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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #435980
Research Project: Regulatory Aspects of Obesity Development

Location: Children's Nutrition Research Center

Title: Vitamin D is glucoprotective in aging males but not females

Author
item GINNARD, OLIVIA - Baylor College Of Medicine
item MORALES, MARIA - Baylor College Of Medicine
item YOUN, JI YOUN - Baylor College Of Medicine
item XU, YONG - University Of South Florida College Of Medicine
item SISLEY, STEPHANIE - Baylor College Of Medicine

Submitted to: The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2025
Publication Date: 11/14/2025
Citation: Ginnard, O.Z., Morales, M., Youn, J., Xu, Y., Sisley, S.R. 2025. Vitamin D is glucoprotective in aging males but not females. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. 256. Article 106898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2025.106898.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2025.106898

Interpretive Summary: Despite the strong association between type 2 diabetes and vitamin D deficiency in older adults, our understanding of the role of vitamin D in glucose balance is limited. Futhermore, vitamin D appears to act differently in men versus women with regards to glucose regulation. This study reveals the sex-specific differences in vitamin D supplementation on glucose regulation across the body in an aged mouse model.

Technical Abstract: Type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to vitamin D deficiency in older adults. However, there is a discrepancy between clinical trials in adults on the efficacy of vitamin D treatment in prediabetes and diabetes. In addition, human data indicates there may be sexual dimorphism in the effect of vitamin D deficiency on dysglycemia that is more pronounced in men. These incongruities may be due to our limited understanding of the underlying mechanisms of vitamin D in glucose homeostasis among its vast target tissues across the body. Furthermore, vitamin D deficiency is diagnosed by low levels of a storage form of vitamin D, which may not be an accurate indicator of vitamin D status in these individuals. Thus, measuring expression levels of vitamin D receptor (VDR)-target genes across tissues involved in glucose regulation and vitamin D pathways may be a more promising marker of vitamin D status. Here we describe the sex-specific physiological effects of vitamin D supplementation in an aged, non-obese mouse model on glucose homeostasis and tissue-specific gene regulation.