bims-vitmet Biomed News
on Vitamin metabolism
Issue of 2025–06–22
six papers selected by
Onurkan Karabulut, Berkeley City College
  1. Vitamin D: recent advances, associated factors, and its role in combating non-communicable diseases.
  2. Vitamin K: Metabolism, Genetic Influences, and Chronic Disease Outcomes.
  3. Impact of Community Pharmacist-Led Interventions on Vitamin D Levels and Patient Quality of Life.
  4. The role of vitamin D in sleep regulation: mechanisms, clinical advances, and future directions.
  5. Telmisartan and/or vitamin D3 ameliorate skeletal muscle injury in a rat model of metabolic syndrome: A new insight into PPAR-γ/AT1 receptor/GLUT4 axis.
  6. Correlation between vitamin D level and left ventricular myocardial function demonstrated by speckle tracking echocardiography among β-thalassemia major children.
  1. NPJ Sci Food. 2025 Jun 13. 9(1): 100
    Vitamin D: recent advances, associated factors, and its role in combating non-communicable diseases.
    Deepika, Anita Kumari, Surender Singh, Md Faruque Ahmad, Debolina Chaki, Vikram Poria, Sandeep Kumar, Neha Saini, Nisha Yadav, Neelam Sangwan, Mona N BinMowyna, Zayed D Alsharari, Nahla Kambal, Jae Han Min, António Raposo.
      The field of nutrigenomics has produced numerous studies indicating the impact of vitamin D on various disease conditions. Trace elements of this vitamin in the body play a significant role in the regulation of body metabolism. This immunomodulatory vitamin plays a role in management of both communicable (viz. respiratory illness like COVID-19 and Respiratory tract infections) and non-communicable diseases e.g., cancer, osteomalacia, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Deficient levels, i.e., vitamin D deficiency in body can lead to the onset of chronic non-communicable illnesses. Vitamin D plays a direct and sometimes indirect role in the progression (when deficient) and prevention (when sufficient) of non-communicable diseases. This essential nutrient may be obtained through dietary intake or supplements. However, the absorption of it relies on various factors, including the presence of complementary nutrients, chemical forms, and external stimuli such as UV-B and a healthy gastrointestinal tract. This review discusses vitamin D absorption and its role in non-communicable diseases with updates on methods for evaluating and fortifying this vitamin in varied diets. We also briefly highlight recommended dietary allowances by age group, absorption difficulties, and its significance in non-communicable disorders.
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-025-00460-5
  2. Food Sci Nutr. 2025 Jun;13(6): e70431
    Vitamin K: Metabolism, Genetic Influences, and Chronic Disease Outcomes.
    Montana Dupuy, Nicola P Bondonno, Pratik Pokharel, Allan Linneberg, Itamar Levinger, Carl Schultz, Jonathan M Hodgson, Marc Sim.
      Vitamin K refers to a group of lipid-soluble vitamins that exist in two natural isoforms; phylloquinone (PK, vitamin K1) and menaquinones (MKs, vitamin K2). Phylloquinone, the primary dietary source, is found abundantly in green vegetables and plant oils. Menaquinones (MK-4 through MK-13) are synthesized by anaerobic bacteria and may be obtained through the diet from fermented foods and animal products (e.g., meats, dairy and eggs). Originally recognized for its role in blood coagulation, vitamin K is an essential cofactor for the posttranslational carboxylation of vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs), which are implicated in various physiological processes including; blood coagulation, calcium homeostasis, as well as metabolic and inflammatory pathways. Therefore, vitamin K has attracted considerable research interest for its potential implications in several diseases. While promising, the specific roles of vitamin K in various health conditions, the quantity of vitamin K (both PK and MKs) required for the function of various VKDPs, and the influence of genetics on vitamin K metabolism, remain unclear. This review aims to (i) provide an overview of the structure, dietary sources, metabolism, and physiological roles of vitamin K, including those relating to; cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, respiratory conditions, musculoskeletal health and cancer; (ii) discuss the impact of genetic factors on vitamin K status and how such factors modulate the role of vitamin K in the aforementioned chronic diseases; and (iii) outline key directions for future research.
    Keywords:  bone health; cancer; cardiovascular disease; diabetes; vitamin K1; vitamin K2
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.70431
  3. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2025 Jun 11. pii: S1544-3191(25)00126-8. [Epub ahead of print] 102447
    Impact of Community Pharmacist-Led Interventions on Vitamin D Levels and Patient Quality of Life.
    Fernando Lopez-Carmona, Antonio Toro-Ruiz, Celia Piquer-Martinez, Manuel Gomez-Guzman, Maria Isabel Valverde-Merino, Francisco Javier Ferreira-Alfaya, Maria José Zarzuelo.
       BACKGROUND: The widespread deficiency of vitamin D is a recognized public health issue. Maintaining adequate levels of this vitamin is associated with a lower risk of bone fractures, and emerging evidence suggests its preventive role in various diseases.
    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate whether pharmacist-led intervention and follow-up can enhance patient adherence, improve vitamin D levels, and subsequently lead to an increase in perceived quality of life.
    METHODS: Multicenter quasi-experimental study with non-probabilistic sampling conducted in ten community pharmacies. Patients were recruited by pharmacists based on symptoms of vitamin D deficiency or current use of vitamin D supplements. Monthly follow-ups were conducted through electronic messaging. Eight months after enrollment, a follow-up survey was carried out via telephone. Outcome variables included socio-demographic data, vitamin D levels, self-perceived quality of life, and physical activity. Data analysis was conducted with a significance level set at p < 0.05.
    RESULTS: Among the 210 patients, the proportion adhering to the correct vitamin D intake significantly increased from 24.1% to 90.6% (p < 0.001) after eight months. Prior to the intervention, only 12.6% of patients had adequate vitamin D levels, which increased to 60.3% following pharmacist intervention (from 21.69 ± 9.32 to 33.13 ± 14.16 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Additionally, self-perceived quality of life scores improved from 68.73 ± 18.72 to 76.80 ± 18.85, p < 0.001), with 58.5% of patients reporting an improvementin their quality of life.
    CONCLUSION: Pharmacist-led interventions significantly improved patient habits, resulting in increased vitamin D levels. These improvements were associated with a significant increase in patients' perceived quality of life.
    Keywords:  Community Pharmacy Services; Pharmaceutical Care; Public Health; Quality of Life; Vitamin D
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japh.2025.102447
  4. Front Nutr. 2025 ;12 1595813
    The role of vitamin D in sleep regulation: mechanisms, clinical advances, and future directions.
    Zhilong Cai, Shuoyu Rui, Nanqu Huang, Fei Feng, Yong Luo.
      Vitamin D, an essential neuroendocrine regulator, exhibits a significant dose-dependent association with various sleep disorders according to epidemiological evidence, and plays a multifaceted and critical role in sleep regulation. This review summarizes the molecular mechanisms, clinical applications, and future directions of vitamin D in sleep regulation. Vitamin D may influence sleep through multiple molecular pathways, including modulation of neurotransmitter systems, maintenance of circadian rhythms, and neuroimmune regulation. Clinical trials have demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation significantly improves sleep quality, particularly in special populations such as the elderly and pregnant women. However, challenges persist in optimizing individualized treatment regimens, developing novel drug delivery systems, and evaluating long-term efficacy. The integration of multi-omics analyses and artificial intelligence offers innovative solutions to these challenges. Future research should focus on elucidating the precise molecular mechanisms of vitamin D in sleep regulation, refining personalized therapeutic strategies, and advancing innovative delivery systems to enhance the prevention and treatment of sleep disorders.
    Keywords:  single-cell sequencing; sleep disorders; sleep regulation; vitamin D; vitamin D receptor
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1595813
  5. Eur J Pharmacol. 2025 Jun 12. pii: S0014-2999(25)00599-0. [Epub ahead of print] 177845
    Telmisartan and/or vitamin D3 ameliorate skeletal muscle injury in a rat model of metabolic syndrome: A new insight into PPAR-γ/AT1 receptor/GLUT4 axis.
    Nehal S Wahba, Naglaa Z Eleiwa, Nada M Eisa, Salah A Ghareib.
       AIMS: The current study investigated the potential molecular mechanisms of telmisartan and vitamin D3 against the progression of skeletal muscle injury in a metabolic syndrome (MetS) rat model and the capacity of vitamin D3 to potentiate telmisartan effects.
    MAIN METHODS: This 12-week study comprised a 6-week induction phase to establish MetS, followed by a 6-week treatment phase. MetS was induced by supplementing drinking water with 10% fructose and providing a diet enriched with 24% fat and 3% NaCl. Following the induction phase and along with fructose/fat/NaCl feeding, MetS rats exhibiting weight gain, dysglycemia, atherogenic dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, hypertension, and soleus muscle dysfunction were treated orally with telmisartan (5 mg/kg), vitamin D3 (10 μg/kg) or both daily for an additional 6 weeks before sacrifice.
    KEY FINDINGS: MetS rats exhibited increased soleus muscle oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance, accompanied by functional decline and structural damages (interstitial edema, leukocytic infiltration, degenerative myopathy, and fibrosis). Telmisartan and vitamin D3 significantly mitigated these detrimental effects. While telmisartan demonstrated broad protective effects, it failed to combat the MetS-induced muscular fibrosis. Conversely, vitamin D3 played a prominent anti-fibrotic role, which significantly contributed to the observed functional and structural recovery of MetS-induced skeletal muscle damage.
    SIGNIFICANCE: Our data provide a molecular basis for treating MetS-induced skeletal muscle injury through the co-administration of vitamin D3 and telmisartan, a unique angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1 receptor) blocker and partial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) agonist. A new insight has been introduced into PPAR-γ/AT1 receptor/glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT4) axis.
    Keywords:  MetS; PPAR-γ/AT(1) receptor/GLUT4; Skeletal muscle injury; Telmisartan; Vitamin D3; p38 MAPK/IL-6/IL-1β
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejphar.2025.177845
  6. Eur J Pediatr. 2025 Jun 16. 184(7): 420
    Correlation between vitamin D level and left ventricular myocardial function demonstrated by speckle tracking echocardiography among β-thalassemia major children.
    Eman Gamal Abdelrahman, Ahmed Mahmoud Ezzat, Lina Abdelhady Mohammed, Reem Zaki Mohamed Fakher, Samar Mahmoud Elbahy.
      Vitamin D deficiency is a recognized complication of β-thalassemia major (β-TM), impacting cardiac function. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) offers a sensitive assessment of myocardial deformation, particularly global longitudinal strain (GLS). This study aimed to assess the association between vitamin D levels and LV function in β-TM children and to evaluate the impact of vitamin D supplementation on cardiac parameters. Seventy-five β-TM children underwent vitamin D level assessment, conventional echocardiography, and STE. Patients with vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency (25-OHD3 < 30 ng/ml) received vitamin D supplementation (4000-5000 IU/day). Follow-up assessments were conducted after vitamin D normalization. Vitamin D insufficiency (81.3%) and deficiency (18.7%) were prevalent. Vitamin D levels were inversely correlated with age and disease duration (p < 0.001) and positively correlated with transfusion/chelation therapy onset. Conventional echocardiography showed an inverse correlation between vitamin D level and left ventricular end diastolic diameter (p < 0.001) and deceleration time (p = 0.003). STE revealed a positive correlation between vitamin D and GLS (p < 0.001). Vitamin D supplementation significantly increased median vitamin D levels (from 16.0 to 39.0 ng/ml, p < 0.001) and improved STE parameters, including AP4L, AP3L, AP2L, and GLS (p < 0.001), indicating enhanced myocardial function.
    CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency in β-TM children was correlated with impaired cardiac function. Vitamin D supplementation significantly improved cardiac function. Regular monitoring and maintenance of adequate vitamin D levels are crucial for preventing adverse cardiac effects.
    WHAT IS KNOWN: • β-Thalassemia major is frequently complicated by cardiac dysfunction, a major contributor to mortality. • Cardiac iron overload is a primary driver of cardiac dysfunction in β-TM.
    WHAT IS NEW: • Vitamin D deficiency leads to impaired cardiac function, beyond iron overload, in β-TM children. • Vitamin D supplementation could improve cardiac function in β-thalassemia major patients.
    Keywords:  Global longitudinal strain; Speckle tracking echocardiography; Vitamin D; β-Thalassemia major
    DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-025-06250-1
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