ORIGINAL ARTICLE   

Minerva Medica 2018 April;109(2):79-87

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4806.17.05447-7

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

The relationship between the vitamin serum 25(OH)D and the B12 concentrations in obese women

Nikola CURIC ¹, Branislava ILINCIC ¹, Natasa MILIC ², Velibor CABARKAPA ¹, Stanislava NIKOLIC ¹, Milica MEDIC-STOJANOSKA ³, Rinaldo PELLICANO ⁴, Ludovico ABENAVOLI ^{3, 5} ✉

¹ Center for Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia; ² Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia; ³ Clinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Faculty of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia; ⁴ Department of Gastro-Hepatology, Molinette Hospital, Turin, Italy; ⁵ Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Græcia”, Catanzaro, Italy

BACKGROUND: In obesity, low levels of vitamin D (VD) and vitamin B12 (VB12) may be the result of different pathophysiological mechanisms, but the possible association between them has not been defined yet. The aim of this cross-sectional analysis was to investigate the possible relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and VB12 levels in middle aged women.
METHODS: In 80 women, we indirectly evaluated body composition and body volumes [extracellular fluid volume (ECV) and total body water (TBW)] by anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Vitamin D and VB12 status was assessed by laboratory measurement [serum 25(OH)D levels by electrochemiluminescent immunoassay; VB12 by chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay].
RESULTS: Obese women were mostly VD deficient [25(OH)D below 50 nmol/L; 40/50, 80%]. Also, among obese we observed presence of VB12 deficiency [VB12 below 148 pmol/L; 13/50, 26%) and marginal depletion of VB12 level (marginal VB12 status 148-221 pmol/L; 20/50, 40%). All anthropometric indicators of obesity, ECV and TBW were significantly associated with both, 25(OH)D and VB12 (P<0.001) levels. In univariate regression analysis serum level of 25(OH)D was significantly associated with VB12 levels (R2=0.170, P<0.001). In regression models, 25(OH)D was significantly associated with VB12 level, independently of fat mass and extracellular fluid volume.
CONCLUSIONS: Obesity may negatively affect VB12 level, indirectly, by reducing 25(OH)D level in middle aged women.

KEY WORDS: Vitamin D - Vitamin B 12 - Micronutrients - Deficiency