Low levels of Vitamin D are associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Abstract

Background: Vitamin D is the modified steroid synthesised in the skin under the influence of sunlight, nutritionally important form in humans are ergocalciferol and cholecalciferol. Both of them are considered to be provitamins and the active form of vitamin D is synthesised from them. Specific transport protein called vitamin D- binding protein binds cholecalciferol and moves it from skin to intestine and to the liver where it gets hydroxylated at twenty fifth position and forms 25-hydroxycholecalciferol. NAFLD and vitamin D insufficiency are frequently linked, and the two have even been linked to the severity of the illness. Vitamin D's anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and metabolic qualities offer tenable ways that it could influence the different stages of liver disease progression and severity.
Material and method: The present study was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry at Index medical college hospital and research centre in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. A total of 246 subjects were selected for study. Out of 125 were having normal echotexture of liver and121 were having NAFLD. Informed consent was taken from all the participants included in the study.
Results and conclusion: In the present study there is association between NAFLD & serum levels of liver enzymes. Also there is a significant association between random blood sugar levels and HbA1c levels. And Vitamin D levels in both NAFLD (21.96±13.060 and NON-NAFLD group (28.72±23.33) is insufficient which indicates Vitamin D deficiency is quite rampant in Indore region of Madhya Pradesh, India. There are many reasons for it being so common in our country. Increased indoor lifestyle, thereby preventing adequate exposure to sunlight. This is mainly in the urban population due to modernization and the present study concludes that there is a relationship between serum vitamin D levels and a higher risk of NAFLD.