Do extreme summers increase blood vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D) levels?

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0242230
• Publication Date: 2020-11-10T18:59:36Z
• Authors: Frank Bernhard Kraus; Daniel Medenwald; Beatrice Ludwig-K...
• Keywords: Calcifediol

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency of extreme weather events, such as extended heat waves and droughts in northern hemisphere. Besides affecting ecosystems worldwide, these changes climate patterns will also affect environmental health human populations. While medical community mostly concerned with negative impact change, there might be some beneficial effects. In this study we used laboratory data from a large university clinic Germany (n = 13 406), test for any detectable two summers on Vitamin-D [25(OH)D] plasma concentrations over six year period (2014-2019). For years (2018 2019) 25(OH)D were significantly higher than previous four (p < 0.001). A time series analysis (autoregressive term, AR, φ 0.84, an AR one indicating persistent effect) showed that rise by 0.04 nmol/l (95% CI: 0.04-0.05 nmol/l) per hour sunshine. The incidence vitamin D deficiency was generally high (60% 2014-2017) but dropped 10% 2018 2019. As such, 2019, which are among hottest driest since start modern recordings, had measurable positive effect levels examined population. Given widespread latitudes, implies while considered negative, confer benefits regard related conditions.