| Title: | Impact of Vitamin D Supplementation on Hospitalizations for Infection: Results of the D-Health Trial Revisited |
| Journal: | Nutrients |
| Published: | 11 Jul 2026 |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18142276 |
Publication 20309
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Abstract
Background: The D-Health Trial, by far the largest trial investigating the impact of vitamin D supplementation on infection-related hospitalizations, did not find any protective effects. However, this trial was conducted in a mostly vitamin D-replete population of older adults from Australia. Objectives: We aimed to derive trial results that would have been expected if the trial had been conducted in a vitamin D-insufficient or -deficient population. Methods: Our analyses are based on data from the UK Biobank cohort. Participants meeting the D-Health Trial eligibility criteria (n = 185,809) were either weighted to match the trial's baseline 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25(OH)D) distribution (mean 77 nmol/L [30.8 ng/mL]) or restricted to those with insufficiency or deficiency (25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L [<20 ng/mL] or <30 nmol/L [<12 ng/mL], respectively). A 38 nmol/L (15.2 ng/mL) increase in 25(OH)D was assumed, as observed in the trial. Infection-related hospitalizations were identified via International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) codes. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs), adjusted for a comprehensive list of potential confounders, were estimated using negative binomial models over a follow-up period of 5.7 years, corresponding to the median follow-up time of the D-Health Trial. Results: In analyses reflecting the vitamin D-replete trial population, no protective association was observed (IRR 1.08, 95% CI 0.99-1.17), consistent with the reported trial results. In contrast, among participants with baseline 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L, a 38-nmol/L increase in 25(OH)D was associated with lower risks of hospitalization for any infection (IRR 0.85, 95% CI 0.80-0.90), with even stronger associations for participants with baseline 25(OH)D < 30 nmol/L (IRR 0.79, 95% CI 0.73-0.86). Findings were consistent across infection types, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Conclusions: Null findings in the vitamin D-replete D-Health trial population were to be expected. Substantial protective effects might have been expected in vitamin D-insufficient or -deficient populations.</p>
5 Authors
- Youqing Wang
- Sha Sha
- Tafirenyika Gwenzi
- Ben Schöttker
- Hermann Brenner
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 89329 | Pharmacoepidemiological research in the UK Biobank |
Enabling scientific discoveries that improve human health