Vitamin D Status and Its Correlation With Anthropometric and Biochemical Indicators of Cardiometabolic Risk in Serbian Underground Coal Miners in 2016

Abstract

The status of vitamin D in underground working coal miners and its association with their cardiometabolic health is rarely studied. This study aimed to examine vitamin D (VitD) status in Serbian underground coal miners and to correlate it with anthropometric and laboratory indicators of cardiometabolic risk. Nutritional data (food frequency questionnaire, FFQ, and two times repeated 24 h recall), anthropometric data (including segmental analysis by bio-impedance analyzer TANITA BC-545N), arterial tension, and biochemical and hematological data of 103 coal miners (aged 22–63 years) were correlated with their late summer (early September) serum 25 (OH)D levels (measured by HPLC). 68.9% of the studied coal miners were overweight/obese, and 48.5% had metabolic syndrome. Their mean VitD nutritional intakes were low: 5.3 ± 3.8 μg/day (FFQ) and 4.9 ± 8 μg/day (24 h recalls), but their mean serum 25 (OH)D levels were surprisingly high (143.7 ± 41.4 nmol/L). Only 2.9% of the coal miners had 25(OH)D levels lower than 75 nmol/L (indicating an insufficient/deficient status), while 63.2% had values above 125 nmol/L (upper optimal limit), and even 10.7% had values above 200 nmol/L. There were no statistical differences in 25 (OH)D levels in the coal miners with or without metabolic syndrome (or overweight/obesity). Interestingly, 25(OH)D levels had significant positive correlations with body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), fat mass percentage (FM%), limbs FM%, serum triglycerides, GGT, AST, ALT, and ALT/AST ratio, and had significant negative correlations with serum HDL-cholesterol and age. All these correlations were lost after corrections for age, FM, FM%, and legs FM%. In Serbian coal miners, high levels of early September VitD levels were observed, indicating sufficient non-working-hour sun exposure during the summer period. Furthermore, the unexpected positive correlations of VitD levels with anthropometric and biochemical parameters indicative of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and fatty liver disease were found. More research is needed on the VitD status of coal miners (particularly in the winter period) and its relationship with their cardiometabolic status.

The unique association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and blood lipid profiles in agriculture, forestry, and fishing occupations: Insights from NHANES 2001–2014

“…Additionally, the percentage of those with vigorous physical activity, heavy alcohol consumption, and regular smoking was higher in the group of miners. Interestingly, miners exhibited the highest serum 25(OH)D levels, which is in accordance with some literature data [ 57 ]. One plausible explanation is the strenuous physical work undertaken by miners, leading to increased lipolysis and release of 25(OH)D from fat and muscle depots [ 58 ].…”

Vitamin D improves autoimmune diseases by inhibiting Wnt signaling pathway

“…In the present study, the inhibitor significantly reduced obesity in MRL/LPR mice. Other studies 17,18 have revealed a correlation between VitD deficiency and tissue fat thickness. That supplementation with VitD3 can reduce weight gain and fat accumulation in mice has confirmed, and the study showed that the body weight of C57BL/6 mice on a high‐fat diet changed significantly after continuous supplementation with VitD3 for 10 weeks 19,20 .…”