A groundbreaking systematic review and meta-analysis by scientists from China and the United States has shed new light on the role of vitamin D supplementation in improving cardiometabolic health. Published in the journal Engineering on September 9, 2024, the study suggests that vitamin D could be an essential component in the fight against cardiovascular diseases and related health risks.
The research team conducted an in-depth analysis of 99 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 17,656 participants. Their findings indicate that daily vitamin D supplementation, with a median dose of 3,320 International Units (IU), has a positive effect on various cardiometabolic risk factors. Specifically, the supplementation was linked to reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1C, and fasting blood insulin levels.
The study also identified certain populations that experienced the most significant benefits from vitamin D supplementation. These include non-Western populations, individuals with baseline 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels below 15.0 ng/mL, those with a body mass index (BMI) under 30 kg/m², and older adults aged 50 and above.
The findings highlight the importance of personalized vitamin D intervention strategies, tailored to factors such as age, ethnocultural background, BMI, and existing vitamin D levels. The researchers emphasize that longer intervention periods (three months or more) and higher doses could further enhance cardiometabolic health outcomes in these specific groups.
This research marks a significant advancement in preventive medicine and nutritional science. By customizing vitamin D supplementation based on individual characteristics, healthcare providers could potentially improve the effectiveness of interventions and reduce the incidence of cardiometabolic diseases.
The authors of the study advocate for further research to better understand the mechanisms behind these observed benefits and to explore the long-term effects and potential risks of high-dose vitamin D supplementation. Such investigations could pave the way for more effective public health strategies and contribute to the ongoing battle against cardiovascular diseases, which remain one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
The study’s findings underscore the promise of vitamin D as a key element in personalized medicine, offering new hope for more targeted and effective approaches to preventing cardiometabolic diseases.