Blood lead concentration is not altered by high-dose vitamin D supplementation in children and young adults with HIV.
OBJECTIVE
Optimal vitamin D status is known to have beneficial health effects and vitamin D supplements are commonly used. It has been suggested that vitamin D supplementation may increase blood lead in children and adults with previous lead exposure. The objective was to determine the safety regarding lead toxicity during 12 weeks of high-dose vitamin D3 supplementation in children and young adults with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).


METHODS
Subjects with HIV (8-24 years) were randomized to vitamin D3 supplementation of 4000 or 7000 IU/day and followed at 6 and 12 weeks for changes in serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25D) and whole-blood lead concentration. This was a secondary analysis of a larger study of vitamin D3 supplementation in children and adolescents with HIV.


RESULTS
In 44 subjects (75% African American), the baseline mean ± standard deviation serum 25D was 48.3±18.6 nmol/L. Fifty percent of subjects had baseline serum 25D <50.0 nmol/L. Serum 25D increased significantly with D3 supplementation during the 12 weeks. No subject had a whole-blood lead >5.0 μg/dL at baseline or during subsequent visits. Whole-blood lead and 25D were not correlated at baseline, and were negatively correlated after 12 weeks of supplementation (P=0.014). Whole-blood lead did not differ between those receiving 4000 and 7000 IU of vitamin D3.


CONCLUSIONS
High-dose vitamin D3 supplementation and the concomitant increased serum 25D did not result in increased whole-blood lead concentration in this sample of children and young adults living in a northeastern urban city.
Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and Division of General Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. veronique_g_@hotmail.com
Veronique
V
Groleau
Rachel A
RA
Herold
Joan I
JI
Schall
Julia L
JL
Wagner
Kelly A
KA
Dougherty
Babette S
BS
Zemel
Richard M
RM
Rutstein
Virginia A
VA
Stallings
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007854:Lead / Q000097:blood*; D007855:Lead Poisoning / Q000209:etiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015143:Philadelphia; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult
D002762:Cholecalciferol; D007854:Lead; D002112:Calcifediol