• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.132-139
• /
• 2019

Objective: Vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) mediates various biological processes in humans. The goal of this study was to investigate whether VDBP gene polymorphisms could predispose Korean women to endometriosis. Methods: We prospectively enrolled women with endometriosis (n = 16) and healthy controls (n = 16). Total serum 25-hydroxyl vitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were measured using an Elecsys vitamin D total kit. Levels of bioavailable and free 25(OH)D were calculated. Concentrations of VDBP were measured using a vitamin D BP Quantikine ELISA kit. DNA was extracted using a DNeasy blood & tissue kit. Two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; rs4588 and rs7041) in GC, the gene that codes for VDBP, were analyzed using a TaqMan SNP genotyping assay kit. The functional variant of VDBP was determined based on the results of the two SNPs. Results: Gravidity and parity were significantly lower in the endometriosis patients than in the control group, but serum CA-125 levels and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate were significantly higher. Total serum 25(OH)D levels in the endometriosis patients were significantly lower than in the control group. However, serum bioavailable 25(OH)D, free 25(OH)D, and VDBP levels did not differ significantly between the endometriosis and control groups. The genotypes and allele frequencies of GC were similar in both groups. Conclusion: Korean women with endometriosis had lower total serum 25(OH)D concentrations than controls. Neither serum VDBP concentrations nor polymorphisms in the gene coding for VDBP were associated with endometriosis. Further studies are needed to investigate the pathophysiology and clinical implications of 25(OH)D and VDBP in endometriosis.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.29 no.7
• /
• pp.758-771
• /
• 1996

This study attempted to define reference data for the distribution of vitamin d status and to explore the relationship between vitamin D status and related biochemical indices in Korean women. The vitamin D status of 179 Korean women aged from 20 to 75 years was analyzed by using HPLC(High Pressure Liquid Chromatography). Related biochemical indices such as iPTH, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, albumin, Ca, Mg and P were also measured. The mean serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D were s25.8ng/ml and 89.8pg/ml, respectively. Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D (<25nmol/L) was found in 29 subjects(16.5%). There was a significantly progressive decrease in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D with increasing age(p<0.05). After in their, there was a dramatical reduction in 25-hydroxyvitamin D(p<0.05). It was also significant in post-menopasusal women compared with pre-menopausal women(p<0.000). Serum alkaline phosphatase levels increased significantly with age(p<0.001). Whereas serum calcium and phosphorus levels remained constant with age. Serum 250-hydroxyvitamin D was invesely related to iPTH (p<0.05) and alkaline phophatase (p<0.001).

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.58 no.9
• /
• pp.325-329
• /
• 2015

Purpose: In addition to regulating calcium and phosphorus homeostasis and bone metabolism, vitamin D is known as an immune modulator. Recently, there has been increased worldwide interest in the association between low levels of vitamin D and allergic diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and allergic/vasomotor rhinitis (AR/VR) in children. Methods: This study included 164 patients. The sample included 59 patients with AR, 42 patients with VR, and 63 controls. Their ages ranged from 0 to 16 years. We examined the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, Immunoglobulin E, specific IgE, and eosinophil cationic protein; peripheral blood eosinophil count; and the results of a skin prick test. Results: Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were $19.0{\pm}8.5ng/mL$ in the AR group, $25.5{\pm}10.9ng/mL$ in the VR group, and $26.9{\pm}10.7ng/mL$ in the control group. After adjustment for body mass index and season at the time of blood sampling, vitamin D levels in the AR group were lower than those of the VR group (P=0.003) and control group (P<0.001). Vitamin D levels were inversely correlated with Immunoglobulin E levels (r=-0.317, P<0.001). AR patients with food allergy or atopic dermatitis did not have lower levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D than AR patients without these diseases. Conclusion: This study demonstrates a possible relationship between vitamin D levels and allergic rhinitis in Korean children.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.129-132
• /
• 2014

Background: The true association between breast cancer and vitamin D is currently under investigation. We compared serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels in women with benign and malignant breast masses and controls. Materials and Methods: Levels of vitamin D were measured by electrochemiluminescense. Serum levels >35 ng/ml, 25-35 ng/ml, 12.5-25 ng/ml and <12.5 ng/ml were considered as normal, mild, moderate and severe vitamin D deficiency, respectively. Results: Overall, 364 women were included in the control, 172 in the benign and 136 in the malignant groups. The median serum vitamin D level was significantly lower in breast cancers than controls. Levels were also lower in malignant than benign cases and in benign cases than controls although statistically non-significant. Conclusions: Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that severe vitamin D deficiency causes a three-fold increase in the risk of breast cancer while this was not the case for moderate and mild deficiency.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.2227-2230
• /
• 2015

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most commonly diagnosed neoplasms and the second leading cause of cancer death in men in the Western world. Vitamin D (1,25dihydroxy vitamin D) is linked to many biological processes that influence oncogenesis but data on relations between its genetic variants and cancer risk have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to determine associations between a vitamin D genetic polymorphism and 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels and prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from 124 Jordanian prostate cancer patients and 100 healthy volunteers. Ethical approval was granted from the ethical committee at Hashemite University and written consent was given by all patients. PCR was used to amplify the vitamin D receptor Fok1 polymorphism fragment. 25(OH)D serum levels were measured by competitive immunoassay. Results: All genotypes were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Genotype frequency for Fok1 genotypes FF, Ff and ff was 30.7%, 61.3% and 8.06%, for prostate cancer patients, while frequencies for the control group was 28.0%, 66.0% and 6.0%, respectively, with no significant differences. Vitamin D serum level was significantly lower in prostate cancer patients (mean 7.7 ng/ml) compared to the control group (21.8 ng/ml). No significant association was noted between 25(OH)D and VDR Fok1 gene polymorphism among Jordanians overall, but significant associations were evident among prostate cancer patients (FF, Ff and ff : 25(OH)D levels of 6.2, 8.2 and 9.9) and controls (19.0, 22.5 and 26.3, respectively). An inverse association was noted between 25(OH)D serum level less than 10ng/ml and prostate cancer risk (OR 35.5 and 95% CI 14.3- 88.0). Conclusions: There is strong inverse association between 25(OH)D serum level less than 10ng/ml level and prostate cancer risk.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.50 no.6
• /
• pp.369-376
• /
• 2017

Objectives: Dry eye disease (DED) is an increasingly important public health problem in Korea. Previous studies conducted in Korea have reported inconsistent results regarding the protective effects of vitamin D on DED, and these discrepancies may be related to the relatively simple questionnaire that has been used. Thus, we evaluated the association of serum vitamin D levels with DED using the ocular surface disease index (OSDI). Methods: The present study evaluated data from participants in the Study Group for Environmental Eye Disease (2014-2015). This group included data from 752 participants, and data from 740 participants (253 men and 487 women) were analyzed in the present study. DED severity was evaluated using the OSDI. Results: Higher serum vitamin D levels were associated with a non-significantly reduced risk of DED in the crude analysis (odds ratio [OR], 0.991; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.971 to 1.011) and in the adjusted analysis (OR, 0.988; 95% CI, 0.966 to 1.010). In the crude analysis of no/mild DED vs. moderate/severe DED, men exhibited a decreased risk with increasing serum vitamin D levels (OR, 0.999; 95% CI, 0.950 to 1.051), while women exhibited an increased risk (OR, 1.003; 95% CI, 0.979 to 1.027). In these analyses, we found no significant associations. Conclusions: The findings of the present study support previous reports that serum vitamin D levels are not associated with DED.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
• /
• v.54 no.5
• /
• pp.727-737
• /
• 2015

The study investigated the relationship between vitamin D status and lifestyle risk factors in office workers. A total of 515 office workers(336 men and 179 women) aged 30 years or older were voluntarily recruited from S-city. Along with serum vitamin D levels, lifestyle risk factors including obesity index, physical fitness, metabolic risk factors, lipids profile and sedentary behavior were measured using standardized protocols. Subjects were classified as deficiency (<20ng/mL), insufficiency (20-29ng/mL), and sufficiency (≥30ng/mL) based on serum vitamin D levels. Linear contrast analysis using one-way ANOVA showed significant linear decreases in mean body fat (p=.030) and sedentary behavior (p<.001) and significant linear increases in skeletal muscle (p=.037), cardiorespiratory fitness (p<.001) and HDL-C (p=.013) across incremental serum vitamin D levels. Compared with the low cardiorespiratory fitness group, the high cardiorespiratory fitness group had a significantly higher odds ratio (men OR=2.144, p=.042, women OR=1.971, p=.045) for having vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency even adjustment after age. Compared to the shortest sitting time group, the longest sitting time group had a significantly higher odds-ratio in a group of female office workers (OR=1.262, p=.043) for having vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency even adjustment after age. The current findings of the study showed that poor physical fitness and sedentary behavior were the risk factors of low serum vitamin D levels, implying the urgent need for a healthy lifestyle modification along with vitamin D supplementation.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.426-432
• /
• 2001

Vitamin B(sub)12(cobalamin) is an essential nutrient in human and it is particularly important during pregnancy. Nevertheless very few studies have reported, concerning vitamin B(sub)12 in relation with reproduction. This study was conducted to evaluate the vitamin B(sub)12 nutrition status of Korean pregnant women and to investigate the relationship between serum vitamin B(sub)12 levels of maternal-umbilical cord blood and pregnancy outcomes. Dietary vitamin B(sub)12 intakes of the pregnants were estimated by semiquantitative frequency questionnaire. Serum vitamin B(sub)12 levels in both maternal blood and umbilical cord blood of 30 pregnant women at delivery were measured by radioimmunoassay. Mean vitamin B(sub)12 intake was 3.3$\pm$1.4$\mu\textrm{g}$/d which was 125.8% of the Korean RDA(2.6$\mu\textrm{g}$) for vitamin B(sub)12 level of umbilical cord blood was 607.8$\pm$282.9pg/ml, more than two fold of maternal vitamin B(sub)12 level 268.6$\pm$97.8pg/ml. This finding indicates that fetal uptake of vitamin B(sub)12 in the fetus may be due to an active transport mchanism across the placenta. Umbilical cord blood vitamin B(sub)12 levels were highly correlated with maternal levels($r^2$=0.548, p<0.001), showing that fetal vitamin B(sub)12 level is affected by maternal status. However there was no significant correlation between the serum vitamin B(sub)12 levels in maternal-umbilical cord blood and the pregnancy outcomes except for the birth weight. Maternal-umbilical serum vitamin B(sub)12 levels were the highest in the group of birth weight 3.0-3.5kg, and the lowest in the group of birthweight below 3.0kg. (Korean J Nutrition 34(4) : 426~432, 2001)

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.197-207
• /
• 2015

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the sources of vitamin D (duration of exposure to sunlight, intake of major food sources for vitamin D or vitamin D supplements) on the serum 25-(OH) $D_3$ levels, and the physical growth of a child. Methods: Subjects were 296 children aged 1 to 5 years who visited S hospital located in Changwon City. Survey data collection was carried out by direct interview method, and the biochemical data were collected using hospital records. Results: The study subjects were divided into three groups according to their levels of serum 25-(OH) $D_3$ (deficient, relatively insufficient, sufficient) and their percentage were 48.3%, 44.3% and 7.4% respectively. The average concentration of serum 25-(OH) $D_3$ was $20.41{\pm}6.55ng/mL$, which was relatively insufficient. The average duration of exposure to sunlight was $58.86{\pm}49.18minutes/day$. A total score of vitamin D major food sources was 46.71 points (full marks 153), and the most frequently consumed food items were milk, eggs, and cheese. Thirty-four percent of the subjects took vitamin D supplements and their dose were $11.96{\mu}g/day$. Three vitamin D sources in sufficient group were higher than deficient or relatively insufficient group significantly. Intake of vitamin D supplements showed positive relation (+) and high explanation power ($R^2=0.288$) on serum 25-(OH) $D_3$ concentration, but intake of vitamin D major food sources (+) and the duration of exposure to sunlight (+) had a low explanation power ($R^2=0.068$). The relations between serum 25-(OH) $D_3$ concentration and physical growth (height and weight) were shown as negative (-), and their explanation powers were low as 7.3% and 5.9% respectively. Conclusions: This study results can be useful when discussing the intake standard of vitamin D and the effective intake method for children. In addition, it will be helpful to build the children's nutrition policy and to plan the nutrition education program to improve the vitamin D status in children.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.231-240
• /
• 2014

Objectives: This study was intended to examine the seasonal differences in outdoor activity times and dietary vitamin D intakes, and explicates their relative impact on improving serum 25-(OH) vitamin D status among Korean young women. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 135 free-living women aged 19-39 years in Daegu-Kyungbook, Korea. We compared the results from 52 women for the summer and 83 women for the winter. Dietary intake of vitamin D was assessed by 24 hour recall method for non-consecutive three days as well as by food frequency method. Daily outdoor activity times were derived from 24 hour physical activity diary. Results: The average dietary intake of vitamin D of the participants by 24 hour recall method was 3.1 ${\mu}g$ during the summer, 3.3 ${\mu}g$ during the winter, showing no significant difference between the two seasons. Times spent on outdoor activities (p < 0.01) in the summer (= $23.8{\pm}23.6$ min) were much longer than that in the winter (= $10.8{\pm}13.4$ min). The serum 25-(OH) vitamin D levels of participants were $17.5{\pm}7.5$ ng/mL in the summer and $13.4{\pm}4.3$ ng/mL in the winter, showing that the latter was significantly lower than that of the former (p<0.001). The serum 25-(OH) vitamin D levels of subjects were positively related to outdoor activities (r=0.315, p<0.05) during the summer, while related to dietary intake (r=0.252, p<0.05) during the winter. Conclusions: In order to improve the current vitamin D status of Korean young women, nutrition education programs should focus on increasing more dietary intake especially during the winter, and performing more outdoor activities in other seasons.