Calcium and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 modulate genes of immune and inflammatory pathways in the human colon: a human crossover trial.

Study answer

What this study found

The main finding was a biologic interaction in which 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 strongly increased immune response, inflammation, extracellular matrix, and cell-adhesion gene expression in colorectal mucosa, while adding calcium largely reversed these changes toward baseline. Calcium alone produced only modest gene-expression effects. Urine calcium output increased with calcium supplementation in both studies, whereas serum calcium and phosphorus did not change significantly; serum blood urea nitrogen rose marginally with calcium. All subjects completed the interventions without ill effects.

Study & population

Healthy adults at modestly increased risk of colorectal neoplasia were studied in two randomized crossover trials at Rockefeller University in New York.

Intervention

Two 4-week crossover interventions were tested against a Western-style diet: oral calcium carbonate 2 g/day, and oral 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 0.5 mg/day (given as 0.25 mg before the morning and evening meals) with or without calcium carbonate 2 g/day.

Key limitation

The studies were small, with only 10 participants per crossover trial, and the intervention periods were short at 4 weeks.

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Original abstract