Research Shows Air Pollution May Cause Vitamin D Deficiency

Substances in the atmosphere that contribute to air pollution are not only bad for our lungs but may also affect vitamin D levels, a new study1 published in the journal Scientific Reports reveals.

Before we dive into the study and why it's so important, let's review the science. Though the process of receiving essential nutrients from the sun's rays may seem better suited for plants than humans, we've been using the sun to produce vitamin D for millions of years. If this sounds like a magical human version of photosynthesis to you, you're not entirely wrong!

Researchers have been studying the correlation between vitamin D levels and exposure to chemicals and pollutants for some time now. A 2018 review3 published in Environment International investigated how vitamin D synthesis, metabolism, and the entire vitamin D endocrine system (VDES) may be affected by exposure to environmental chemicals, air pollution, and smoking. It found there was significant evidence suggesting that exposure to these compounds can interfere with the VDES and directly contribute to vitamin D deficiency.

While the latest study published in Scientific Reports isn't the first of its kind, it does provide additional information on how specific pollutants may affect vitamin D absorption in a particular geography and population (in this case, Kuwait). In the study, researchers reviewed four years of weather data in Kuwait to investigate the association of various pollutants with UVB intensity on the ground. They found a distinct correlation between increased air pollutants and decreased UVB intensity—particularly ozone, sulfur dioxide, nitric oxide, benzene, and ethyl-benzene. 

While research to more intimately understand the link between air pollutants and vitamin D deficiency is ongoing, the results of this study show that air pollution may have a profound effect on vitamin D levels and sufficiency throughout a population.