Effect of supplementation with vitamin D(2)-enhanced mushrooms on vitamin D status in healthy adults

Vitamin D deficiency is emerging worldwide and many studies now suggest its role in the development of several chronic diseases. Due to the low level of vitamin D naturally occurring in food there is a need for supplementation and use of vitamin D-enhanced products. The aim of the present study was to determine if daily consumption of vitamin D(2)-enhanced mushrooms increased vitamin D status in free-living healthy adults or affected markers of the metabolic syndrome. A total of ninety volunteers (aged 40–65 years) were randomly assigned to one of two 4-week studies: mushroom study (15 µg vitamin D(2) or placebo mushroom powder) and capsule study (15 µg vitamin D(3) or placebo capsules). Consumption of vitamin D(2)-enhanced mushrooms increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D(2) (25(OH)D(2)) by 128 % from baseline (3·9 (sd 1·9) nmol/l; P < 0·05). Serum 25(OH)D(3) increased significantly in the vitamin D(3) capsule group (a 55 % increase from a baseline of 44.0 (sd 17·1) nmol/l; P < 0·05). Vitamin D status (25(OH)D) was affected only in the vitamin D(3) group. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 was lowered by vitamin D(2) intake. Vitamin D(2) from enhanced mushrooms was bioavailable and increased serum 25(OH)D(2) concentration with no significant effect on 25(OH)D(3) or total 25(OH)D.