Vitamin D and Its Association with H. pylori Prevalence and Eradication: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Taking into account previous data that sustain a relationship between vitamin D deficiency and higher H. pylori infection positivity rates, this review aims to assess the influence of vitamin D deficiency and/or insufficiency upon the prevalence of H. pylori infection and its eradication success. Three major databases were searched for articles that analyzed a relationship between vitamin D status and H. pylori infection. The literature search retrieved a total of 37 reports, after the article selection process. Hypovitaminosis D emerged as a potential risk factor for H. pylori infection, given the higher prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and/or insufficiency among H. pylori-positive subjects. Furthermore, the same type of micronutrient deficiency has been directly linked to H. pylori eradication failure. An inverse linear relationship between vitamin D status and gastric cancer risk exists, but the additional involvement of H. pylori in this correlation is still in question. The potential benefit of oral supplements in enhancing the success of classical therapeutic regimens of H. pylori still requires future research. Future population-based studies from larger geographical areas are warranted to address this subject in more depth.

The causal effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on coronary heart disease is mediated by the body mass index: a Mendelian randomization study

“…Moreover, deficiencies in vitamin C and vitamin D, both of which are associated with the H. pylori infection progression, represent risk factors for CHD. Therefore, we used these factors as indicators of CHD pathogenesis 38,39 . To explore the causal relationship between H. pylori infection and CHD pathogenesis, we used H. pylori infection as the exposure and pathogenesis as the outcome for MR analysis.…”