Vitamin D and Immunity: Photosynthesis Versus Supplementation
Vitamin D and Immunity: Photosynthesis Versus Supplementation
NCT ID: NCT03609970 Phase: NA Status: COMPLETED Enrollment: 36 Completion: 2017-04-14
Conditions
Vitamin D Deficiency
Interventions
Vitamin D, UVR (Solar simulated radiation)
Summary
The optimal way to restore serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D sufficiency is currently debatable. UV irradiation through sunshine exposure promotes endogenous vitamin D synthesis, although this can also be associated with a risk of UVR-induced skin cancer. Dietary supplements represent an alternative, which are increasingly being used in clinical trials to correct deficiency. However, it is unclear whether sunshine exposure and vitamin D supplementation induce comparable changes in immune function, or whether additional UVR-induced molecules may be responsible for proposed health benefits. Several studies report an inverse correlation between exposure to UVR and immune-mediated diseases, further supporting the theory that UVR may also be protective through non vitamin-D mediated pathways. So far it has been difficult to distinguish between immune-regulation by vitamin D and other mediators induced by UVR as the downstream effects are similar. A direct comparison of the biological effects of vitamin D obtained by UVR versus supplementation has never been made. This study aims to elucidate the differences in vitamin D generated by UVR exposure versus supplementation by comparing immunological endpoints
Primary Outcome
Vitamin D status of healthy participants treated with oral vitamin D (cholecalciferol) or UVR (SSR) exposures and control (untreated)