Regulation of Calcitriol Biosynthesis and Activity: Focus on Gestational Vitamin D Deficiency and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
Nutrients 2015, 7(1), 443-480; doi:10.3390/nu7010443
Andrea Olmos-Ortiz, Euclides Avila, Marta Durand-Carbajal and Lorenza Díaz
Department of Reproductive Biology, National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán, Vasco de Quiroga No. 15, Tlalpan 14000, Mexico City, Mexico
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition in Pregnancy)
Vitamin D has garnered a great deal of attention in recent years due to a global prevalence of vitamin D deficiency associated with an increased risk of a variety of human diseases. Specifically, hypovitaminosis D in pregnant women is highly common and has important implications for the mother and lifelong health of the child, since it has been linked to maternal and child infections, small-for-gestational age, preterm delivery, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, as well as imprinting on the infant for life chronic diseases. Therefore, factors that regulate vitamin D metabolism are of main importance, especially during pregnancy. The hormonal form and most active metabolite of vitamin D is calcitriol. This hormone mediates its biological effects through a specific nuclear receptor, which is found in many tissues including the placenta. Calcitriol synthesis and degradation depend on the expression and activity of CYP27B1 and CYP24A1 cytochromes, respectively, for which regulation is tissue specific. Among the factors that modify these cytochromes expression and/or activity are calcitriol itself, parathyroid hormone, fibroblast growth factor 23, cytokines, calcium and phosphate. This review provides a current overview on the regulation of vitamin D metabolism, focusing on vitamin D deficiency during gestation and its impact on pregnancy outcomes.
Table 5. Cholecalciferol supplementation and VD status in randomized clinical trials in healthy pregnant women.
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- Pregnancy category listing has
918 items along with related searches - Dark skin pregnancies and Vitamin D - many studies
- Overview Pregnancy and vitamin D has the following summary
IU Cumulative Benefit Blood level Cofactors Calcium $*/month 200 Better bones for mom
with 600 mg of Calcium6 ng/ml increase Not needed No effect $0.10 400 Less Rickets (but not zero with 400 IU)
3X less adolescent Schizophrenia
Fewer child seizures20-30 ng/ml Not needed No effect $0.20 2000 2X More likely to get pregnant naturally/IVF
2X Fewer dental problems with pregnancy
8X less diabetes
4X fewer C-sections (>37 ng)
4X less preeclampsia (40 ng vs 10 ng)
5X less child asthma
2X fewer language problems age 542 ng/ml Desirable < 750 mg $1 4000 2X fewer pregnancy complications
2X fewer pre-term births49 ng/ml Should have
cofactors< 750 mg $3 6000 Probable: larger benefits for above items
Just enough D for breastfed infant
More maternal and infant weightShould have
cofactors< 750 mg $4 The TOP Pregnancy articles are:
- Preeclampsia reduced by Vitamin D - many studies
- Far less vitamin D in breast milk if COVID-19 (no surprise) – Aug 2021
- Less labor pain if higher level of vitamin D – August 2021
- Little sun in first trimester, 2.9 X more likely to have learning disabilities – June 2019
- Preterm Births decreased by Omega-3 (analysis of 184 countries) – April 2019
- Vitamin D is at least 100 X better than Folic Acid
- Ensure a healthy pregnancy and baby - take Vitamin D before conception
- Vitamin D supplementation reduced SGA, fetal mortality, infant mortality – JAMA Meta – May 2018
- Maternal Diabetes and Risk of Autism in Offspring – JAMA June 2018
- Second miscarriage associated with low vitamin D – review June 2018
- The earlier the better- preconception vitamin D - June 2018
- 10,000 IU of vitamin D during pregnancy resulted in spectacular infant development – Coimbra April 2018
- Pregnancies with more than 40 ng of vitamin D are great (Sweden, 2,000 pregnancies) – Feb 2018
- Magnesium in Healthcare (Rickets, Stones, Pregnancy, Depression, etc.) with level of evidence – Sept 2017
- Preterm birth rate of pregnant smokers cut in half if take Omega-3 – RCT May 2017
- Costs of Pregnancy much reduced by Vitamin D
- Autism associated with low vitamin D during pregnancy – Nov 2016
- Vitamin D once during pregnancy reduced infant health care costs (300 times ROI) – RCT Dec 2015
- Preterm birth has become the leading cause of infant mortality (vitamin D not mentioned) – JAMA June 2016
- Multiple Sclerosis 2X more likely if vitamin D deficient as a fetus decades earlier – May 2016
- Universal pregnancy vitamin D supplementation for a hospital in India – study stopped after 1 month – April 2016
- Autism rate in siblings reduced 4X by vitamin D: 5,000 IU during pregnancy, 1,000 IU to infants – Feb 2016
- Vitamin D is being used to prevent premature births – Baggerly interview – Dec 2015
- Saudi pregnancies – only 1 in 16 had even 20 nanograms of vitamin D – Nov 2015
- Omega-3 helps pregnancy in many ways: preterm 26 percent less likely etc – review July 2012
- Pregnancy helped by Magnesium - many studies
- Routine monitoring of vitamin D during pregnancy is mandatory (Engl. and Port.) - May 2015
- Vitamin D helps women in many ways – review April 2015
- Prenatal VITAMIN D is more important than other prenatal vitamins
- Ensure a healthy pregnancy and infant with as little as $20 of Vitamin D
- Getting vitamin D during pregnancy is even more important than avoiding alcohol
- Small for gestational age birth was 6.5X more likely if mother was vitamin D deficient – March 2015
- Improved births with 2,000 IU vitamin D during pregnancy in India - RCT Feb 2015
- Schizophrenia increased 40 percent for Spring births after Danes stopped vitamin D fortification – April 2014
- Gestational Diabetes reduced with 50,000 IU of vitamin D every 3 weeks and daily Calcium – RCT June 2014
- WHO still says mistakenly says NO vitamin D during pregnancy, and only 200 IU after
- Vitamin D intervention for 8 weeks of pregnancy: infants taller, heavier and bigger heads – RCT Oct 2013
- Presentation: pre and post natal vitamin D, with audience comments – Manchester UK Sept 2013
- Premature birth 2.5X more likely if mother had low vitamin D and was having twins – July 2013
- Vitamin D Global Perspective - Holick June 2013
- Group is giving only 200 IU of Vitamin D to 70 million women and children to prevent Rickets
- Needed more than 1600 IU of vitamin D during pregnancy – RCT May 2013
- Vitamin D protects against many types of health problems – review May 2013
- Near the end of pregnancy 50,000 IU vitamin D weekly was great – RCT April 2013
- Many groups of pregnant women are at high risk of being vitamin D deficient – Jan 2013
- Dr. Holick video on vitamin D - March 2013
- More vitamin D during pregnancy made for higher mental scores at 14 months – Dec 2012
- Variety of pregnancy problems with low vitamin D – systematic review Sept 2012
- Autistic measure 5X more likely if low vitamin D in second trimester – Oct 2012
- Infants born early had low vitamin D levels – Oct 2012
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