Vitamin D in camel

Camel meat and milk contains minerals, proteins, good cholesterol and vitamins. In Human, vitamin D is of great importance for health and recommendations for its intake have recently been increased considerably. In domestic ruminants, circulating vitamin D levels may be influenced by several factors such as photoperiod, nutrition, physiological stage, ambient temperature, attitude and season, whereas, in meat, vitamin D content may be impacted by vitamin D status of animal, ageing and cooking. Thus, highlighting physiological role of this hormone justifies its growing interest. However, the information available on nutritional value of camel milk and meat is very limited, and in the litterature, there are very few reports evaluating the vitamin D levels and their variations in blood and these products in the dromedary camel. In this context, this review proposes a synthesis of current knowledge about the vitamin D in the dromedary camel and discusses findings considering those obtained in other mammal animals. In the camel, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH-D3) amounts in serum (ng/mL), liver, kidney and muscle (ng/g) were 390±45; 7.071±1.003; 6.154±1.067 and 4.241±1.045 respectively. Values in liver were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of muscle. Serum 25-OH-D3 levels in camels were 10 to 15 times very higher than those of ruminant species. The circulating levels of 25-OH-D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamine D were very high in lactating camels and their newborns, suggesting a good intestinal absorption, mammary excretion and bone fixation of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (Pi). In fact, these metabolites increased the levels of Ca and Pi in the blood of newborn camel and the milk of lactating camels. The circulating levels of 25-OH-D were significantly (P