Relationship between Vitamin D Metabolites and Bone Mineral Density in Young Males: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Study

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between vitamin D analogs and peak bone mineral density (BMD, g/cm(2)) in young men. The cohort consisted of 78 healthy young males with a mean age of 22.6 years at baseline. BMD of the total body, hip, and spine and lean body mass were measured at baseline and at follow-up 2 years later. Blood samples were assayed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D(2) (25OHD(2)), 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25OHD(3)), and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) at baseline using high-performance liquid chromatography. Levels of 25OHD(3) significantly correlated to BMD at all sites and to lean body mass (r = 0.23-0.35, P < 0.05). In contrast, levels of 25OHD(2) significantly negatively correlated with BMD of the total body (r = -0.28, P = 0.01) and spine (r = -0.27, P = 0.02). BMD was then adjusted for the influence of age, body weight, body height, and physical activity (hours/week). Level of 25OHD(3) was then found to be an independent predictor of BMD of the total body (beta = 0.24, P = 0.03) and spine (beta = 0.25, P = 0.03), while level of 25OHD(2) was an independent negative predictor at the same sites (beta = -0.23 for both, P = 0.03). There was a negative association between levels of 25OHD(3) and 25OHD(2) (r = -0.31, P = 0.006). In summary, our novel results suggest an inverse relationship between 25OHD(3) and 25OHD(2) and an opposite relationship of these vitamin D analogs to BMD in young men.

Retinol, retinol-binding protein 4, abdominal fat mass, peak bone mineral density, and markers of bone metabolism in men: the Northern Osteoporosis and Obesity (NO2) Study

“…In a recent study (19), we found a strong relationship between levels of vitamin D and BMD in the same cohort as in the present study. These results are of interest also with respect to the present study, since vitamin A has been suggested to antagonize vitamin D's positive influence on bone mineralization and calcium uptake (23,(36)(37)(38).…”

“…RBP-4 also showed a strong association with retinol (rZ0.61, P!0.001, data not shown). Levels of vitamin D 3 , presented in a previous paper (19) were not related to levels of retinol (rZK0.12, PO0.05), RBP-4 (rZK0.05, PO0.05), abdominal fat mass (rZK0.20, PO0.05), or weight (rZ0.02, PO0.05).…”

“…These results are of interest also with respect to the present study, since vitamin A has been suggested to antagonize vitamin D's positive influence on bone mineralization and calcium uptake (23,(36)(37)(38). We therefore also investigated whether levels of vitamin A and RBP-4 were associated with levels of vitamin D presented in a previous study (19). No such relationship was found.…”

Determinants of Circulating 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and bone Mineral Density in Young Physicians

“…We found no relationship between BMD and the serum 25(OH)D level. Some (6,7,9,17,21,34), but not all (18,19,22,25,35), studies have reported a significant association between the serum 25(OH)D level and BMD. A meta-analysis of randomized trials of vitamin D supplements in adults suggested reasonable evidence of an association between the serum 25(OH)D level and BMD predominantly in elderly women (36).…”

Association of bone microarchitecture with parathyroid hormone concentration and calcium intake in men: the STRAMBO study

“…Vitamin D and calcium intake contribute to bone mineral accrual during growth (25,26). By contrast, in adult men, current vitamin D status is weakly correlated with BMD (15,27,28). In young and middle-aged men, 25OHD was weakly correlated positively with BMD at the lumbar spine and the hip (13).…”