Tuesday July 7, 2015 (foodconsumer.org) -- Scientists at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong SAR, China conducted a study and found evidence suggesting that taking vitamin D supplements may help reduce the risk of clinical events in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

The study showed that patients with chronic hepatitis B infection who also had vitamin D deficiency were more likely to develop liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) and complications of cirrhosis, or to die, compared to those with higher levels of circulating vitamin D.

Vitamin D has been known as an immunomodulator in innate immmunity against bacterial and viral infection and it might be involved in the pathogenesis of hepatitis B infection.  The current study provided evidence to demonstrate that high serum concentrations of vitamin D may protect against chronic hepetitis B infection.

Enrolled in the study betwen 1997 and 2000 were 426 patients with chronic hepatitis B infection at a mean age of 41 years who were followed on average for 159 months.  About one-third of patients received antiviral therapy during the follow-up.   Serum levels of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25(OH)D3) were determined at baseline.

The study revealed that the mean  level of vitamin D was 24.3 ng/ml and 82% of patients had vitamin D deficiency or less than 32 ng/mL at baseline.  During the follow-up, 22% patients developed clinical events including liver cancer and complications of cirrhosis or died even though vitamin D levels were not associated with cirrhosis or viral load.

The study did find patients who developed clinical events had baseline serum vitamin D at lower than 23.2 ng/mL, compared to 28.2 ng/mL in those who did not developed clinical events.  

Patients with vitamin D deficiency were 90% more likely to develop clinical events, compared with those having adequate vitamin D levels, as found after sex, age and cirrhosis were adjusted.  

The 15-year cumulative incidence of clinical events was 25.5% among patients with vitamin D deficiency, compared to 11.1% among those ith normal vitamin D levels.

The study concluded "Vitamin D deficiency is common among patients with CHB and is associated with adverse clinical outcomes."

Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with mor ethan 100 health conditions including infections, depression, heart disease, diabetes mellitus and cancer among others, according to vitamindcouncil.org. (David Liu)

Grace Lai-Hung Wong , Henry Lik-Yuen Chan , Hoi-Yun Chan , Chi-Hang Tse , Angel Mei-Ling Chim , Angeline Oi-Shan Lo , Vincent Wai-Sun Wong, Adverse Effects of Vitamin D Deficiency on Outcomes of Patients With Chronic Hepatitis B, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Volume 13, Issue 4, April 2015, Pages 783–790.e1

Related reports on vitamin D and hepatitis B

Vitamin D fights hepatitis B virus infection - study

  • Jul 29, 2013 - Sunday July 28, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- If you are a frequent visitor to the foodconsumer.org website, you might have learnt that vitamin D ...Vitamin D helps prevent liver cirrhosis
  • Aug 24, 2013 - Liver cirrhosis can be caused by drinking alcohol and hepatitis viral ... for serum vitamin D levels and also hepatitis B virus surface antibody.Vitamin D may help stop liver fibrosis
  • Apr 26, 2013 -
  • Vitamin D
  • may help stop liver fibrosis. ... Liver fibrosis in the West is mainly caused by chronic
  • hepatitis
  • virus infections such as
  • hepatitis
  • B and ...