Vitamin D May Be Associated with Higher Serum HDL Cholesterol and Lower Incidence of Metabolic Syndrome

by | Jan 18, 2010 | 2009, Blood Lipids, Cardiovascular Health, Metabolic Syndrome, Vitamin D - Recommended Levels

Written by Susan Sweeny Johnson, PhD. In this study of 257 adult men and women,  those with higher Vitamin D levels also had elevated HDL cholesterol and decreased waist circumference thus demonstrating that higher Vitamin D levels may help reduce metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome describes a state of poor health commonly associated with obesity and poor diet. The International Diabetes Federation (2006) (1) defines metabolic syndrome as elevated waist measurement and two of the following: elevated serum triglycerides, reduced HDL cholesterol, elevated blood pressure or elevated fasting glucose.

Previous population studies have shown an inverse correlation between serum vitamin D and metabolic syndrome markers (2-5). Now a new study examines a population that has a higher rate of vitamin D supplementation compared to the general population and therefore, higher serum vitamin D levels – the majority being in the sufficient range. The amount of supplementation with vitamin D* (600 -1100 IU/day) by each participant, as reported in a questionnaire, correlated strongly with serum 25(OH)D levels (p<0.001)**. Sun exposure and dietary vitamin D did not significantly correlate with serum 25(OH)D levels suggesting that these sources were insignificant compared to supplementation.

Fasting blood samples from 257 adult men and women attending a supplement convention were assessed for 25(OH)D levels and the population divided equally into three tertiles (groups):

  • Group 1: Low Levels, <35ng/ml of 25(OH)D
  • Group 2: Medium Levels, 35-45 ng/ml of 25(OH)D
  • Group 3: High Levels, 45ng/ml of 25(OH)D

Each participant was then tested for the markers of metabolic syndrome. Higher HDL cholesterol levels, lower waist circumferences, and lower Body Mass Indices (BMIs) were strongly correlated (p<0.001) with higher serum 25(OH)D levels. Specifically, HDL cholesterol rose from 48.4 + 1.8 mg/dL with an intake of 632.3 + 60.9 IU/day Vitamin D to 62.3 + 2.1 mg/dL at 1019.4 + 77.1 IU//day vitamin D. Because of the strong correlation between serum vitamin D status and both HDL cholesterol and waist circumference, metabolic syndrome was significantly reduced with vitamin D status (p=0.003).

Lower fasting serum glucose was marginally associated with higher serum 25(OH)D levels although not as strongly (p=0.059). Interestingly blood pressure and physical activity were not significantly associated with vitamin D levels.

These results suggest further exploration of a possible cause and effect relationship between vitamin D supplementation and the presence of metabolic syndrome.

Risk factors for metabolic syndrome, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and elevated blood lipid levels, can increase a person’s healthcare costs nearly 1.6-fold, or about $2,000 per year. For each risk factor those costs rise an average of 24%.(6)Based on the National Health Statistics Report 2003-2006, a little more than one-third of the adults in the United States could be characterized as having metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome increased with age but increased even more dramatically as BMI increased. (7)

*No discussion of the type of vitamin D (D2 or D3) was included.
** p values are a measure of the significance of the data, p < 0.05 is considered significant.

Source: Maki, Kevin C., et al. “Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is independently associated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and the metabolic syndrome in men and women.” Journal of Clinical Lipidology 3.4 (2009): 289-296.

© 2009 National Lipid Association

Posted January 18, 2010.

References:

  1. See the Metabolic Syndrome Institute website.
  2. Dobnig H, Pilz S, Scharnagl H, et al. Independent association of low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin d levels with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168:1340–1349.
  3. Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Hollis BW, Rimm EB. 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of myocardial infarction in men: a prospective study. ArchIntern Med. 2008;168:1174–1180.
  4. Martini LA, Wood RJ. Vitamin D status and the metabolic syndrome.Nutr Rev. 2006;64:479–486.
  5. Botella-Carretero JI, Alvarez-Blasco F,Villafruela JJ,Balsa JA,Va´zquezC, Escobar-Morreale HF. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with the metabolic syndrome in morbid obesity. Clin Nutr. 2007;26:573–580.
  6. See the Press Release Distribution website.
  7. See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.