Vitamin D Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vitamin D, including details on sources, melanin, benefits, deficiency, supplements, calcium absorption.

Vitamin D2 from irradiated mushrooms significantly increases femur bone mineral density in rats.

Jasinghe VJ, Perera CO, Barlow PJ

Food Science and Technology Program, Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore. mdcjvj@nus.edu.sg

A method has been optimized for the conversion of ergosterol in mushrooms to vitamin D2, and the vitamin D-enriched mushrooms have been tested for bioavailability of vitamin D2 using a rat model. Femur bone mineral density (BMD) of the experimental group of animals fed with vitamin D2 (1 microg/d) obtained from irradiated mushrooms was significantly increased. Femur BMD of two groups was significantly higher. Femur BMD of the experimental group was significantly elevated compared to initial femur BMD of the study group. Data indicate that vitamin D2 from ultraviolet (UV)-irradiated mushrooms was well absorbed and metabolized in animals.

Published 19 September 2006 in J Toxicol Environ Health A, 69(21): 1979-85.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2004-2008 Vitamin D Research Today. All Rights Reserved.