A fascinating study from the University of Aberdeen reveals that people living in Scotland, 400 years apart, experience similar seasonal declines in vitamin D levels despite drastic lifestyle and dietary changes over the centuries. This discovery highlights the enduring challenges posed by Scotland’s low levels of winter sunlight and offers valuable insights into how vitamin D impacts health both in the past and present.
Groundbreaking Research Methods
In a joint effort with Ireland’s Atlantic Technological University and Boise State University, archaeologists and nutrition scientists analyzed vitamin D levels in human hair samples using a new technique. This innovative method is the first of its kind applied to archaeological remains, enabling researchers to study vitamin D levels in a unique way.
The research team compared vitamin D levels in modern hair samples from volunteers living in Aberdeen with hair from a 16th or 17th-century burial excavated from St Nicholas Kirk. The results revealed a strikingly similar seasonal pattern in both ancient and modern hair, showing higher levels of vitamin D in the summer and lower levels in the winter months.
Why Vitamin D is Crucial
Vitamin D plays an essential role in skeletal health and has increasingly been recognized for its importance in chronic disease prevention, inflammation, and immunity. However, in Scotland, the sun is only strong enough to produce vitamin D in the body from April to September. Despite modern advances in diet and supplements, the study shows that seasonal vitamin D fluctuations remain consistent.
Modern vs. Historical Vitamin D Levels
While modern people benefit from vitamin D supplements and fortified foods, the study found that modern participants had similar seasonal vitamin D levels to their historical counterparts. This suggests that despite increased access to supplements and vitamin-rich foods like oily fish, the geographical and climatic factors of Scotland continue to exert a strong influence on vitamin D levels.
Archaeologist Kate Britton, who led the research, remarked, “We might expect that with modern methods to enhance our vitamin D intake, this seasonal variation would be less significant. But what this unique study has shown is that levels in many of our modern participants were similar to those of our archaeological sample.”
A New Window Into Past Health
This pioneering study not only opens new doors for understanding the lives of past populations but also introduces a novel way to measure health through hair. Traditionally, vitamin D deficiencies in ancient populations were identified through skeletal signs, such as rickets. However, this method only reveals the most extreme cases of deficiency, not offering a complete picture of health.
Professor Britton added, “Using hair in this way is a significant step forward in archaeological science. If we can measure something like vitamin D, we might also be able to explore other aspects of health, such as stress levels or drug use, from past populations.”
The Benefits of Measuring Vitamin D in Hair
Unlike blood, which provides a snapshot of health at one point in time, hair grows continuously, offering a window into long-term vitamin D trends. This makes hair analysis particularly useful for tracking seasonal changes in vitamin D levels, providing more comprehensive data over several months.
Professor Baukje de Roos, a nutrition scientist from the University of Aberdeen, emphasized the potential for this new method to offer insights into modern health as well. “Our findings support previous research suggesting that weight loss can mobilize vitamin D from adipose fat, increasing blood and hair vitamin D levels. Understanding how vitamin D in hair compares to blood could help health professionals offer better guidance on supporting vitamin D levels throughout the year.”
Future Implications
This groundbreaking research underscores the importance of monitoring vitamin D levels, especially in regions with limited sunlight during the winter months. The ability to track vitamin D through hair could transform how we understand health, providing new opportunities for health professionals to support public health in both contemporary and historical contexts.
