{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,17]],"date-time":"2026-10-17T19:32:31Z","timestamp":1792265551720,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":45,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"20","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,20]],"date-time":"2025-10-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1760918400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100002555","name":"Seoul Women\u2019s University","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["2025-0237"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2025-0237"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100002555","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Although vitamin D has been associated with sarcopenia in older adults, evidence across age groups remains limited. This study evaluated the relationship between vitamin D deficiency (VDD) and muscle health in Korean adults aged \u226519 years. Methods: Data utilized in this study were obtained from the 2022 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey IX-1. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were analyzed in relation to appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM), grip strength, and sarcopenia using multivariable regression models. Results: Among 3,920 participants, 46.5% had VDD, with the highest prevalence observed in younger adults. After adjusting for age, body mass index, energy intake, and other confounding factors, serum 25(OH)D levels showed a positive association with ASM in middle-aged men (\u03b2 = 0.005; p = 0.007) and with maximal handgrip strength in young men (\u03b2 = 0.097; p = 0.048). Among older men, those with VDD had significantly higher odds of low muscle mass (OR = 1.82; 95% CI: 1.10\u20133.02) and sarcopenia (OR = 2.30; 95% CI: 1.03\u20135.16) than those without VDD, after adjusting for potential confounders. No significant associations were observed in women. Conclusions: These results suggest that maintaining adequate vitamin D levels may benefit muscle health in men. Further prospective or interventional studies are needed to more accurately assess the effects of vitamin D on muscle health.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17203292","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,20]],"date-time":"2025-10-20T09:23:34Z","timestamp":1760952214000},"page":"3292","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Associations Between Vitamin D Deficiency and Sarcopenia in South Korean Adults: Based on the 2022 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"17","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5916-5390","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sunhye","family":"Shin","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul Women\u2019s University, Seoul 01797, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7180-9534","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mi Joung","family":"Kim","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Food and Nutrition, Seoul Women\u2019s University, Seoul 01797, Republic of Korea"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"16","DOI":"10.1093\/ageing\/afy169","article-title":"Sarcopenia: Revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis","volume":"48","author":"Bahat","year":"2019","journal-title":"Age Ageing"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"556","DOI":"10.1016\/j.clnesp.2025.02.026","article-title":"Bidirectional association between sarcopenia and diabetes: A prospective cohort study in middle-aged and elderly adults","volume":"66","author":"Zhang","year":"2025","journal-title":"Clin. Nutr. ESPEN"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Chung, S.M., Moon, J.S., and Chang, M.C. (2021). Prevalence of sarcopenia and its association with diabetes: A meta-analysis of community-dwelling Asian population. Front. Med., 8.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmed.2021.681232"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zeng, Q., Zhao, L., Zhong, Q., An, Z., and Li, S. (2024). Changes in sarcopenia and incident cardiovascular disease in prospective cohorts. BMC Med., 22.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12916-024-03841-x"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"300","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jamda.2019.12.012","article-title":"Asian working group for sarcopenia: 2019 consensus update on sarcopenia diagnosis and treatment","volume":"21","author":"Chen","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Am. Med. Dir. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"352","DOI":"10.12701\/jyms.2023.00724","article-title":"Multidisciplinary approach to sarcopenia: A narrative review","volume":"40","author":"Park","year":"2023","journal-title":"Yeungnam Univ. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Supriya, R., Singh, K.P., Gao, Y., Li, F., Dutheil, F., and Baker, J.S. (2021). A multifactorial approach for sarcopenia assessment: A literature review. Biology, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/biology10121354"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3227","DOI":"10.1210\/en.2014-1016","article-title":"The vitamin D receptor (VDR) is expressed in skeletal muscle of male mice and modulates 25-Hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) uptake in myofibers","volume":"155","author":"Girgis","year":"2014","journal-title":"Endocrinology"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"577","DOI":"10.2147\/TCRM.S471191","article-title":"Vitamin D and sarcopenia in the senior people: A review of mechanisms and comprehensive prevention and treatment strategies","volume":"20","author":"Zhang","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ther. Clin. Risk Manag."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Latham, C.M., Brightwell, C.R., Keeble, A.R., Munson, B.D., Thomas, N.T., Zagzoog, A.M., Fry, C.S., and Fry, J.L. (2021). Vitamin D pro-motes skeletal muscle regeneration and mitochondrial health. Front. Physiol., 12.","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2021.660498"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ahn, H., Kim, S., Jung, J., and Park, C.Y. (2025). Discovering vitamin-D-deficiency-associated factors in Korean adults using KNHANES data based on an integrated analysis of machine learning and statistical techniques. Nutrients, 17.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu17040618"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"451","DOI":"10.4162\/nrp.2023.17.3.451","article-title":"Estimated dietary vitamin D intake and major vitamin D food sources of Koreans: Based on the Korea national health and nutrition examination survey 2016\u20132019","volume":"17","author":"Kim","year":"2023","journal-title":"Nutr. Res. Pract."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1050","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tem.2024.04.018","article-title":"Vitamin D and major chronic diseases","volume":"35","author":"Zhao","year":"2024","journal-title":"Trends Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Argano, C., Mirarchi, L., Amodeo, S., Orlando, V., Torres, A., and Corrao, S. (2023). The role of vitamin D and its molecular bases in insulin resistance, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease: State of the art. Int. J. Mol. Sci., 24.","DOI":"10.20944\/preprints202309.0595.v1"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"69","DOI":"10.1093\/ije\/dyt228","article-title":"Data resource profile: The Korea national health and nutrition examination survey (KNHANES)","volume":"43","author":"Kweon","year":"2014","journal-title":"Int. J. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e2021025","DOI":"10.4178\/epih.e2021025","article-title":"Korea national health and nutrition examination survey, 20th anniversary: Accomplishments and future directions","volume":"43","author":"Oh","year":"2021","journal-title":"Epidemiol. Health"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3605","DOI":"10.3390\/nu5093605","article-title":"Vitamin D: Deficiency, sufficiency and toxicity","volume":"5","author":"Alshahrani","year":"2013","journal-title":"Nutrients"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Basi\u0144ska-Lewandowska, M., Lewi\u0144ski, A., Horzelski, W., and Skowro\u0144ska-J\u00f3\u017awiak, E. (2021). Effect of summer sunshine exposure on vitamin D status in young and middle age poles: Is 30 ng\/mL vitamin D cut-off really suitable for the polish population?. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18158116"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wu, J., Atkins, A., Downes, M., and Wei, Z. (2023). Vitamin D in diabetes: Uncovering the sunshine hormone\u2019s role in glucose metabolism and beyond. Nutrients, 15.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu15081997"},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"(2021). Korean Food Composition Database, Rural Development Administration\u2014National Institute of Agricultural Sciences."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1562S","DOI":"10.1093\/ajcn\/87.5.1562S","article-title":"Role of dietary protein in the sarcopenia of aging","volume":"87","author":"Short","year":"2008","journal-title":"Am. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"226","DOI":"10.5720\/kjcn.2020.25.3.226","article-title":"Association of low hand grip strength with protein intake in Korean female elderly: Based on the seventh Korea national health and nutrition examination survey (KNHANES VII), 2016\u20132018","volume":"25","author":"Jang","year":"2020","journal-title":"Korean J. Community Nutr."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"315","DOI":"10.4163\/jnh.2025.58.3.315","article-title":"Nutritional, physical, and body composition profiles of the Korean sarcopenic population","volume":"58","author":"Cho","year":"2025","journal-title":"J. Nutr. Health"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Choi, R., Cho, S.-E., Lee, S.G., and Lee, E.H. (2022). Recent information on vitamin D deficiency in an adult Korean population visiting local clinics and hospitals. Nutrients, 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu14091978"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1213","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jamda.2023.06.004","article-title":"Relationship of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with sarcopenia and body composition in community-dwelling older adults: A paired case-control study","volume":"24","author":"Yang","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. Am. Med. Dir. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Minamino, H., Katsushima, M., Torii, M., Yamamoto, W., Fujita, Y., Ikeda, K., Okamura, E., Murakami, K., Watanabe, R., and Murata, K. (2021). Serum vitamin D status inversely associates with a prevalence of severe sarcopenia among female patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Sci. Rep., 11.","DOI":"10.1038\/s41598-021-99894-6"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"676","DOI":"10.23736\/S1973-9087.17.04533-6","article-title":"Can vitamin D deficiency influence muscle performance in postmenopausal women? A multicentre retrospective study","volume":"54","author":"Iolascon","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eur. J. Phys. Rehabil. Med."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"203","DOI":"10.21215\/kjfp.2024.14.4.203","article-title":"Relationship between vitamin D levels and sarcopenia: Insights from a Korean population study","volume":"14","author":"Roh","year":"2024","journal-title":"Korean J. Fam. Pr."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Wei, Y., He, Q., Di, Q., Li, J., Zhang, J., and Na, L. (2025). Individual and joint association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and folate levels with the risk of sarcopenia: A cross-sectional study from the NHANES 2011\u20132018. Front. Nutr., 12.","DOI":"10.3389\/fnut.2025.1576705"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"477","DOI":"10.1530\/EJE-21-1229","article-title":"Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D and the risk of low muscle mass in young and middle-aged Korean adults","volume":"186","author":"Kim","year":"2022","journal-title":"Eur. J. Endocrinol."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"12638","article-title":"1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D deficiency induces sarcopenia by inducing skeletal muscle cell senescence","volume":"13","author":"Yu","year":"2021","journal-title":"Am. J. Transl. Res."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"847","DOI":"10.1038\/s41430-024-01472-2","article-title":"Sex-dependent association of serum vitamin D with muscle strength in older adults: NHANES 2001\u20132002","volume":"78","author":"Sponchiado","year":"2024","journal-title":"Eur. J. Clin. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3250","DOI":"10.1210\/jc.2011-1602","article-title":"Vitamin D deficiency is associated with sarcopenia in older Koreans, regardless of obesity: The fourth Korea national health and nutrition examination surveys (KNHANES IV) 2009","volume":"96","author":"Kim","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Clin. Endocrinol. Metab."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2115","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114522000149","article-title":"Sex differences in vitamin D metabolism, serum levels and action","volume":"128","author":"Wierzbicka","year":"2022","journal-title":"Br. J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110355","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cellsig.2022.110355","article-title":"The Vitamin D\/Vitamin D receptor (VDR) axis in muscle atrophy and sarcopenia","volume":"96","author":"Bollen","year":"2022","journal-title":"Cell. Signal."},{"key":"ref_36","first-page":"825","article-title":"Mechanisms of vitamin D on skeletal muscle function: Oxidative stress, energy metabolism and anabolic state","volume":"119","author":"Dzik","year":"2019","journal-title":"Graefe\u2019s Arch. Clin. Exp. Ophthalmol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"740","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jamda.2015.05.021","article-title":"Effects of a vitamin D and leucine-enriched whey protein nutritional supplement on measures of sarcopenia in older adults, the PROVIDE study: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial","volume":"16","author":"Bauer","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Am. Med. Dir. Assoc."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"63","DOI":"10.5770\/cgj.27.694","article-title":"The effect of vitamin D supplementation to parameter of sarcopenia in elderly people: A systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"27","author":"Widajanti","year":"2024","journal-title":"Can. Geriatr. J."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1016\/j.maturitas.2021.01.002","article-title":"The effect of vitamin D plus protein supplementation on sarcopenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials","volume":"145","author":"Gkekas","year":"2021","journal-title":"Maturitas"},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e2331558","DOI":"10.1001\/jamanetworkopen.2023.31558","article-title":"Genetic variants, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D Levels, and sarcopenia: A Mendelian randomization analysis","volume":"6","author":"Sha","year":"2023","journal-title":"JAMA Netw. Open"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"M\u0105dra-Gackowska, K., Szewczyk-Golec, K., Gackowski, M., Ho\u0142y\u0144ska-Iwan, I., Parzych, D., Czuczejko, J., Graczyk, M., Husejko, J., Jab\u0142o\u0144ski, T., and K\u0119dziora-Kornatowska, K. (2025). Selected biochemical, hematological, and immunological blood parameters for the identification of malnutrition in Polish senile inpatients: A cross-sectional study. J. Clin. Med., 14.","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14051494"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"M\u0105dra-Gackowska, K., Szewczyk-Golec, K., Gackowski, M., Wo\u017aniak, A., and K\u0119dziora-Kornatowska, K. (2023). Evaluation of selected parameters of oxidative stress and adipokine levels in hospitalized older patients with diverse nutritional status. Antioxidants, 12.","DOI":"10.3390\/antiox12030569"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1751","DOI":"10.2147\/CIA.S222143","article-title":"Vitamin D deficiency is associated with impaired muscle strength and physical performance in community-dwelling older adults: Findings from the English longitudinal study of ageing","volume":"14","author":"Aspell","year":"2019","journal-title":"Clin. Interv. Aging"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mendes, J., Santos, A., Borges, N., Afonso, C., Moreira, P., Padr\u00e3o, P., Negr\u00e3o, R., and Amaral, T.F. (2018). Vitamin D status and functional parameters: A cross-sectional study in an older population. PLoS ONE, 13.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0201840"},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Granic, A., Hill, T.R., Davies, K., Jagger, C., Adamson, A., Siervo, M., Kirkwood, T.B.L., Mathers, J.C., and Sayer, A.A. (2017). Vitamin D status, muscle strength and physical performance decline in very old adults: A prospective study. Nutrients, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu9040379"}],"container-title":["Nutrients"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/17\/20\/3292\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,22]],"date-time":"2025-10-22T04:33:04Z","timestamp":1761107584000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-6643\/17\/20\/3292"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,20]]},"references-count":45,"journal-issue":{"issue":"20","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,10]]}},"alternative-id":["nu17203292"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/nu17203292","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-6643"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-6643","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,20]]}}}