Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2019 Oct 14;11(10):2452.
doi: 10.3390/nu11102452.

A Review of the Potential Benefits of Increasing Vitamin D Status in Mongolian Adults through Food Fortification and Vitamin D Supplementation

William B Grant  1 , Barbara J Boucher  2
Affiliations
Review

A Review of the Potential Benefits of Increasing Vitamin D Status in Mongolian Adults through Food Fortification and Vitamin D Supplementation

William B Grant et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations are low in Mongolia, averaging 22 ng/mL in summer and only 8 ng/mL in winter. Mongolians have high incidence and/or prevalence of several diseases linked to low 25(OH)D concentrations, including ischemic heart disease, malignant neoplasms, cirrhosis of the liver, ischemic stroke, lower respiratory tract infections, preterm birth complications, and diabetes mellitus. Fortifying regularly consumed foods such as flour, milk, and edible oils with vitamin D3 could raise 25(OH)D concentrations by about 10 ng/mL. However, to achieve 25(OH)D concentrations of 30-40 ng/mL in adults, vitamin D intakes of 1000 to 4000 IU/day would be required, making personal supplement use necessary. On the basis of prospective observational studies and clinical trials of disease incidence or known mortality rates and adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, raising mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations to 40 ng/mL would likely reduce incidence and mortality rates for those and other diseases, reduce the rate of adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes, and increase mean life expectancy by one year or more.

Keywords: 25-hydroxyvitamin D; cancer; cirrhosis; ischemic stroke; lower respiratory tract infections; neoplasms; pregnancy; preterm birth; vitamin D deficiency; vitamin D fortification; vitamin D supplementation.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Webb A.R., Kline L., Holick M.F. Influence of Season and Latitude on the Cutaneous Synthesis of Vitamin D3: Exposure to Winter Sunlight in Boston and Edmonton Will Not Promote Vitamin D3 Synthesis in Human Skin. J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab. 1988;67:373–378. doi: 10.1210/jcem-67-2-373. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Engelsen O. The Relationship between Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure and Vitamin D Status. Nutrients. 2010;2:482–495. doi: 10.3390/nu2050482. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. World Bank Gdp Per Capita, Ppp (Current International $) [(accessed on 11 October 2019)]; Available online: https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?locations=UA-AM-G....
    1. Dugee O., Palam E., Dorjsuren B., Mahal A. Who Is Bearing the Financial Burden of Non-Communicable Diseases in Mongolia? J. Glob. Health. 2018;8:010415. doi: 10.7189/jogh.08.010415. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Dugee O., Sugar B., Dorjsuren B., Mahal A. Economic Impacts of Chronic Conditions in a Country with High Levels of Population Health Coverage: Lessons from Mongolia. Trop. Med. Int. Health. 2019;24:715–726. doi: 10.1111/tmi.13231. - DOI - PubMed