Vitamin D metabolism differs by ethnicity

For risk of atherosclerosis, the optimal range is lower among African Americans than among European Americans. A sample of African Americans showed a positive correlation between calcified plaque formation and blood levels of vitamin D (25(OH)D), despite a negative correlation among European Americans over the same range. Another study of African Americans found that blood levels of 25(OH)D decreased linearly with increasing African ancestry, the decrease being 2.5-2.75 nmol/L per 10% increase in African ancestry. Sunlight and diet were 46% less effective in raising these levels among subjects with high African ancestry than among those with low/medium African ancestry.