Your browser doesn't support javascript.
Does the High Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency in African Americans Contribute to Health Disparities?
Ames, Bruce N; Grant, William B; Willett, Walter C.
  • Ames BN; Molecular and Cell Biology, Emeritus, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
  • Grant WB; Sunlight, Nutrition and Health Research Center, San Francisco, CA 94164-1603, USA.
  • Willett WC; Departments of Nutrition and Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Nutrients ; 13(2)2021 Feb 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1067767
ABSTRACT
African Americans have higher incidence of, and mortality from, many health-related problems than European Americans. They also have a 15 to 20-fold higher prevalence of severe vitamin D deficiency. Here we summarize evidence that (i) this health disparity is partly due to insufficient vitamin D production, caused by melanin in the skin blocking the UVB solar radiation necessary for its synthesis; (ii) the vitamin D insufficiency is exacerbated at high latitudes because of the combination of dark skin color with lower UVB radiation levels; and (iii) the health of individuals with dark skin can be markedly improved by correcting deficiency and achieving an optimal vitamin D status, as could be obtained by supplementation and/or fortification. Moderate-to-strong evidence exists that high 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and/or vitamin D supplementation reduces risk for many adverse health outcomes including all-cause mortality rate, adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, cancer, diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's disease and dementia, multiple sclerosis, acute respiratory tract infections, COVID-19, asthma exacerbations, rickets, and osteomalacia. We suggest that people with low vitamin D status, which would include most people with dark skin living at high latitudes, along with their health care provider, consider taking vitamin D3 supplements to raise serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels to 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) or possibly higher.
Subject(s)
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Vitamin D Deficiency / Cholecalciferol / Dietary Supplements / Health Status Disparities / COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Long Covid / Traditional medicine Limits: Female / Humans / Male Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Nu13020499

Similar

MEDLINE

...
LILACS

LIS


Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Vitamin D Deficiency / Cholecalciferol / Dietary Supplements / Health Status Disparities / COVID-19 Type of study: Observational study / Prognostic study Topics: Long Covid / Traditional medicine Limits: Female / Humans / Male Language: English Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Nu13020499