Dalibalta Sarah, Khalil Reem, Baghdan Rami, Sekian Sylvie, Davison Gareth W
Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Sciences, American University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 26666, United Arab Emirates.
Sport and Exercise Science Research Institute, Ulster University, Belfast Campus, York Street, Belfast BT15 1ED, UK.
Nutrients. 2025 Sep 4;17(17):2869. doi: 10.3390/nu17172869.
Vitamin D deficiency is a global epidemic. In certain populations, such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE), low nutritional intake of vitamin D, inadequate exposure to sunlight, and cultural dress codes can lead to deficiencies in blood vitamin D levels, predisposing them to musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. There are also notable associations between vitamin D deficiency, physical inactivity, and lower cognitive performance. The aim of this study was to determine how vitamin D status may affect physical inactivity and cognitive performance in a young UAE population. Primary data were obtained on vitamin D status, cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and blood profiles of students in the UAE. Following initial assessment, a cohort of vitamin D-deficient/insufficient individuals participated in a 10-week physical activity intervention (Group A), whilst another cohort was supplemented with 5000 IU vitamin D3 daily and an exercise intervention (Group B). Both groups underwent physiological and biochemical profiling, and the effects of vitamin D supplementation on cognitive function were assessed. Statistical analysis included paired samples -tests between pre- and post-intervention values and the Wilcoxon signed rank test for within-group comparisons and the Mann-Whitney U test for between-group comparisons. The findings suggest that physical exercise alone improves overall cardiorespiratory fitness, as shown by an increased VO max ( < 0.05), while vitamin D supplementation combined with physical exercise did not significantly improve fitness over a 10-week period ( > 0.05). However, vitamin D combined with physical exercise significantly improved cognitive performance in Group B only, specifically in working memory, verbal memory, and cognitive flexibility ( < 0.05). This study highlights the need for targeted interventions such as physical exercise and vitamin D supplementation to be conducted at an early stage in order to improve physical and cognitive function and reduce the risk of disease.
维生素D缺乏是一种全球流行病。在某些人群中，如阿拉伯联合酋长国（阿联酋），维生素D的营养摄入量低、阳光照射不足以及文化着装规范会导致血液中维生素D水平缺乏，使他们易患肌肉骨骼疾病、糖尿病和心血管疾病。维生素D缺乏、身体不活动和认知能力下降之间也存在显著关联。本研究的目的是确定维生素D状态如何影响阿联酋年轻人群的身体不活动和认知能力。获得了阿联酋学生维生素D状态、心肺功能、身体成分和血液指标的原始数据。在初步评估后，一组维生素D缺乏/不足的个体参加了为期10周的体育活动干预（A组），而另一组每天补充5000国际单位维生素D3并进行运动干预（B组）。两组均进行了生理和生化分析，并评估了维生素D补充对认知功能的影响。统计分析包括干预前后值之间的配对样本检验、组内比较的Wilcoxon符号秩检验和组间比较的Mann-Whitney U检验。研究结果表明，单独进行体育锻炼可改善整体心肺功能，如最大摄氧量增加（<0.05），而在10周内，维生素D补充与体育锻炼相结合并未显著改善心肺功能（>0.05）。然而，维生素D与体育锻炼相结合仅在B组显著改善了认知能力，特别是在工作记忆、言语记忆和认知灵活性方面（<0.05）。本研究强调需要在早期进行有针对性的干预，如体育锻炼和维生素D补充，以改善身体和认知功能，降低疾病风险。
