• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.56 no.10
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• pp.417-423
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• 2013

Vitamin D is an essential component of bone and mineral metabolism; its deficiency causes growth retardation and skeletal deformities in children and osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults. Hypovitaminosis D (vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency) is observed not only in adults but also in infants, children, and adolescents. Previous studies suggest that sufficient serum vitamin D levels should be maintained in order to enhance normal calcification of the growth plate and bone mineralization. Moreover, emerging evidence supports an association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels and immune function, respiratory diseases, obesity, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, infection, allergy, cancers, and cardiovascular diseases in pediatric and adolescent populations. The risk factors for vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency in the pediatric population are season (winter), insufficient time spent outdoors, ethnicity (non-white), older age, more advanced stage of puberty, obesity, low milk consumption, low socioeconomic status, and female gender. It is recommended that all infants, children, and adolescents have a minimum daily intake of 400 IU ($10{\mu}g$) of vitamin D. Since the vitamin D status of the newborn is highly related to maternal vitamin D levels, optimal vitamin D levels in the mother during pregnancy should be maintained. In conclusion, given the important role of vitamin D in childhood health, more time spent in outdoor activity (for sunlight exposure) and vitamin D supplementation may be necessary for optimal health in infants, children, and adolescents.

• Clinical Psychopharmacology and Neuroscience
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.383-390
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• 2018

Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental syndrome with an increasingly prevalent etiology, yet not fully understood. It has been thought that vitamin D, complex B vitamin levels and homocysteine are associated with environmental factors and are important in ASD. The aim of this study was to examine serum vitamin D, vitamin D receptor (VDR), homocysteine, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folate levels in ASD. Methods: In this study, serum vitamin D and VDR, homocysteine, vitamins B6, B12 and folate levels were determined in 60 patients with ASD (aged 3 to 12 years) and in 45 age-gender matched healthy controls. In addition, calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase, which are associated with vitamin D metabolism, were measured from serum in both groups. ASD severity was evaluted by the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Results: Serum vitamin D and VDR were substantially reduced in patients with ASD in comparision to control group. However, homocysteine level was significantly higher and vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folate were also reduced in patients with ASD. Total CARS score showed a positive association with homocysteine and a negative correlation with vitamins D,B6, B12, folate and VDR. Conclusion: This comprehensive study, which examines many parameters has shown that low serum levels of vitamins D, B6, B12, folate and VDR as well as high homocysteine are important in the etiopathogenesis of ASD. However, further studies are required to define the precise mechanism(s) of these parameters and their contributions to the etiology and treatment of ASD.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.209-217
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• 1989

The present study examined the effects of dietary PUFA and vitamin E supplementation(2,000 I.U./Kg diet) on vitamin E levels of serum, liver and brain in chicks aged one week (younger chick) and four weeks(older chick). 1) Younger chicks showed more sensitive response to vitamin E supplementation in the diet than older chicks in their serum levels, but not in liver levels. 2) Chicks fed excess vitamin E showed significantly higher levels of vitamin E in both serum and liver than unsupplemented groups. 3) PUFA diet lowered serum and liver vitamin E levels especially for vitamin E supplemented groups except for older chick liver at 3 weeks of the experimental period. 4) Vitamin E levels of brain were relatively lower than those of serum and liver and showed little change according either to the dietary PUFA or to vitamin E supplementation.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.8
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• pp.248-253
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• 2017

Purpose: Vitamin D plays a key role in immune function. Vitamin D deficiency may play a role in the pathogenesis of infections, and low levels of circulating vitamin D are strongly associated with infectious diseases. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of low vitamin D levels in cord blood on neonatal sepsis in preterm infants. Methods: One hundred seventeen premature infants with gestational age of <37 weeks were enrolled. In the present study, severe vitamin D deficiency (group 1) was defined as a 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration <5 ng/mL; vitamin D insufficiency (group 2), 25(OH)D concentration ${\geq}5ng/mL$ and <15 ng/mL; and vitamin D sufficiency (group 3), 25(OH)D concentration ${\geq}15ng/mL$. Results: Sixty-three percent of the infants had deficient levels of cord blood vitamin D (group 1), 24% had insufficient levels (group 2), and 13% were found to have sufficient levels (group 3). The rate of neonatal sepsis was higher in group 2 than in groups 1 and 3. Conclusion: There was no significant relationship between the cord blood vitamin D levels and the risk of neonatal sepsis in premature infants.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.318-326
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• 2009

We evaluated the vitamin A and E status of type 2 diabetic patients and normal adults living in Daegu area. Dietary intakes for two non-consecutive days were measured by 24-hour recall method for 76 diabetic patients and 72 normal adults. Plasma levels of retinol and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol were measured using HPLC method. Dietary intakes of vitamin A were not significantly different between the diabetic and the normal adults. However, the diabetic patients had significantly lower vitamin E intakes than the normal adults. Major food sources for vitamin A intake were red pepper powder and carrot. Half of the subjects from diabetic as well as normal adults consumed less than estimated average requirement of vitamin A. Plasma levels of retinol and tocopherol were maintained within normal ranges for most of the subjects regardless of diabetic status. Dietary intake of vitamin A was associated with vitamin E intake, however, there was no significant correlations between vitamin E intake and plasma ${\alpha}$-tocopherol levels. It seems that diabetic patients should try to increase dietary intake of vitamin E, as prolonged lower-level intake of vitamin E could eventually lead to vitamin E depletion. Further studies are needed to identify the magnitude of dietary variance at individual and seasonal levels, and to understand the discrepancies in dietary intake and plasma levels before establishing the dietary reference intake based on Korean dietary pattern.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.385-392
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• 2013

Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent, primarily due to limited sun exposure, which may be observed in urban areas, or as a result of modern lifestyles. Common myths about vitamin D persist, including that it is mostly obtained from the diet and is only essential for bone and mineral homeostasis. Nonetheless, advances in biomedical science suggest that vitamin D is a hormone that is integral to numerous physiologic functions in most cells and tissues. Therefore, abnormal vitamin D levels may contribute to health disturbances. A number of recent reports on potential associations between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular disease have highlighted its role in this system. A focus over the previous decade has been to better understand the mechanisms behind vitamin D regulation and the pathophysiology associated with suboptimal vitamin D levels. Vitamin D deficiency is highly associated with the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, even when considering other well-known risk factors. In this process, the renin-angiotensin system is disrupted, and hypertension and endothelial dysfunction contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease. Likewise, clinical outcomes upon the normalization of vitamin D levels have been investigated in different patient populations. It makes sense that vitamin D supplementation to improve vitamin D status among vitamin D-deficient individuals could be useful without requiring a sudden lifestyle change. This manuscript provides a brief overview of vitamin D metabolism and the vitamin D receptor. It also summarizes the current clinical research relating to vitamin D supplementation and its effects on hypertension and endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular medicine.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.775-780
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• 1999

We investigated the effects of antioxidant vitamins supplementation on antioxidative status and plasma lipid profile in female Korean non-insulin diabetes mellitus(NIDDM) patients. Forty-five patients were groups by types of vitamin to take into three groups-Vitam in E group(400IU/day, n=15), Vitamin C group (1,000mg/day, n=15) and Vitamin E plus C group (400 IU plus 1,000mg/day). Supplementation period was 4 weeks. After vitamins supplementation, plasma vitamin E concentration significantly increased in vitamin E and vitamin E + C group, but plasma retinol concentration were not affected by vitamin E or vitamin C supplementation. And plasma levels of lipid peroxide measured as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS), indicator of lipid peroxidation and increased susceptibility of LDL towards lipid peroxidation, were significantly decreased in all three groups after vitamins supplementation. Also catalase activities in erythrocytes were significantly decreased after antioxidant vitamin supplementation in all subjects. And after vitamins supplementation, post prandial 2 hour glucose and total cholesterol levels was decreased in all subjects. And after vitamins supplementation, post prandial 2 hour glucose and total cholesterol levels was decreased in all patients, especially there was a significant difference in vitamin C, Vitamin E + C group. In this study, antioxidant vitamins supplementation might have a protective function against the free radical-mediated lipid peroxidation and decrease the plasma total cholesterol levels in Korean female NIDDM patients.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.321-330
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• 1995

Concentrations of total vitamin B-6 in human milk as well as individual, B-6 vitamers have important implications for the nutritional management of breast-fed(BF) infants. Vitamin B-6 status was assessed in 3 groups of infants : two groups preterm (PT) BF infants whose mothers were supplemented with 2 or 27mg pyridoxine(PN)-HCI ; a sub group of formula-fed (FF) PT infants. Mothers and infants were assessed weekly during the 28-day post feeding. Throughout the neonatal period, levels of total vitamin B-6 and percentages of pyridoxal(PL) in breast milk were lower in PT than T mothers, even in mothers supplemented with 27mg PN-HCI. Total vitamin B-6 levels in PT milk paralleled maternal supplementation but percentage distributions of B-6 vitamers did not change. Vitamin B-6 intakes of BF preterm infants paralleled their mothers' level of infants in the 2mg group was suggested by vitamin status parameters. Vitamin B-6 inadequacy of infants correlated with their plasma pyridoxal-5-phosphate(PLP) levels and erythrocyte alanine aminotransferase(E-ALAT) activity; all parameters such as plasma PLP, PL/PLP ratio and stimulation % of E-ALAT were highest for FF PT infants. The positive correlation of vitamin B-6 levels in breast milk gestational age may contraindicate its adequacy for some PT infants.

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

• Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2004

A cross-sectional epidemiologic study was conducted to evaluate vitamin C nutritional status by assessing dietary intake and blood vitamin C level and to identify the relationships between dietary vitamin C intake, serum vitamin C level and blood lead level in Korean lead workers. The study population was 118 lead workers from two battery manufacturing factories and 63 non-lead-exposed controls. A food consumption survey was conducted by the 24-hr recall method to determine the dietary vitamin C intake level. The anthropometric measurements, blood collection, and survey were performed between September and November, 2000. Blood lead levels and serum vitamin C levels were measured using an atomic absorption spectrometer and high performance liquid chromatography, respectively. Vitamin C nutritional status of Korean lead workers was lower than that of the control group, in terms of both dietary intake and the biochemical index: the mean daily dietary intake level of vitamin C of lead workers was 65.9mg (94% RDA), while that of controls was 132.6mg(189% RDA) ; and the serum vitamin C status of lead workers (0.10mg/dl) was significantly lower than that of controls (1.08mg/dl ; p<0.001). Both dietary vitamin C intake and serum vitamin C levels showed a significant negative correlation with blood lead level (p<0.001), which indicates that strategies of dietary management to promote the health of Korean lead workers should focus on promoting the vitamin C intakes of individuals.