COVID, influenza, hepatitis B, measles, etc. vaccine responses vary with Vitamin D and its receptor
Vaccine antibody response to SARS- COVID-19 Vaccine - Aug 2021
Age and vitamin D affect the magnitude of the antibody response to the first dose of the SARS-CoV-2 BNT162b2 vaccine

Note by Vitamin D Life: A "good" level is vitamin D is at least100 nmol (40 ng/mL)
Background: Most approved vaccines utilise a two-dose strategy. To enable larger groups of patients to receive the first dose, the UK government increased the gap between the two doses from three to 12 weeks. Here we report on the immunogenicity of the first dose, including effect of age and vitamin D status on these levels over an 8 week-period.
Methods: Blood was collected from healthcare workers (HCW) receiving their first BNT162b2 vaccine dose between January and February 2021. Antibody production was measured, prior to and weekly for 4 weeks post immunization, and a final measurement was performed at 8 weeks. Vitamin D were also measured at baseline.
Findings: Immunization of 97 HCW induced an Ab response that peaked 3Β·2 weeks post immunization to decrease thereafter. Ab levels remained positive at 8 weeks. The response was significantly modified by age (p<0Β·001) and greater in younger adults. Response to immunization was significantly affected by vitamin D status (p=0Β·035), on average 29Β·3% greater peak value in individuals with 25(OH)D>50nmol/L. No other variable showed significant effect.
Interpretation: The first dose of BNT162b2 produced Ab levels that remained positive after 8 weeks. Peak was greater in younger subjects and 25(OH)D>50nmol/L was beneficial. Booster campaigns should take into consideration vitamin D status which is at its highest following a period of sunshine exposure or following oral supplementation (400-1000IU daily).
Funding: Abbott Diagnostics Ltd supplied the kits used to quantify the anti-SARS -CoV-2 Spike IgG and technical support as well as provided financial support for sample collections.
Declaration of Interest: Two of the authors (SR and MB) are employees of Abbott Diagnostics Ltd who supplied the kits used to quantify the anti-SARS -CoV-2 Spike IgG and technical support as well as provided financial support for sample collections. All other authors have no conflict of interest.
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influenza, hepatitis B, measles, rubella, BCG vaccine, pneumococcal, meningococcal, etc. - 2015
βLet There Be Lightβ: The Role of Vitamin D in the Immune Response to Vaccines
Expert Rev Vaccines. 2015 ; 14(11): 1427-1440. doi:10.1586/14760584.2015.1082426.
Sapna Sadarangania,b, Jennifer A. Whitakera,b,c, and Gregory A. Polanda,c [email protected].
a Mayo Vaccine Research Group
b Division of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
c Mayo Clinic Division of General Internal Medicine
Key Issues
Vitamin D has various immunomodulatory actions, including potent actions on the innate immune system, enhancing production of antimicrobial peptide, and biasing toward a Th2 skewed phenotype
The vitamin D level/threshold that is relevant to immune actions has not been defined, as current definitions of deficiency are based on effects on bone health.
Vitamin Dβs role has been examined in the immune response to vaccines in studies looking at vitamin D levels as well as vitamin D signaling pathway polymorphisms (
influenza,
hepatitis B,
measles,
rubella,
BCG vaccine,
pneumococcal,
meningococcal, etc.
but the results have been variable, and such studies remain un-replicated to date.
Higher HAI response to influenza vaccine was seen in vitamin D replete patients in a small study involving prostate cancer patients. There was suggestion of dose-response relationship of improved HAI response in HD patients who were receiving calcitriol in a separate study. Similarly, vitamin D deficiency was an independent negative predictor of seroconversion to hepatitis B vaccine in patients with CKD stages 3-5. Anti-tetanus specific IgG responses were noted to be higher in patients who received vitamin D supplementation compared to placebo, and this group had higher 25-(OH) D levels.
Certain VDR and RXRA gene polymorphisms were associated with measles and rubella vaccine induced adaptive immune responses in two separate studies. A single study found an association with a particular VDR gene polymorphism with higher odds of non-response to hepatitis B vaccine.
Animal studies have shown superior immunogenicity with vitamin D coadministered with inactivated polio vaccine, hepatitis B, and Hemophilus iniluenzae vaccines
Elderly, obese and CKD patients have a higher incidence of vitamin D deficiency, and often have suboptimal vaccine responses, hence they remain important patient populations to study
Future studies need to include patients with a wide range of vitamin D levels and vitamin D gene polymorphisms
Mechanistic and systems biology-level studies are also needed, examining strategies of either boosting homeostatic levels, or co-administering vitamin D with vaccine.
Abstract
Vitamin Dβs non-skeletal actions, including immunomodulatory role, have been increasingly recognized. Of significance, many immune cells are able to synthesize a biologically active form of vitamin D from circulating 25-(OH) D with subsequent intracrine actions, and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) is broadly distributed. In this review, we discuss vitamin Dβs potent role in innate and adaptive immune responses and published studies evaluating the impact of serum vitamin D, vitamin D gene pathway polymorphisms or empiric vitamin D supplementation on vaccine immunogenicity. We highlight existing knowledge gaps and propose the steps needed to advance the science and answer the question of whether vitamin D may prove valuable as a vaccine adjuvant for certain vaccines against infectious diseases.
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42 citations of this study (Nov 2024)
- Factors That Influence the Immune Response to Vaccination - 2019 PDF VITAMIN occurs 51 times
Vitamin D Life
COVID vaccines and Vitamin D
COVID infections and vaccinations decrease Vitamin D β many studies
Vitamin D might augment COVID-19 vaccines β 6 papers as of Dec 2021
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Vitamin D, C, A, and E, as well as Iron, Se, and Zinc each augment vaccine response β July 2021
OTHER vaccines and Vitamin D
Vitamin D probably can both prevent Influenza and augment vaccine effectiveness β Aug 2018
Vaccine response improved by Vitamin D (Shingles in this case) β Jan 2021
Influenza Vaccination not benefited by lowish levels of vitamin D β meta-analysis March 2018
Influenza vaccine antibodies not change with Vitamin D β 21 ng or 44 ng β RCT Feb 2019
Dr. Coimbra interview covering Vitamin D, Magnesium, Folate, Vaccines - Oct 2018
Vitamin D can probably augment or replace many vaccines β March 2015
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Vitamin D Receptor pages in Vitamin D Life with CANCER in title 75 as of Nov 2021
The risk of 44 diseases at least double with poor Vitamin D Receptor as of Oct 2019
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