Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Factors influencing the absorption of vitamin D in GIT: an overview

  • Review Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Food Science and Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Vitamin D refers to a group of secosteroid compounds and recognized as the antirachitic vitamin, as it counters rickets, mineral desorption from fully-grown bones (Osteodistrophy), bone, joint disorders, and fragility of bones. On one hand, there is scarcity of vitamin D rich food while on other hand a number of factors negotiate its absorption efficiency in human gastrointestinal tract (GIT). These factors include variations in the physiochemical state of the vitamin D (molecular forms, potency and their physiological linkages), the complexity of food matrix (the amount and type of fatty acids, dietary fibers and presence/absence of vitamin D enhancer and inhibitor), and its interaction of other fat soluble compounds with vitamin D as well as the host-associated factors (age, disease, surgery, obesity, genetic variation etc.). It is hypothesized that the bioavailability of vitamin D in GIT is compromised if there changes within these factors. Present article is intended to review the contribution of these factors anticipated to be influencing vitamin D absorption in GIT.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aarts E, van Groningen L, Horst R, Telting D, van Sorge A, Janssen I, de Boer H (2011) Vitamin D absorption: consequences of gastric bypass surgery. Eur J Endocrinol 164:827–832

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Aburto A, Britton W (1998) Effects of different levels of vitamins A and E on the utilization of cholecalciferol by broiler chickens. Poult Sci 77:570–577

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Argao EA, Heubi JE, Hollis BW, Tsang RC (1992) da-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol-1000 succinate enhances the absorption of vitamin D in chronic cholestatic liver disease of infancy and childhood. Pediatr Res 31:146–150

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Barragry J, France M, Corless D, Gupta S, Switala S, Boucher B, Cohen R (1978) Intestinal cholecalciferol absorption in the elderly and in younger adults. Clin Sci Mol Med 55:213–220

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bashir M et al (2016) Effects of high doses of vitamin D3. Eur J Nutr 55:1479–1489

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Biancuzzo RM et al (2010) Fortification of orange juice with vitamin D2 or vitamin D3 is as effective as an oral supplement in maintaining vitamin D status in adults. Am J Clin Nutr 91:1621–1626

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Blum M, Dallal GE, Dawson-Hughes B (2008) Body size and serum 25 hydroxy vitamin D response to oral supplements in healthy older adults. J Am Coll Nutr 27:274–279

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borel P et al (1997) Postprandial chylomicron and plasma vitamin E responses in healthy older subjects compared with younger ones. Eur J Clin Invest 27:812–821

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvo MS, Whiting SJ, Barton CN (2004) Vitamin D fortification in the United States and Canada: current status and data needs. Am J Clin Nutr 80:1710S–1716S

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvo MS, Whiting SJ, Barton CN (2005) Vitamin D intake: a global perspective of current status. J Nutr 135:310–316

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Calvo MS, Babu US, Garthoff LH, Woods TO, Dreher M, Hill G, Nagaraja S (2013) Vitamin D2 from light-exposed edible mushrooms is safe, bioavailable and effectively supports bone growth in rats. Osteoporos Int 24:197–207. doi:10.1007/s00198-012-1934-9

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Clemens TL, Zhouf X-Y, Myles M, Endres D, Lindsay R (1986) Serum vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 metabolite concentrations and absorption of vitamin D2 in elderly subjects*. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 63:656–660

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Compston JE, Merrett AL, Hammett F, Magill P (1981) Comparison of the appearance of radiolabelled vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxy-vitamin D3 in the chylomicron fraction of plasma after oral administration in man. Clin Sci 60:241–243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drevon CA (1991) Absorption, transport and metabolism of vitamin E. Free Radic Res Commun 14:229–246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Drincic AT, Armas LA, Diest EE, Heaney RP (2012) Volumetric dilution, rather than sequestration best explains the low vitamin D status of obesity. Obesity 20:1444–1448

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farraye F et al (2011) Use of a novel vitamin D bioavailability test demonstrates that vitamin D absorption is decreased in patients with quiescent Crohn’s disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis 17:2116–2121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fu L, Yun F, Oczak M, Wong BY, Vieth R, Cole DE (2009) Common genetic variants of the vitamin D binding protein (DBP) predict differences in response of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH) D] to vitamin D supplementation. Clin Biochem 42:1174–1177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goncalves A et al (2011) Phytosterols can impair vitamin D intestinal absorption in vitro and in mice. Mol Nutr Food Res 55:S303–S311

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goncalves A, Roi S, Nowicki M, Dhaussy A, Huertas A, Amiot M-J, Reboul E (2015) Fat-soluble vitamin intestinal absorption: absorption sites in the intestine and interactions for absorption. Food Chem 172:155–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gylling H, Miettinen TA (1999) Cholesterol reduction by different plant stanol mixtures and with variable fat intake. Metabolism 48:575–580

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gylling H, Puska P, Vartiainen E, Miettinen TA (1999) Retinol, vitamin D, carotenes and α-tocopherol in serum of a moderately hypercholesterolemic population consuming sitostanol ester margarine. Atherosclerosis 145:279–285

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gylling H, Hallikainen M, Nissinen MJ, Miettinen TA (2010) The effect of a very high daily plant stanol ester intake on serum lipids, carotenoids, and fat-soluble vitamins. Clin Nutr 29:112–118

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hendriks H, Brink E, Meijer G, Princen H, Ntanios F (2003) Safety of long-term consumption of plant sterol esters-enriched spread. Eur J Clin Nutr 57:681–692

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hernández-Romano J, Martínez-Barnetche J, Valverde-Garduño V (2009) Polymorphisms in gene regulatory regions and their role in the physiopathology of complex disease in the post-genomic era. Salud Pública de México 51:s455–s462

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heubi JE, Hollis BW, Specker B, Tsang RC (1989) Bone disease in chronic childhood cholestasis. I. Vitamin D absorption and metabolism. Hepatology 9:258–264

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Heubi JE, Hollis BW, Tsang RC (1990) Bone disease in chronic childhood cholestasis. II. Better absorption of 25-OH vitamin D than vitamin D in extrahepatic biliary atresia. Pediatr Res 27:26–31

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hofmann A (1963) The function of bile salts in fat absorption. The solvent properties of dilute micellar solutions of conjugated bile salts. Biochem J 89:57

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hohman EE, Martin BR, Lachcik PJ, Gordon DT, Fleet JC, Weaver CM (2011) Bioavailability and efficacy of vitamin D2 from UV-irradiated yeast in growing, vitamin D-deficient rats. J Agric Food Chem 59:2341–2346

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hollander D, Tarnawski H (1984) Influence of aging on vitamin D absorption and unstirred water layer dimensions in the rat. J Lab Clin Med 103:462–469

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hollander D, Muralidhara K, Zimmerman A (1978) Vitamin D-3 intestinal absorption in vivo: influence of fatty acids, bile salts, and perfusate pH on absorption. Gut 19:267–272

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holmberg I, Aksnes L, Berlin T, Lindbäck B, Zemgals J, Lindeke B (1990) Absorption of a pharmacological dose of vitamin D3 from two different lipid vehicles in man: comparison of peanut oil and a medium chain triglyceride. Biopharm Drug Dispos 11:807–815

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Holvik K, Madar AA, Meyer HE, Lofthus CM, Stene LC (2007) A randomised comparison of increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration after 4 weeks of daily oral intake of 10 μg cholecalciferol from multivitamin tablets or fish oil capsules in healthy young adults. Br J Nutr 98:620–625

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ikuma M, Hanai H, Kaneko E, Hayashi H, Hoshi T (1996) Effects of aging on the microclimate pH of the rat jejunum. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)-Biomembranes 1280:19–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • James W, Avenell A, Broom J, Whitehead J (1997) A one-year trial to assess the value of orlistat in the management of obesity. Int J Obes 21:S24–S30

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jasinghe VJ, Perera CO, Barlow PJ (2005) Bioavailability of vitamin D2 from irradiated mushrooms: an in vivo study. Br J Nutr 93:951–956

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johansson S, Melhus H (2001) Vitamin A antagonizes calcium response to vitamin D in man. J Bone Miner Res 16:1899–1905

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson J, Mistry V, Vukovich M, Hogie-Lorenzen T, Hollis B, Specker B (2005) Bioavailability of vitamin D from fortified process cheese and effects on vitamin D status in the elderly. J Dairy Sci 88:2295–2301

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kanhere M, Chassaing B, Gewirtz AT, Tangpricha V (2016) Role of vitamin D on gut microbiota in cystic fibrosis. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2016.11.001

    Google Scholar 

  • Keegan R-JH, Lu Z, Bogusz JM, Williams JE, Holick MF (2013) Photobiology of vitamin D in mushrooms and its bioavailability in humans. Dermato-endocrinology 5:165–176. doi:10.4161/derm.23321

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ko J, Lee B, Lee J, Park HJ (2008) Effect of UV-B exposure on the concentration of vitamin D2 in sliced shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes) and white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). J Agric Food Chem 56:3671–3674

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Korkor AB, Bretzmann C (2009) Effect of fish oil on vitamin D absorption. Am J Kidney Dis 53:356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korpela R et al (2006) Safety aspects and cholesterol-lowering efficacy of low fat dairy products containing plant sterols. Eur J Clin Nutr 60:633–642

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Koyyalamudi SR, Jeong S-C, Song C-H, Cho KY, Pang G (2009) Vitamin D2 formation and bioavailability from Agaricus bisporus button mushrooms treated with ultraviolet irradiation. J Agric Food Chem 57:3351–3355

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lappe J et al (2017) Effect of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on cancer incidence in older women: a randomized clinical trial. Jama 317:1234–1243

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lark RK, Lester GE, Ontjes DA, Blackwood AD, Hollis BW, Hensler MM, Aris RM (2001) Diminished and erratic absorption of ergocalciferol in adult cystic fibrosis patients. Am J Clin Nutr 73:602–606

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li M-X et al (2017) Vitamin D and cancer stem cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Curr Med Chem 24:918–927

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Liel Y, Edwards J, Shary J, Spicer KM, Gordon L, Bell NH (1988) The effects of race and body habitus on bone mineral density of the radius, hip, and spine in premenopausal women*. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 66:1247–1250

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McDuffie JR, Calis KA, Booth SL, Uwaifo GI, Yanovski JA (2002) Effects of orlistat on fat-soluble vitamins in obese adolescents pharmacotherapy. J Hum Pharmacol Drug Therapy 22:814–822

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Messa P, Regalia A, Alfieri CM (2017) Nutritional vitamin D in renal transplant patients. Specul Real Nutr 9:550

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore CE, Murphy MM, Holick MF (2005) Vitamin D intakes by children and adults in the United States differ among ethnic groups. J Nutr 135:2478–2485

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mulligan GB, Licata A (2010) Taking vitamin D with the largest meal improves absorption and results in higher serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. J Bone Miner Res 25:928–930

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Natri A-M et al (2006) Bread fortified with cholecalciferol increases the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration in women as effectively as a cholecalciferol supplement. J Nutr 136:123–127

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen TT, Dale LC, Von Bergmann K, Croghan IT (1999) Cholesterol-lowering effect of stanol ester in a US population of mildly hypercholesterolemic men and women: a randomized controlled trial. In: Mayo clinic proceedings, vol 12. Elsevier, pp 1198–1206

  • Niramitmahapanya S, Harris SS, Dawson-Hughes B (2011) Type of dietary fat is associated with the 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 increment in response to vitamin D supplementation. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 96:3170–3174

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Outila TA, Mattila PH, Piironen VI, Lamberg-Allardt CJ (1999) Bioavailability of vitamin D from wild edible mushrooms (Cantharellus tubaeformis) as measured with a human bioassay. Am J Clin Nutr 69:95–98

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peppelenbosch MP, Fuhler GM, Verhaar PA, van der Laan JWL (2017) Action and function of vitamin D in digestive tract physiology and pathology. Curr Med Chem 24:928–936

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reboul E et al (2011) Vitamin D intestinal absorption is not a simple passive diffusion: evidences for involvement of cholesterol transporters. Mol Nutr Food Res 55:691–702

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Riedt CS, Cifuentes M, Stahl T, Chowdhury HA, Schlussel Y, Shapses SA (2005) Overweight postmenopausal women lose bone with moderate weight reduction and 1 g/day calcium intake. J Bone Miner Res 20:455–463

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Russell RM (1992) Changes in gastrointestinal function attributed to aging. Am J Clin Nutr 55:1203S–1207S

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schlagheck TG, Kesler JM, Jones MB, Zorich NL, Dugan LD, Davidson MH, Peters JC (1997) Olestra’s effect on vitamins D and E in humans can be offset by increasing dietary levels of these vitamins. J Nutr 127:1666S–1685S

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Scragg R et al (2017) Effect of monthly high-dose vitamin D supplementation on cardiovascular disease in the vitamin D assessment study: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Cardiol 2:608–616

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simmonds W (1974) Absorption of lipids, vol 343. University Park Press, Baltimore

    Google Scholar 

  • Szejtli J, Gerloczy A, Fonagy A (1983) Improvement of the absorption of 3H-cholecalciferol by formation of its cyclodextrin complex. Pharmazie 38:100–101

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tangpricha V, Koutkia P, Rieke SM, Chen TC, Perez AA, Holick MF (2003) Fortification of orange juice with vitamin D: a novel approach for enhancing vitamin D nutritional health. Am J Clin Nutr 77:1478–1483

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tso P, Fujimoto K (1991) The absorption and transport of lipids by the small intestine. Brain Res Bull 27:477–482

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Turnbull D, Whittaker MH, Frankos VH, Jonker D (1999) 13-week oral toxicity study with stanol esters in rats. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 29:216–226

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Urbain P, Singler F, Ihorst G, Biesalski H-K, Bertz H (2011) Bioavailability of vitamin D2 from UV-B-irradiated button mushrooms in healthy adults deficient in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr 65:965–971

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vellas B, Balas D, Albarede J (1991) Effects of aging process on digestive functions. Compr Therapy 17:46

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner D, Sidhom G, Whiting SJ, Rousseau D, Vieth R (2008) The bioavailability of vitamin D from fortified cheeses and supplements is equivalent in adults. J Nutr 138:1365–1371

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Weber F (1980) Absorption mechanisms for fat-soluble vitamins and the effect of other food constituents. Prog Clin Biol Res 77:119–135

    Google Scholar 

  • Wimalawansa SJ (2012) Vitamin D in the new millennium. Curr Osteoporos Rep 10:4–15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wortsman J, Matsuoka LY, Chen TC, Lu Z, Holick MF (2000) Decreased bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity. Am J Clin Nutr 72:690–693

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yao S, Ambrosone CB, Kushi LH (2017) Vitamin D and breast cancer survival—In reply JAMA oncology

  • Zittermann A et al (2009) Vitamin D supplementation enhances the beneficial effects of weight loss on cardiovascular disease risk markers. Am J Clin Nutr 89:1321–1327

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Basic and Applied Science, National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management, Kundli, Sonepat, Haryana, 131028, India

    Vaibhav Kumar Maurya & Manjeet Aggarwal

Authors
  1. Vaibhav Kumar Maurya
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Manjeet Aggarwal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Manjeet Aggarwal.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Maurya, V.K., Aggarwal, M. Factors influencing the absorption of vitamin D in GIT: an overview. J Food Sci Technol 54, 3753–3765 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-017-2840-0

Download citation

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-017-2840-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation