Associations of serum vitamins levels with bone mineral density in the different race-ethnicities US adults

BACKGROUND: The conclusions on the associations of specific vitamin levels with bone mineral density (BMD) were controversial. Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine the associations of serum vitamins levels with BMD and the modified effect of race/ ethnicity on these associations in the US adults. METHODS: This study was from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. All participants aged ≥18 years with complete data were eligible. Serum vitamins A, B9, B12, C, and E levels were assayed using the Quantaphase II Radioassay Kit (Bio-Rad). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was employed to measure BMD, including femur neck and the total hip. RESULTS: There were 6023 participants included in the final analysis. Serum folate, vitamins A and C levels were positively associated with BMD. No significant associations of serum vitamins B12 and E levels with BMD were observed. There were positive associations of serum folate level (β = 0.00027 and 0.00032; and 95% CI: 0.00002–0.00057 and 0.00002–0.00063, respectively), vitamin A level (β = 0.01132 and 0.01115; and 95% CI: 0.00478–0.01787 and 0.00430–0.01799, respectively), and vitamin C level (β = 0.00027 and 0.00029; and 95% CI: 0.00012–0.00042 and 0.00013–0.00045, respectively) with BMD at femur neck and the total hip only in the Not Hispanic participants. CONCLUSION: Elevated serum folate, vitamins A and C levels were associated with a higher BMD. Furthermore, sex and race/ ethnicity modified the associations of serum vitamins levels with BMD.