Vitamin D status in Bulgaria--winter data

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Public Health
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Vitamin D status is a growing public health concern globally.
• Understanding population-specific vitamin D levels is essential for targeted health strategies.
• The Bulgarian population's vitamin D status and its relationship with parathyroid hormone (PTH) require investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess vitamin D levels across the Bulgarian population.
• To determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency, and sufficiency by gender and age.
• To establish population-specific 25(OH)D sufficiency thresholds based on PTH levels.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 2,032 participants from 12 Bulgarian regions.
• Data collected in January-February 2012, including 1,076 women and 956 men aged 20-80.
• Measurement of serum 25(OH)D and PTH levels across young, middle-aged, and elderly groups.

Main Results:

• The mean 25(OH)D level was 38.75 nmol/l, with men exhibiting higher levels than women.
• Vitamin D deficiency affected 21.3%, insufficiency 54.5%, and sufficiency 24.2% of the population.
• Parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels began to rise when 25(OH)D levels were below 50 nmol/l, suggesting this threshold for adequate suppression.

Conclusions:

• The vitamin D status in Bulgaria is a significant public health issue, likely underestimated.
• A substantial portion of the population exhibits vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency.
• Defining adequate vitamin D sufficiency levels (over 50 nmol/l) is critical for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies.