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Vitamin D2 from light-exposed edible mushrooms is safe, bioavailable and effectively supports bone growth in rats

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Abstract

Summary

Widespread poor vitamin D status, a health risk for bone disease, increases the need for new food sources of vitamin D. Light-exposed edible mushrooms synthesize vitamin D2. Bioavailability, safety, and efficacy of high levels of vitamin D2 from mushrooms to support bone health was established in chronically fed growing rats.

Introduction

Poor vitamin D status from reduced sun exposure is made worse by limited access to vitamin D-containing foods. Exposing white button mushrooms to ultraviolet B (UVB) light markedly increases their vitamin D2 content, creating a new food source of vitamin D. We used a growing rat model to determine safety, bioavailability, and efficacy in support of bone growth by vitamin D2 from UVB-exposed mushrooms.

Methods

We fed 150 weanling female rats one of five diets for 10 weeks, all formulated on AIN-93 G. Control diets contained no mushrooms either with or without vitamin D3. Other diets contained 2.5% and 5.0% of UVB-exposed or -unexposed mushrooms. Safety of the high levels of vitamin D2 from mushrooms was assessed by animal growth and by Von Kossa staining for soft tissue calcification. Bioavailability was determined from changes in circulating levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and parathyroid hormone (PTH). Efficacy in support of bone growth was determined from measures of femur bending properties, size, mineralization, and microarchitecture.

Results

Diets containing 2.5% and 5.0% light-exposed mushrooms significantly raised 25(OH)D and suppressed PTH levels compared to control-fed rats or rats fed 5.0% mushroom unexposed to light. Microarchitecture and trabecular mineralization were only modestly higher in the light-treated mushroom-fed rats compared to the controls. Von Kossa staining revealed no soft tissue calcification despite very high plasma 25(OH)D.

Conclusions

Vitamin D2 from UVB-exposed mushrooms is bioavailable, safe, and functional in supporting bone growth and mineralization in a growing rat model without evidence of toxicity.

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Sources of support

The Mushroom Council, and the US FDA Centers for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and Devices and Radiological Health.

Conflicts of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Office of Applied Research and Safety Assessment, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, US Food and Drug Administration, 8301 Muirkirk Road, Laurel, MD, 20708, USA

    M. S. Calvo, U. S. Babu & L. H. Garthoff

  2. Office of Science and Engineering Laboratories, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993-0002, USA

    T. O. Woods, M. Dreher, G. Hill & S. Nagaraja

Authors
  1. M. S. Calvo
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  2. U. S. Babu
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  3. L. H. Garthoff
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  6. G. Hill
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. S. Calvo.

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The findings and conclusions presented in this manuscript are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the US FDA.

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Calvo, M.S., Babu, U.S., Garthoff, L.H. et al. Vitamin D2 from light-exposed edible mushrooms is safe, bioavailable and effectively supports bone growth in rats. Osteoporos Int 24, 197–207 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-1934-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-1934-9

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