Ambient Air Pollutions Are Associated with Vitamin D Status

Abstract

Evidence on the effect of ambient air pollution on vitamin D is limited. This study aimed to examine the association of air pollution exposure with serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) using UK Biobank health datasets. A total of 448,337 subjects were included in this analysis. Land Use Regression was applied to assess individual exposures to particulate matter with diameters ≤2.5 µm (PM2.5), ≤10 µm (PM10), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx). Linear regression models evaluated the associations between air pollutants and serum vitamin D levels after adjustment of a series of confounders. All analyzed air pollutants were negatively associated with serum vitamin 25OHD levels. After adjusting for potential confounders, a 10 μg/m3 increase in concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, NOx, and NO2 was associated with −9.11 (95%CI: −13.25 to −4.97), −2.47 (95%CI: −4.51 to −0.43), −0.56 (95%CI: −0.82 to −0.30), and −1.64 (95%CI: −2.17 to −1.10) nmol/L decrease in serum vitamin 25OHD levels, respectively. Interaction analyses suggested that the effects of air pollution were more pronounced in females. In conclusion, long-term exposures to ambient PM2.5, PM10, NOx, and NO2 were associated with vitamin D status in a large UK cohort.

Associations between ambient air pollution, obesity, and serum vitamin D status in the general population of Korean adults

“…These studies typically used citywide monitoring measurements as a proxy for population exposure instead of assessing individual level personal-exposure to air pollution. Moreover, only one cohort study has investigated the potential effects of exposure to air pollution on circulating serum 25(OH)D concentrations in the general population [ 25 ]. This large UK prospective cohort study from 22 assessment centers in England, Wales, and Scotland also observed that long-term exposure to PM 2.5, PM 10 , NO X , and NO 2 were associated with lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations.…”

“…This large UK prospective cohort study from 22 assessment centers in England, Wales, and Scotland also observed that long-term exposure to PM 2.5, PM 10 , NO X , and NO 2 were associated with lower serum 25(OH)D concentrations. This association between air pollution and lower serum vitamin D level was clearer in women [ 25 ]. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, a 10 μg/m 3 increase in the concentrations of PM 2.5, PM 10 , NO X , and NO 2 in women was associated with 14.69 (95% CI: 8.69 to 20.70), 4.25 (95% CI: 1.30 to 7.20), 0.69 (95% CI: 0.32 to 1.06), and 1.94 (95% CI: 1,17 to 2.71) nmol/L decreases in serum 25(OH)D concentrations, respectively.…”

Particulate matter may have a limited influence on maternal vitamin D levels

“…In addition, the amount of vitamin D produced is dependent on local weather conditions, such as the percentage cloud cover, which filters UVB radiation, and has an impact in all seasons and hours of the day 50 . Thus, because PM can absorb and diffuse solar irradiation, some scholars have hypothesized that PM can indirectly reduce vitamin D formation by reducing UVB exposure 23 , 24 . However, other scholars have argued that there is significant spatiotemporal variation in the morphology, chemical makeup, density of PM, and it is difficult to determine its effect on UV radiation 63 .…”

“…An indoor lifestyle can also increase the risk of developing a VDD 19 . Moreover, the amount of PM in the atmosphere has been associated with circulating levels of 25OHD in humans 20 – 23 , including pregnant women 24 .…”

“…Because vitamin D is a relatively scarce resource in food, humans generally rely on the vitamin D produced by cells in the skin on exposure to natural solar ultraviolet (UV) B radiation 25 , 26 . Some scholars have hypothesized that the reduction in the amount of solar UVB radiation reaching ground level by particulate matter (PM) is the main mechanism linking PM to circulating 25OHD levels in humans 23 , 24 . In an investigation into the relationship between certain pollutants and ground-level UVB intensity, PM with an aerodynamic diameter of ≤ 10 μm (PM 10 ) was shown to be a significant negative predictor of solar UVB radiation, but the impact of PM 10 was very small 27 .…”