Immuni-D
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Vitamin D and Immunity: photosynthesis versus supplementation
IRAS ID
171198
Contact name
Antony Young
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Kings' College London
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is a worldwide health problem that is associated not only with impaired musculoskeletal health, but also a wide range of acute and chronic immune-mediated diseases ranging from autoimmune and allergic conditions to cancer. However, much of the evidence is observational, often using surrogates for vitamin D status, such as latitude and, in general, supplementation studies have not supported observational epidemiology.
The optimal way to restore serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D sufficiency is currently debatable. UV irradiation through sunshine exposure promotes endogenous vitamin D synthesis, although this can also be associated with a risk of UVR-induced skin cancer. Dietary supplements represent an alternative, which are increasingly being used in clinical trials to correct deficiency. However, it is unclear whether sunshine exposure and vitamin D supplementation induce comparable changes in immune function, or whether additional UVR-induced molecules may be responsible for proposed health benefits. Several studies report an inverse correlation between exposure to UVR and immune-mediated diseases, further supporting the theory that UVR may also be protective through non vitamin-D mediated pathways. So far it has been difficult to distinguish between immune-regulation by vitamin D and other mediators induced by UVR as the downstream effects are similar. A direct comparison of the biological effects of vitamin D obtained by UVR versus supplementation has never been made. This study aims to elucidate the differences in vitamin D generated by UVR exposure versus supplementation by comparing immunological endpoints.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/LO/0381
Date of REC Opinion
5 May 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion