Vitamin D Supplementation Associated with Improved Lipid Levels

by | Mar 14, 2022 | 2019, Blood Lipids, Cardiovascular Health, Vitamin D - Heart

Written by Taylor Woosley, Staff Writer. A total of 41 randomized controlled trials observing the effects vitamin D supplementation may have on overall cholesterol levels were analyzed. Findings suggest vitamin D supplementation, especially in participants with deficient levels, improved serum total cholesterol levels, LDL cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels.

vitamin DVitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent globally and is one of the most commonly deficient vitamins worldwide 1. Vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/mL) and insufficiency (20-29 ng/mL) are strongly associated with several chronic diseases, as well as acute conditions 2. Observational studies have reported an association between low blood 25(OH)D concentrations and increased risk of cardiovascular disease 3. Adequate levels of vitamin D provide anti-inflammatory benefits, with vitamin D activation expression on immune cells leading to directly reduced secretion of inflammatory cytokines 4.

Cardiovascular disease is the greatest cause of mortality and is prevalent in countries around the world 5. Dyslipidemia, an unhealthy balance of lipid levels, is closely associated with high levels of inflammatory markers and is a major cardiovascular risk factor 6. This metabolic condition is characterized by any of the following: raised low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), raised total cholesterol (TC), raised triglycerides (TG), and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) 7. Chronically elevated lipid levels, along with insufficient vitamin D levels,  leads to an increased inflammatory burden, increasing the likelihood of metabolic dysfunction.

Dibaba et al. conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the association of vitamin D supplementation on serum lipid levels. A total of 41 randomized controlled trials totaling 3434 participants (n=1699 in the vitamin D supplementation group and n=1735 in the placebo group) were observed in the meta-analysis. The study duration varied, with 24% of the trials having a follow-up duration of >6 months, with the remaining 76% of trials had a follow-up duration of <6 months. Overall, the average length of the study was 6.9 months. Additionally, 63.4% of participants were women with a mean age of 55 years. The average vitamin D supplementation amount was 2795 IU (range, 20-8570 IU). After comparing the results of the 41 randomized controlled trials, the significant observations are as follows:

  • The standardized mean difference (SMD) changes from baseline to the end of the trials between the vitamin D supplementation group and the placebo group for total cholesterol was -0.17 (95%CI, -0.28 to -0.06; I2=54.6%).
  • The SMD results for LDL cholesterol was -0.12 (95%CI, -0.23 to -0.01; I2=52%).
  • The SMD results for HDL cholesterol was -0.19 (95%CI, -0.44 to 0.06; I2= 91.1%).
  • The SMD changes for triglycerides from baseline to the end of the trials was -0.12 (95%CI, -0.25 to 0.01; I2=69.1%).
  • When comparing results between participants with vitamin D deficiency and sufficiency, the pooled SMD for total cholesterol was -0.15 (95%CI, -0.24 to -0.05) for studies including participants with baseline vitamin D deficiency. On the other hand, for participants with sufficient baseline vitamin D levels, the pooled SMD was -0.13 (95%CI, -0.28 to 0.03).

In conclusion, results of the meta-analysis indicate that vitamin D supplementation is positively associated with improved cholesterol levels, particularly serum total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. No significant improvement was observed in HDL cholesterol levels. Findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation may be beneficial for patients with imbalanced lipid levels and those at risk for cardiovascular disease. Limitations of the study include the short length of most trials, lack of data on vitamin D levels per season, and the lack of study evaluations between differences of vitamin D supplementation by race.

Source:  Dibaba, Daniel T. “Effect of vitamin D supplementation on serum lipid profiles: a systematic review and meta-analysis.” Nutrition reviews 77, no. 12 (2019): 890-902.

© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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Posted March 14, 2022.

Taylor Woosley studied biology at Purdue University before becoming a 2016 graduate of Columbia College Chicago with a major in Writing. She currently resides in Glen Ellyn, IL.

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