Vitamin D and muscle health: insights from recent studies.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review is to critically evaluate the effects of vitamin D on muscle mass and physical/muscle function in middle-aged and older adults, based on recent human studies, including cross-sectional, observational, and intervention studies. Vitamin D, beyond its well established role in bone health, has shown potential in influencing muscle physiology, making it a nutrient of interest in the context of sarcopenia and related chronic conditions.

Recent Findings: The review states how vitamin D affects muscle function, emphasizing its role in muscle cell proliferation, differentiation, and key signaling pathways.

Usefulness of Vitamin D Deficiency Questionnaire for Japanese (VDDQ-J) for Screening of Vitamin D Deficiency and Low Muscle Mass in Relatively Healthy Japanese Anti-Aging Health Checkup Examinees.

The Vitamin D Deficiency Questionnaire for Japanese (VDDQ-J) has been developed as an alternative indicator of the vitamin D nutritional status when serum 25(OH)D measurement is unavailable. In the present study, we compared the usefulness of the VDDQ-J with that of serum 25(OH)D concentration and examined the relationship among vitamin D, DXA-based body composition, and muscle strength in 163 anti-aging health check examinees. The median age, 25(OH)D concentration and VDDQ-J score were 62.

The Association between Atherosclerotic Disease Risk Factors and Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentration in Japanese Subjects.

Recent studies have described that vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is associated with hypertension, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia, which are major components of metabolic syndrome causing atherosclerosis. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration and atherosclerotic disease risk factors in healthy Japanese adults. In the present cross-sectional study, 1,177 subjects (348 males and 829 females) aged 20-72 y living in Japan (34.

Vitamin D Status in Japanese Young Women in 2016-2017 and 2020: Seasonal Variation and the Effect of Lifestyle Including Changes Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Avoidance of sunlight and self-restraint due to the COVID-19 pandemic may contribute to reduced vitamin D status. This study provides comparable data on vitamin D status in Japanese young women and assesses the effect of lifestyle, including changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, on vitamin D status. In study 1, 39 young healthy Japanese women aged 21-25 y were recruited from May 2016-June 2017.

Association of blood pressure and dietary intake of Japanese vinegared side dishes, in community-dwelling Japanese: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: Vinegar has been reported to have a hypotensive effect. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the consumption of vinegar-based side dishes and blood pressure.

Research Methods & Procedures: This cross-sectional study included 746 individuals (257 men and 489 women) aged ≥40 years from Tarumizu, Kagoshima, Japan.

Development of a predictive model for vitamin D deficiency based on the vitamin D status in young Japanese women: A study protocol.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is associated with an increased risk for lifestyle-related diseases. In Japan, VDD is quite prevalent in all age groups, with its high risk in young women. Furthermore, its association during pregnancy with gestational hypertension and low birth weight has also been reported.

Vitamin K intake and health, consideration from the epidemiological studies.

The most fundamental function of vitamin K is to activate the blood coagulation factors in the liver. Despite the recent recognition of its extra-hepatic actions, the current Dietary Reference Intakes for vitamin K is based on the amount necessary for maintaining the normal blood coagulation in many countries. To define the Dietary Reference Intake for vitamin K, appropriate biomarkers well-reflecting the vitamin K status are essential.

Comparison of Vitamin D and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations in Human Breast Milk between 1989 and 2016-2017.

Background: Breast milk is considered the optimal source of nutrition during infancy. Although the vitamin D concentration in human breast milk is generally considered poor for infants, vitamin D in breast milk is an important source for exclusively breastfed infants. Increases in vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in lactating mothers may reduce vitamin D concentrations in breast milk.

Vitamin D in the Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (DRIs) 2020.

Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (DRIs) are revised every five years. In DRIs 2020, major revision has been made on vitamin D (VD). In DRIs, five indices are defined for nutrients; estimated average requirement (EAR), recommended dietary allowance (RDA) and adequate intake (AI) for the prevention of deficiency/insufficiency, tolerable upper intake level (UL) for avoiding excess intake, and tentative dietary goal for preventing life-style related diseases (DG) for the primary prevention of life-style related diseases.

Vitamin D deficiency as the risk of respiratory tract infections in the institutionalized elderly: A prospective 1-year cohort study.

Background & Aims: Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Since vitamin D is known to play important roles in immunity, and its deficiency has been reported to be prevalent in the elderly, we have studied the relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level, which is the most reliable marker for vitamin D status, and the incidence of RTIs in the institutionalized elderly by a prospective observational study.

Methods: From 208 Japanese subjects aged 60 and older fulfilling the inclusion criteria, 148 subjects remained after propensity score matching.

Insufficiency of B vitamins with its possible clinical implications.

Vitamin deficiency causes classical deficiency diseases such as beriberi and rickets. Vitamin insufficiency, which is milder than deficiency, is a risk for various chronic diseases, but its significance has not been recognized in Japan. Vitamin D insufficiency is quite common in Japan, and a serious risk for osteoporotic fracture through its unbeneficial effect on bone and muscle.

Nutritional Therapy with Vitamin K Is Effective in the Improvement of Vitamin K Status and Bone Turnover Markers in Patients with Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities.

We have previously reported that patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID) have a high prevalence of vitamin K deficiency both in the liver and bone. Thus, vitamin K therapy for SMID patients should be considered. In the present study, we have studied the efficacy of nutritional therapy with vitamin K for improving their vitamin K status and bone metabolism markers in patients with SMID.

The Relationship between Serum Vitamin E Level and Risk Factors for Arteriosclerosis in Japanese Postmenopausal Women.

Since vitamin E is one of the most potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents, vitamin E can play a role against arteriosclerosis through various actions. Then, we have studied the relationship between serum vitamin E status and risk factors for arteriosclerosis in Japanese postmenopausal women. One hundred and seven subjects (70.

Intake frequency of vegetables or seafoods negatively correlates with disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To clarify the relationship between dietary habit and disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This study enrolled RA patients who met the ACR/EULAR 2010 classification criteria from Kyoto University Rheumatoid Arthritis Management Alliance (KURAMA) cohort in 2015. 22-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was taken for the measurement of dietary habit in a single-institution cohort of RA (Kyoto University Rheumatoid Arthritis Management Alliance: KURAMA) in 2015.

Gastric and Jejunal Enteral Feeding Differently Affect Vitamin B Status in Subjects with Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities.

The absorption of vitamin B is a complex process involving gastric acid and intrinsic factor as the indispensable components. In this study, we have investigated the effects of the administration site in enteral feeding on vitamin B status in subjects with severe motor and intellectual disabilities (SMID). This is a cross-sectional study conducted from January to June 2016.

Possible involvement of thiamine insufficiency in heart failure in the institutionalized elderly.

Heart failure is a major manifestation of thiamine deficiency; beriberi. Even thiamine insufficiency, milder than deficiency, may be associated with increased heart failure risk. In this cross-sectional study, the relationship between thiamine insufficiency and heart failure was investigated in the Japanese institutionalized elderly from April to November 2017.

A simple questionnaire for the prediction of vitamin D deficiency in Japanese adults (Vitaimn D Deficiency questionnaire for Japanese: VDDQ-J).

Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is associated with an increased risk of various diseases. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration is the best marker for vitamin D status and its concentration < 20 ng/mL indicates VDD. However, its measurement is not easily applicable for the evaluation of vitamin D status in the general population because of its cost.

Comparison of lower leg muscle strength and grip strength for diagnosing slower gait speed in the elderly.

Objectives: Sarcopenia, decreased muscle volume and muscle weakness in the elderly is a serious risk of various adverse outcomes. Current diagnostic procedure for sarcopenia includes gait speed, grip strength, and percentage of skeletal muscle volume. However, lower leg muscle strength decreases much faster than grasp power, and we have evaluated the usefulness of its measurement using a recently developed instrument (Locomoscan).

Associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and skeletal muscle mass and lower limb muscle strength in Japanese middle-aged subjects.

Objectives: One of the important risk factors of falling is decreased muscle mass and muscle strength. Recently, there has been an increasing concern on the role of vitamin D in muscle strength and physical activity. Aim of our study is to examine the relationships between vitamin D status and muscle mass and muscle strength in middle-aged healthy adults.

Contribution of hypoalbuminemia and decreased renal function to the increased mortality after newly diagnosed vertebral fracture in Japanese subjects.

Background And Objectives: Reports on the mortality and its contributing factors after vertebral fracture (VFx) has been scarce, and limited to prevalent VFx. In this paper, we have studied the factors influencing mortality after freshly diagnosed VFx.

Methods And Study Design: 759 subjects aged 78.

[The role of gastro-intestinal tract in the calcium absorption].

Calcium is associated with various functions of clinical importance. Its unique distribution;low intracellular and high extracellular concentration, is crucial for the neuro-muscular function. Calcium is also indispensable for the vascular contraction and blood coagulation.

[Bone and Nutrition. The association of vitamin K intake and bone health].

The association of vitamin K with bone mineral density has been reported in some previous cohort studies and intervention studies. In cohort studies, higher vitamin K1 intake was associated with lower fracture incidence. Some intervention studies have described that vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 (menaquinone-4 : MK-4) supplementation were modestly efficacious in preventing fracture, but not in preserving bone mass.