Vitamin guidelines need ethnic equilibration

Vitamin D supplementation is associated with significantly lower risks of type 2 diabetes and depression in certain ethnic groups in the USA, according to an analysis in the International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare of nationally representative health data. The findings suggest that the benefits of the widely used supplement are substantial but unevenly distributed.

The researchers used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) to look for links between self-reported vitamin D supplement use and type 2 diabetes and depression and to investigate ethnic differences.

The strongest associations were observed among Mexican Americans and African Americans. In Mexican American adults, vitamin D supplementation was linked to a markedly lower prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Among African Americans, supplement use was associated with a reduced risk of depression.

In contrast, non-Hispanic White participants and some Asian groups showed weaker or statistically insignificant association. This suggests that supplementation had limited benefit to those populations that had higher baseline vitamin D levels. The researchers point out that darker skin pigmentation reduces the rate of biosynthesis of vitamin D from sunlight in the skin. In addition, dietary shortfalls, higher rates of obesity, and socioeconomic and environmental barriers that reduce sun exposure further compound the effect.

The team says that supplementation may be most effective where deficiency is common, rather than as a universal intervention. This is pertinent as vitamin D supplementation is not without risk. Excessive intake, often referred to as megadosing, can lead to dangerously elevated calcium levels in the blood and kidney problems.

Moreover, the findings have implications for public health policy. They suggest that universal supplementation is unnecessary and that guidance should target people who will benefit the most. There is thus a need for screening and intervention strategies that take ethnicity, baseline vitamin D status, and underlying health risks into account.

Eboigbe, T.E. and Srinivasan, S. (2025) ‘The role of vitamin D supplementation in improving health outcomes among different ethnic groups’, Int. J. Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp.4–16.