A New Light on Vitamin D in Obesity: A Novel Association with Trimethylamine-N-Oxide (TMAO).

What Was Tested

The paper reports a study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc, published as an observational study.

Considering the link of obesity with vitamin D on the one hand and obesity with TMAO on the other hand, and the central role of the liver in both the vitamin D and TMAO metabolism, the aim of this cross-sectional observational study was first, to confirm the possible inverse association between vitamin D and TMAO across different body mass index (BMI) classes and second, to investigate if this association could be influenced by the presence of NAFLD.

Why It Was Studied

Abstract: Vitamin D deficiency and obesity are two public health problems extensively exacerbated over the last years.

Among the several mechanisms proposed to account for the complex interplay between vitamin D and obesity, one that has gained particular attention is related to the emerging role of obesity-related changes in gut microbiota and gut-derived metabolites, such as Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO).

Who Took Part

According to the abstract, 65 participants were involved.

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

One hundred and four adult subjects (50 males and 54 females; 35.38 ± 7.49 years) were enrolled.

What Was Measured

PubMed files the paper under topics including Biomarkers, Body Mass Index, Cross-Sectional Studies, Methylamines, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Obesity and Risk Factors.

The authors tagged it with the keywords Fatty liver index (FLI), Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and Vitamin D.

What This Means in Plain Language

This is an observational study of Vitamin D, K2, Magnesium and Zinc in 65 participants.

The publication is from 2019 (Nutrients), a journal based in Switzerland.

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