Hello everyone,
Last week, we discussed the different genetic variations that can be identified for Vitamin D. I highly recommend reading it if you did not get the chance → Vitamin D deficiency.
As a nutritionist, Vitamin D is one of the first things I look at when I work with our clients. This vitamin is key for the proper function of our body, and unfortunately, many people are deficient in it.
A large study published in 2024, looking at the genetics of 417,580 participants, found that genetically predicted lower serum vitamin D levels increased the risk of developing PCOS after excluding obesity-associated genetics. For me, this poses an important question: Could we know the genetics of our children early on and ensure they learn the lifestyle that will best protect them against disease? This question comes with a lot of complexity, but I am trying to imagine a world where we can truly predict and prevent disease early on.
For our PCOS, this vitamin is involved in:
Enhancing insulin production and increasing insulin receptor expression
Regulating testosterone imbalances
Lowering abnormally elevated serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels in vitamin D-deficient women with PCOS, potentially improving ovarian function
Shown to reduce markers of inflammation
Increasing menstrual regularity and the likelihood of ovulation
As you can see, it impacts our symptoms all around it. With ~40% of Europeans vitamin D deficient and 13% severely deficient, we need to ensure we get this right.
However, getting it right means knowing why someone is deficient, and genetics play a major role in this. In the last newsletter, we look at the following genes:
DHCR7/NADSYN1 - activates Vitamin D from the sun
CYP2R1 - converts Vitamin D in the liver
CYP24A1 -converts Vitamin D in the kidney
GC - the protein which transports Vitamin D
VDR - the receptor that allows Vitamin D in the cell
But what can you do if you have variations of these genes?
What can you do about the genetic variations?
In the following table, I have detailed some of the things that need to be done if you have certain variations and how specific dietary patterns can be impacted.
These are the things we address in our Genetics-based PCOS programme, starting 30th of September. Join the waiting list if you’d like to learn about your unique genetic makeup and get a personalised plan made for you. I am sending out the structure of the program this week.
I will let you read the table above, but for example, certain variations might require a much higher Vitamin D dosage to reach sufficient numbers or a closer look at your diet.
These are based on studies that are linked below. It is important to note that these associations are highly complex and don’t have a one-to-one relationship. While research gives us some insights into how we can personalise nutrition and lifestyle based on genetics, we have quite a way to go. However, knowing your Vitamin D levels and which variations you may carry can help you focus your efforts on the right parts of your health. Managing PCOS can be overwhelming as there are so many parts of your health that you might want to optimise: glucose levels, exercise, and a specific diet. Personalised plans with genetics can act as a guiding light on how to focus your efforts to get the highest impact.
I hope you have enjoyed this deep dive into Vitamin D genetics. In the next newsletters, we will look at weight genes, vitamin processing, and PCOS-specific genes. Tune in.
If you’d like to get your genes tested with us, we work with a trustworthy partner to process data. We can offer you an insight into how your body works and some potential drivers for your PCOS. Join the waiting list here.
See you next Sunday,
Francesca
Alathari, B. E., Aji, A. S., Ariyasra, U., Sari, S. R., Tasrif, N., Yani, F. F., Sudji, I. R., Lovegrove, J. A., Lipoeto, N. I., & Vimaleswaran, K. S. (2021). Interaction between vitamin D-related genetic risk score and carbohydrate intake on body fat composition: A study in Southeast Asian Minangkabau women. Nutrients, 13(2), 326. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020326
Alathari, B. E., Nyakotey, D. A., Bawah, A.-M., Lovegrove, J. A., Annan, R. A., Ellahi, B., & Vimaleswaran, K. S. (2022). Interactions between vitamin D genetic risk and dietary factors on metabolic disease-related outcomes in Ghanaian adults. Nutrients, 14(13), 2763. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14132763
Almaghrbi, H., Al-Shafai, M., Al-Asmakh, M., & Bawadi, H. (2023). Association of vitamin D Genetic Risk Score with noncommunicable diseases: A systematic review. Nutrients, 15(18), 4040. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15184040
Ammar, M., Heni, S., Tira, M. S., Khalij, Y., Hamdouni, H., Amor, D., Ksibi, S., Omezzine, A., & Bouslama, A. (2023). Variability in response to vitamin D supplementation according to vitamin D metabolism related gene polymorphisms in healthy adults. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 77(2), 189–194. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-022-01218-y
Gao, B., Zhang, C., Wang, D., Li, B., Shan, Z., Teng, W., & Li, J. (2024). Causal association between low vitamin D and polycystic ovary syndrome: a bidirectional mendelian randomization study. Journal of Ovarian Research, 17(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13048-024-01420-5
Sallinen, R. J., Dethlefsen, O., Ruotsalainen, S., Mills, R. D., Miettinen, T. A., Jääskeläinen, T. E., Lundqvist, A., Kyllönen, E., Kröger, H., Karppinen, J. I., Lamberg-Allardt, C., Viljakainen, H., Kaunisto, M. A., & Kallioniemi, O. (2021). Genetic risk score for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration helps to guide personalized vitamin D supplementation in healthy Finnish adults. The Journal of Nutrition, 151(2), 281–292. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxaa391
Alathari, B. E., Aji, A. S., Ariyasra, U., Sari, S. R., Tasrif, N., Yani, F. F., Sudji, I. R., Lovegrove, J. A., Lipoeto, N. I., & Vimaleswaran, K. S. (2021). Interaction between vitamin D-related genetic risk score and carbohydrate intake on body fat composition: A study in Southeast Asian Minangkabau women. Nutrients, 13(2), 326. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020326
Almaghrbi, H., Al-Shafai, M., Al-Asmakh, M., & Bawadi, H. (2023). Association of vitamin D Genetic Risk Score with noncommunicable diseases: A systematic review. Nutrients, 15(18), 4040. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15184040
Usategui-Martín, R., De Luis-Román, D.-A., Fernández-Gómez, J. M., Ruiz-Mambrilla, M., & Pérez-Castrillón, J.-L. (2022). Vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms modify the response to vitamin D supplementation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 14(2), 360. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14020360
Voltan, G., Cannito, M., Ferrarese, M., Ceccato, F., & Camozzi, V. (2023). Vitamin D: An overview of gene regulation, ranging from metabolism to genomic effects. Genes, 14(9), 1691. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14091691
Wang, T. J., Zhang, F., Richards, J. B., Kestenbaum, B., van Meurs, J. B., Berry, D., Kiel, D. P., Streeten, E. A., Ohlsson, C., Koller, D. L., Peltonen, L., Cooper, J. D., O’Reilly, P. F., Houston, D. K., Glazer, N. L., Vandenput, L., Peacock, M., Shi, J., Rivadeneira, F., … Spector, T. D. (2010). Common genetic determinants of vitamin D insufficiency: a genome-wide association study. Lancet, 376(9736), 180–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(10)60588-0
Weir, E. K., Thenappan, T., Bhargava, M., & Chen, Y. (2020). Does vitamin D deficiency increase the severity of COVID-19? Clinical Medicine (London, England), 20(4), e107–e108. https://doi.org/10.7861/clinmed.2020-0301
Disclaimer: We are all unique in our ways, so this information is for educational purposes only. In my communications, I summarise research data and bring my experience. This shouldn’t be viewed as medical advice at any point. Please consult your healthcare provider further about your health needs.