Changes in 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels post‐vitamin D supplementation in people of Black and Asian ethnicities and its implications during COVID‐19 pandemic: A systematic review

This study recommends that people with darker skin supplement their diet with vitamin D₃ through oral modes aiming to reduce the risk of adverse outcomes of COVID‐19, with the current literature suggesting a dosage of 7000–10,000 IU for people of Black or Asian ethnicity.

• Eight studies were included for review.
• All the included studies found that supplementation of vitamin D (D₂ and D₃), regardless of dosage, increased 25(OH)D levels compared to a placebo.
• All trials in which participants were vitamin D deficient at baseline showed increased 25(OH)D levels to a level considered adequate.
• Two studies that used food fortification yielded smaller 25(OH)D increases compared to similar studies that used oral supplementation (10.2 vs. 25.5 nmol L⁻¹, respectively).
• vitamin D₂ supplementation yielded significantly lower 25(OH)D increases than vitamin D₃

1108 Black and Asian participants from 8 studies

• Vitamin D dosage specification is difficult to recommend due to gene activation and genetic variability.
• Those with darker skin may need larger doses of 75-125 micrograms (7,000-10,000 IU).

Our review suggests that oral vitamin D supplementation could be more efficacious than food fortification in Black and Asian populations, and also that vitamin D₃ is more efficacious than VD₂. It is recommended that people with darker skin supplement their diet with vitamin D₃ through oral modes aiming to reduce the risk of adverse outcomes of COVID‐19, with the current literature suggesting a dosage of 7000–10,000 IU for people of Black or Asian ethnicity. Further studies that aim to determine differences between supplementation in different ethnicities are warranted.

• This review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.
• Electronic databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and EMBASE were search
• Terms and synonyms included Vitamin D supplementation in Black and Asian populations.
• Inclusion data included first author, year of study, country, number of participants, outcomes, inclusion and exclusion criteria, method of assessing vitamin D levels, details of randomization, quality of study, limitations and conclusions.

Vaughan M, Trott M, Sapkota R, Premi G, Roberts J, Ubhi J, Smith L, Pardhan S. Changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels post-vitamin D supplementation in people of Black and Asian ethnicities and its implications during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2021 Oct 6:10.1111/jhn.12949. doi: 10.1111/jhn.12949. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34617343; PMCID: PMC8657331.