Bioavailability of vitamin D₂ from UV-B-irradiated button mushrooms in healthy adults deficient in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D: a randomized controlled trial.

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, published as a randomized controlled trial.

Mushrooms contain very little or any vitamin D(2) but are abundant in ergosterol, which can be converted into vitamin D(2) by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation.

Their objective was to investigate the bioavailability of vitamin D(2) from vitamin D(2)-enhanced mushrooms by UV-B in humans, and comparing it with a vitamin D(2) supplement.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 26 subjects taking part.

PubMed indexes the participants as young adults and adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

The researchers set it up as a randomized, single-blind and placebo-controlled study.

The subjects were allocated by chance, so the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc group and the comparison group should start out alike.

Only one side, usually the subjects, was kept unaware of whether Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc was given.

Some subjects received a placebo instead of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, giving a reference point.

What Was Measured

The subject headings attached to it are Agaricales, Agaricus, Biological Availability, Calcium, Dietary Supplements, Ergocalciferols and Ultraviolet Rays.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, single-blind and placebo-controlled study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 26 subjects.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The abstract goes on to report its results in about 4 sentences; this page does not restate them, so read the paper for the findings and their limits.

The publication is from 2011 (European journal of clinical nutrition), a journal based in England.

More context: the Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc compound page, all human trials.