Vitamin D supplementation may improve HDL

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http://www.lipidsonline.org/news/article.cfm?aid=8084

 

 

July 21, 2009

Vitamin D supplementation may improve HDL cholesterol levels

J Clin Lipidol 2009; Advance online publication

MedWire News: Low levels of serum 25(OH)D (vitamin D) are associated with low

levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and reduced waist

circumference, report researchers in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology.

Low levels of vitamin D have previously been associated with markers of

cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, explain Maki (Provident Clinical

Research, Glen Ellyn, Illinois, USA) and team.

In this cross-sectional study, the investigators recruited 257 men and women to

assess links between vitamin D level and selected CVD risk markers including

components of the metabolic syndrome such as HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and

abdominal obesity.

They also evaluated dietary intake using food frequency and dietary supplement

questionnaires.

Maki et al report that HDL cholesterol level significantly increased in a graded

fashion, with levels increasing from 48.4 mg/dl to 62.3 mg/dl (1.25 to 1.61

mmol/l) among participants in the lowest and highest tertiles of serum vitamin

D, respectively.

Each 10-ng/ml increment in serum vitamin D level was associated with an increase

in HDL cholesterol of 3.80–4.20 mg/dl (0.10–0.11 mmol/l) following

adjustment for established determinants of HDL cholesterol.

The authors point out that, if confirmed, this finding could have important

implications with regard to coronary heart disease, as previous studies have

shown that a 1.00 mg/dl (0.02 mmol/l) increase in HDL cholesterol is linked to a

4–6% decrease in risk for the condition.

Of note, each 1-ng/ml increment in vitamin D was associated with a significant

0.31 cm smaller waist circumference. But the researchers say this could be

explained by the fact that vitamin D is fat soluble and there is therefore a

“greater storage capacity for vitamin D in overweight and obese individuals,

which may result in a reduced circulating concentration.â€

Other factors such as triglycerides showed a graded inverse relationship with

vitamin D level, and metabolic syndrome prevalence decreased significantly from

the lowest to the highest tertile.

“These results suggest that clinical trials should be undertaken to assess the

impact of increasing vitamin D intake on the metabolic cardiovascular risk

factor profile,†concludes the team.

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