Vitamin D and inflammatory markers: cross-sectional analyses using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA)
Journal of Nutritional Science (2017), vol. 6, e1, page 1 of 6 doi:10.1017/jns.2016.37
Cesar de Oliveira1 c.oliveira at ucl.ac.uk , Jane P. Biddulph1, Vasant Hirani2 and Ione Jayce Ceola Schneider3,4
1 Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, University College London, London, UK
1Centre for Education and Research on Ageing, School of Public Health, ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, University of
Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
3 Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Campus Ararangua, Santa Catarina, Brazil 4Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University College London, London, UK
Recent evidence suggests that low vitamin D concentrations are associated with increased levels of inflammatory markers. However, there are limited studies investigating associations between vitamin D levels and inflammatory markers in the general population and much of this evidence in older adults is inconclusive. Therefore, this study investigates the cross-sectional association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels with inflammatory markers in 5870 older English adults from wave 6 (2012—2013) of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). ELSA is a large prospective observational study of community-dwelling people aged 50 years and over in England. Serum 25(OH)D levels, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, plasma fibrinogen levels, white blood cell count (WBC), age, season of blood collection, waist circumference, total non-pension household wealth, measures of health and health behaviours that included depression, number of cardiovascular, non-cardiovascular conditions and difficulties in activities of daily living, smoking, and physical activity were measured. There was a significant negative association between low 25(OH)D levels (<30 nmol/l) and CRP (OR 1-23, 95 % CI 1-00, 1-51) and WBC (OR 1-35, 95 % CI 1-13, 1-60) that remained after adjustment for a wide range of covariates of clinical significance. However, for fibrinogen, the association did not remain significant when waist circumference was entered in the final model. Our findings showed that 25(OH) D levels were associated with two out the three inflammatory markers investigated. The independent and inverse association between serum 25(OH)D levels and inflammation suggests a potential anti-inflammatory role for vitamin D in older English individuals from the general population.
Fully compensated model (5)
Download the PDF from Vitamin D Life
See also Vitamin D Life
- At birth, lower levels of vitamin D associated with higher levels of inflammation – Jan 2017
- High maternal vitamin D resulted in 12 percent less inflammation (CRP) 20 years later – Oct 2016
- Inflammation reduced by a single dose of Vitamin D (200,000 IU) – RCT Jan 2016
- Inflammation (CRP) 3X higher in Winter-Spring neonates with low vitamin D – Nov 2015
- Inflammation and Vitamin D several studies
- 4000 IU RCT reduces type 2 diabetes HOMA by 24% and CRP by 64% April 2010
Articles in both categories: Inflammation and Cardiovascular
- High maternal vitamin D resulted in 12 percent less inflammation (CRP) 20 years later – Oct 2016
- Omega-7 - in addition to Omega-3
- Inflammatory diseases: review of vitamin D, with many tables – May 2014
- Vitamin D reduces inflammation (heat shock protein) – Aug 2012
- 4000 IU vitamin D daily for just 5 days reduced inflammation after heart attack – RCT Jan 2013
- Cardiovascular disease predicted by CRP and vitamin D, not cholesterol – Feb 2012
- 5 genes restrict vitamin D in the blood from getting to the cells
All 5 of these genes are invisible to Vitamin D blood tests - Health problems that run in families are often associated with low vitamin D
- It appears that 10% - 20% of people having a good level of Vitamin D in their blood lack a good level in their cells.
- Vitamin D Life is looking for a way to test that the cells are getting enough vitamin D.
- It is hoped that getting some blood test both before and after increasing the vitamin D levels will indicate that enough Vitamin D is getting to the cells
- The increase in the number of white blood cells is one candidate test
- Wikipedia proides a nice overview of blood tests and reference ranges
- also lists of 100+ blood tests at A Hospital and MyLabs for Life
Please email [email protected] if you have any suggestions, ideas
Hypothetical response after 5 days to single dose 50,000 IU of Vitamin D
| Individual | Other Test | Response to Vitamin D | Hidden genes |
| 1) | GOOD | POOR | GOOD hidden genes |
| 2) | POOR | GOOD | POOR hidden genes |
| 3) | POOR | OK | POOR hidden genes |