title: Sustained Increase of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Healthy Young Women during Wintertime after Three Suberythemal UV Irradiations-The MUVY Pilot Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Vitamin D (VitD) deficiency is a health problem prevalent not only in the elderly but also in young adults. The primary objective of our observational pilot study "MUVY" (Mood, UVR, Vitamin D in Young women) was to test both the short-term and long-term effects of a series of three suberythemal UV radiation (UVR) exposures on the VitD status and well-being of young healthy women during winter in a repeat measure design.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 healthy young women (Fitzpatrick skin types I-III, aged 21-25 years) received three full body broad band UVR exposures with an escalating erythemally weighted dose schedule during one week in winter, and completed self-report questionnaires monitoring symptoms of depression (Beck Depression Inventory, BDI) and affective state/well-being (Profile of Mood States, POMS) at baseline and three days after the last UVR exposure. 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) were measured in serum at baseline, and at study days 8, 36 and 50.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean baseline 25(OH)D level was 54.3 nmol/L (standard deviation (s.d.) = 24.1), with seven women having VitD deficient status. Relevant symptoms of depression, as indicated by low BDI total scores (0-8), were absent. After the three UVR exposures the increment of 25(OH)D was an average of 13.9 nmol/L (95% confidence interval (CI) = 9.4-18.4) and 26.2 pmol/L (95%CI = 7.2-45.1) for 1,25(OH)2D. Δ25(OH)D, and corresponding baseline levels were significantly and inversely associated (rho = -0.493, p = 0.027). Only 25(OH)D remained significantly increased above baseline for at least six weeks after the last UVR exposure. A strong inverse correlation of the POMS subscale "Vigor/Activity" and the increment in 1,25(OH)2D was found (rho = -0.739, p<0.001) at day 8.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three suberythemal whole body UVR exposures during one week are a simple and suitable method for improving 25(OH)D levels during winter, for at least six weeks, and especially in young women with VitD deficient status.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  German Clinical Trials Register (Deutsches Register Kinischer Studien) DRKS00009274.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Maria Gudrun
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Biersack
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Malgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hajdukiewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Uebelhack
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Leonora
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.affiliation: Medical Photobiology Group, Department of Internal Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Piazena
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klaus
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Höhne-Zimmer
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buttgereit
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerd-Rüdiger
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Burmester
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Detert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012621:Seasons; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D014916:Whole-Body Irradiation; D016387:Women's Health; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; C097949:1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D