Vitamin D treatment in Somali women living in Sweden – Two randomized, placebo‐controlled studies

Abstract

SummaryObjective There is limited information about the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and the effects of treatment on immigrants. The effects of oral vitamin D intake and UVB treatment on vitamin D status in healthy Somali women living in Sweden were analysed. Design Two studies were carried out; a randomized, doubleblind, placebo-controlled study, with oral drops of 800 IU and 1600 IU cholecalciferol and similar amounts of placebo given daily during 12 weeks and a single-blind, placebo-controlled study, using UVB (4Á3-8Á7 J/cm 2 ) or Woods lamp (placebo) on the upper body, or the face and hands.Patients One-hundred fourteen Somali women, mean age 34 years, latitude 0-10°N, living in Sweden >2 years, latitude 57°N, participated. Measurements Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (S-25(OH)D) was monitored before, every 6 weeks and at 3 months after treatment.Results The majority of the women (n = 83, 73%) were vitamin D-deficient, S-25(OH)D < 25 nmol/l at start. There was a dose-dependent increase in S-25(OH)D levels (P = 0Á001, stratified Jonckheere-Terpstra test) with a mean increase after twelve weeks in women treated with 800 IU/day and women treated with 1600 IU/day of 18 nmol/l (95% CI: 6-29, median = 17) and 29 nmol/l (95% CI: 17-42, median = 34), respectively. S-25 (OH)D decreased during follow-up but remained above baseline levels. The placebo group remained unchanged throughout the study. UVB treatment increased S-25(OH)D dose-dependently after 6 weeks (P = 0Á03, Jonckheere-Terpstra test).Conclusions Vitamin D deficiency was common in immigrants living at higher latitudes. Vitamin D treatment increased S-25 (OH)D levels dose-dependently during 3 months. The effect was maintained for another 3 months. At least 1600 IU/day is recommended. The dropout rate was high.

Vitamin D intake, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status and response to moderate vitamin D3supplementation: a randomised controlled trial in East African and Finnish women

“…In contrast to the immigrants, sufficient vitamin D status was reported for the majority of Finnish adults in 2012 (10) . Insufficient S-25(OH)D concentrations have also been observed in other studies examining immigrants of East African (16)(17)(18) and other ethnic origin (8,16,19) in the Nordic countries.…”

“…Similarly to our study, lower S-25(OH)D concentrations were observed in Somali women (East Africans) than in Finnish women in an earlier study carried out in Finland (12) . In other countries besides Finland, high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (S-25(OH)D < 30 nmol/l) is commonly reported in Somali subjects (East Africans) (16)(17)(18) . On the contrary, vitamin D status in the general Finnish population has improved over the years and it is satisfactory (10,45) .…”

A Basic Review of the Preliminary Evidence That COVID-19 Risk and Severity Is Increased in Vitamin D Deficiency

“…Nordic countries have vitamin D deficiency rates below 1% (due to diet or supplementation) and impressively low COVID-19 fatality rates, except Sweden (146,202). In Stockholm, severe vitamin D deficiency is common among displaced Somalis, who with less than 1% of the population have suffered 40% of the COVID-19 fatalities (10,178,203). Indonesia straddles the equator, but its predominately Muslim women have vitamin D levels that are only half that of notoriously low Italy (146).…”

Comorbidity and health-related quality of life in Somali women living in Sweden

“…Somali women, n = 114, aged 18–56 years, with skin type V, who had migrated from latitude 0–10° North (N), and having lived in Sweden, latitude 57° N, for at least 2 years, were recruited during the autumn-winter 2010–2011 on a voluntary basis to participate in a vitamin D treatment trial [18]. The range of their stay in Sweden was 2–23 years, mean 15.1 ± 6.4 and median 18 years.…”

“…Many patients from Somalia come to the general practitioners due to these symptoms and the physicians must be aware that vitamin D deficiency is a possible explanatory factor. Supplementation should be given accordingly [18].…”