VitaDEx
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mobilising vitamin D sequestered in adipose tissue in humans with Exercise (VitaDEx)
IRAS ID
254160
Contact name
Dylan Thompson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bath
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 9 months, 21 days
Research summary
Vitamin D can become trapped in adipose (fat) tissue and lead to low levels of vitamin D in blood. Up to half of people in the UK have low levels of the important form of vitamin D in their blood.
Our preliminary data indicate that physical activity is an effective way to mobilise vitamin D from adipose tissue – even without weight loss. These preliminary data show that exercise has a powerful effect on the concentration of the important form of vitamin D in blood and that exercise stimulates the release of this form of vitamin D from adipose tissue. Based on these observations, we propose that regular exercise will improve the mobilisation of vitamin D from adipose tissue and that this will increase the amount and availability of the important form of vitamin D in blood.
In this project, we will use a 10-week randomised controlled trial to examine the impact of exercise (versus control) on vitamin D status and metabolism in men and women who are overweight. We will assess the impact of exercise on the various forms of vitamin D that are found in blood, and whether these changes lead to an improvement in the function of cells known to be affected by vitamin D status (a type of white blood cell called monocytes). We will use stable isotopes (non-radioactive tracers) to examine how the turnover of vitamin D is affected by exercise. This will also allow us to understand the biological pathways and mechanisms that are involved in vitamin D mobilisation and how they are affected by exercise. We will compare these exercise-induced changes to a lean comparator group so that we can understand the independent effects of overweight and exercise on vitamin D mobilisation, status and metabolism.
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
18/WA/0392
Date of REC Opinion
17 Dec 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion