Vitamin D3 and the risk of CVD in overweight and obese women: a randomised controlled trial

Evidence indicates that vitamin D deficiency contributes to CVD. We investigated the effect of vitamin D-3 supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in women. Healthy premenopausal overweight and obese women (n 77; mean age 38 (SD 8.1) years) were randomly allocated to the vitamin D (25 mu g/d as cholecalciferol) or the placebo group in a double-blind manner for 12 weeks. Blood pressure, serum lipoproteins, apolipoproteins and anthropometric parameters were recorded. Dietary intake was recorded using 24 h food recall and FFQ. Physical activity was assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Mean total cholesterol concentrations increased in the vitamin D group (0.08 (SD 0.56) mmol/l) but declined in the placebo group (0.47 (SD 0.58) mmol/l), and a significant effect was observed (P <= 0.001). In the vitamin D group, mean HDL-cholesterol concentration increased, whereas it decreased in the placebo group (0.07 (SD 0.2) v. -0.03 (SD 0.2) mmol/l; P=0.037). Mean apoA-I concentration increased in the vitamin D group, although it decreased in the placebo group (0.04 (SD 0.39) v. -0.25 (SD 0.2) g/l; P <= 0.001). Mean LDL-cholesterol:apoB-100 ratio augmented in the vitamin D group, while this ratio declined in the placebo group (0.11 (SD 0.6) v. -0.19 (SD 0.3); P=0.014). Body fat mass was significantly decreased in the vitamin D group more than the placebo group (-2.7 (SD 2) v. -0.4 (SD 2) kg; P <= 0.001). The findings showed that supplementation with vitamin D-3 can significantly improve HDL-cholesterol, apoA-I concentrations and LDL-cholesterol: apoB-100 ratio, which remained significant in the multivariate model including anthropometric, dietary and physical activity measures.