A recent systematic review and meta-analysis conducted by researchers from China and the United States has provided new insights into the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for cardiometabolic health. Published in the journal Engineering, the study offers important information for developing targeted treatments for cardiovascular diseases.
The review examined 99 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 17,656 participants. The analysis found that daily vitamin D supplementation, with a median dose of 3,320 International Units (IU), positively affected several cardiometabolic risk factors. These included lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, reduced total cholesterol, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1C, and fasting blood insulin.
Notably, the study identified that the benefits of vitamin D were most significant among certain groups: 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 or above.
The research emphasizes the importance of personalized vitamin D interventions, considering factors such as ethnocultural background, age, BMI, and initial vitamin D levels. It suggests that longer supplementation periods (three months or more) and higher doses might improve cardiometabolic health outcomes for specific groups.
These findings could lead to advancements in preventive medicine and nutritional science, potentially shaping more effective public health strategies. Tailoring vitamin D supplementation to individual needs could enhance the effectiveness of interventions and help reduce the prevalence of cardiometabolic diseases.
