Serum vitamin D and change in lipid levels over 5 y: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study

Abstract

Background 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk, perhaps mediated through dyslipidemia. Deficient 25(OH)D is cross-sectionally associated with dyslipidemia, but little is known about longitudinal lipid changes. Our objective was to determine the association of 25(OH)D deficiency with longitudinal lipid changes and risk of incident dyslipidemia. Research Methods This is a longitudinal community-based study of 13,039 ARIC participants who had 25(OH)D and lipids measured at baseline (1990–1992) and lipids re-measured in 1993–1994 and 1996–1998. Mixed-effect models were used to assess associations of 25(OH)D with lipid trends after adjusting for clinical characteristics and for baseline or incident use of lipid-lowering therapy. Risk of incident dyslipidemia was determined for those without baseline dyslipidemia. Results Baseline mean±SD age was 57±6 years and 25(OH)D was 24±9 ng/ml. Participants were 57% women, 24% black. Over a mean follow-up of 5.2 years, the fully-adjusted average differences (95% CI) comparing deficient (<20 ng/ml) to optimal (≥30 ng/ml) 25(OH)D were: total cholesterol (TC) −2.40 mg/dl (−4.21, −0.60), HDL-cholesterol -3.02 mg/dl (−3.73, −2.32) and TC/HDL-C ratio 0.18 (0.11, 0.26). Those with deficient 25(OH)D compared to optimal had modestly increased risk of incident dyslipidemia in demographic-adjusted models [RR 1.19 (1.02–1.39)], which was attenuated in fully-adjusted models [1.12 (0.95–1.32)]. Conclusions Deficient 25(OH)D was prospectively associated with lower TC and HDL-C and greater TC/HDL-C ratio after considering factors such as diabetes and adiposity. Further work including randomized controlled trials is needed to better assess how 25(OH)D may impact lipids and cardiovascular risk.

Dietary supplementation of vitamin D prevents the development of western diet‐induced metabolic, hepatic and cardiovascular abnormalities in rats

“…On the other hand, no effect has been observed on the levels of total cholesterol, even if recent observations suggest a role of vitamin D in modulating HDL-cholesterol also. 23 The mechanism by which vitamin D exerts its beneficial effect is incompletely known, although oxidative stress leading to IR has been documented in hepatic cell lines with vitamin D-induced deficiency. 24 Both histological analysis and staining with Oil Red O showed that WD leads to severe liver steatosis associated with altered hepatocyte structure.…”

Vitamin D Deficiency and Association With Body Mass Index and Lipid Levels in Hispanic American Adolescents

“…The primary role of vitamin D is the mineralization of bone by regulating osteoblast activity and facilitating the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestines and calcium from the kidneys via its active metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. 5 , 6 However, many studies have shown an association between vitamin D deficiency and chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and its risk factors including dyslipidemia. 5 - 9 In a nationally representative sample of children aged 1 to 21 years, in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of 2001 to 2004, the authors concluded that vitamin D deficiency is common in the general US pediatric population and is associated with adverse cardiovascular risks. 10 In a cross-sectional study of children aged 1 to 5 years from Canada, 25(OH)D levels were inversely associated with circulating lipids in early childhood, suggesting that vitamin D exposure in early life may be a modifiable risk for cardiovascular disease.…”

Relationship of serum Vitamin D concentrations with Adipokines and Cardiometabolic risk among non-Hispanic black type 2 diabetic and non-diabetic subjects: a cross-sectional study

“…Further carefully controlled experimental study is needed to better understand the observation. Low serum 25(OH)D concentrations have been associated with dyslipidemia, indicated as increased serum levels of TC, LDL-c and TG, and low levels of HDL-c, which could possibly explain the relation with diabetes and cardiovascular diseases [42,43]. Ford et al [44] in their analysis of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) revealed inverse associations between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and TG in healthy subjects.…”