feb 2004 Doi: 10.1002/zoo.10104