25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in healthy premenopausal women: association with bone turnover markers and bone mineral density.
BACKGROUND
Vitamin D deficiency is very common in elderly people while there are very few reports on its incidence, determinants and metabolic consequences in young subjects.


RESULTS
In 608 young healthy premenopausal women participating in the BONTURNO study, levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] below 20 ng/ml were found in almost a third of the women. Its levels were inversely (P<0.001) related with age and body mass index (BMI kg/m(2)) and directly with sunlight exposure during the summer time, and latitude: i.e. the higher the latitude over Italy, the higher the 25(OH)D level. In women on contraceptive pill the mean 25(OH)D level was significantly increased even when the data were adjusted for age, BMI and sun exposure. 25(OH)D levels, adjusted for age and BMI, were significantly and positively related with serum C-telopeptide of type 1 collagen, serum phosphate and spine bone mineral density (BMD) and negatively with serum PTH, serum magnesium, serum bone alkaline phosphatase (bone AP).


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin D deficiency is rather common in young otherwise healthy Italian women and particularly among those living in the Southern part of the country. The most close determinants of vitamin D deficiency were BMI and sunlight exposure. Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with low spine BMD and increased bone AP even in young individuals.
Adami
Silvano
S
Rheumatology Unit, Ospedale di Valeggio, 37067 Valeggio, Verona, Italy. silvano.adami@univr.it
Bertoldo
Francesco
F
Braga
Vania
V
Fracassi
Elena
E
Gatti
Davide
D
Gandolini
Giorgio
G
Minisola
Salvatore
S
Battista Rini
Giovanni
G
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015519:Bone Density / Q000502:physiology*; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017697:Premenopause; D013472:Sunlight; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism
D015415:Biomarkers; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D