The New England Journal of Medicine recently did a study revealing that Black people have lower levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (a protein associated with vitamin D deficiency) than white people.
The study included 2,085 Black and white Baltimore residents ranging in age from 30 to 64 years old. During the study, Black people consistently showed lower levels of 25-hydroxyvitamins. However, they also showed higher levels of bone-mineral density and a lower risk of fragility fractures. To have vitamin D deficiency, one has to have low calcium absorption and increased levels of parathyroid hormones in addition to low levels of 25-hyrdoxyvitamins. The study concluded that to accurately diagnose Black people with vitamin D deficiency, other factors such as bone mass, calcium and parathyroid hormone levels also should be measured.
