Exposure to Chemicals Tied to Lower Vitamin D Levels

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may reduce levels of vitamin D in the body, according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism.

The study is the first to find a link between exposure to EDCs, which include bisphenol A (BPA), in American adults.

EDCs are chemicals or mixtures of chemicals that can cause adverse health effects by interfering with hormones in the body. The Endocrine Society examined more than 1,300 studies that found links between chemical exposure and health problems, including infertility, obesity, diabetes, neurological problems and hormone-related cancers.

“Nearly every person on the planet is exposed to BPA and another class of endocrine-disrupting chemicals called phthalates, so the possibility that these chemicals may even slightly reduce vitamin D levels has widespread implications for public health,” said study author Lauren Johns of the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

“Vitamin D plays a broad role in maintaining bone and muscle health,” she said. “In addition, low vitamin D levels have been implicated in outcomes of numerous conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.”

EDCs are found in everyday products and throughout the environment. BPA, a known EDC, is often found in plastics and other consumer products.

Another group of chemicals linked to hormone disruption, phthalates, are found in personal care products such as cosmetics, children’s products, food packaging and medical tubing.

The study examined data from 4,667 adults from across the U.S. The participants provided blood samples so their vitamin D levels could be measured.

EDC exposure was measured by analyzing their urine for substances that remained after phthalates and BPA were metabolized.

The study found people who were exposed to larger amounts of EDCs were more likely to have low levels of vitamin D in the bloodstream than those who were exposed to smaller amounts. The link was strongest in women.

Adequate levels of vitamin D are essential to health . Findings include:

• Heart. A British study found that middle-aged and elderly people with high levels of vitamin D reduce their risk of heart disease by 43 percent.

• Stroke. A study published in Stroke found that men who consumed the least amount of vitamin D in their diets increased their risk of stroke by 22 to 27 percent when compared to those who consumed the highest levels.

• Breast cancer. An analysis of two studies found that women with the highest amounts of vitamin D in their blood lowered their risk of breast cancer by 50 percent when compared to women with the lowest levels.

• Diabetes. Australian researchers concluded that people with below-normal vitamin D levels increased their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 57 percent when compared with people whose levels were normal.

• Colon cancer. Cancer prevention specialists at the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California found that high amounts of vitamin D could cut colon cancer rates by two-thirds.

• Bone health. Studies have found that people with a vitamin D deficiency absorb 65 percent less calcium than those with normal levels, raising the risk of bone fractures. A British study concluded that having adequate vitamin D levels could reduce hip fractures by as much as 50 percent.

• Brain health. Recent research published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease found that vitamin D may work at the cellular level to clear the brain of amyloid beta plaques associated with the memory-destroying disease.