Abstract
Vitamin D exerts a variety of extra-skeletal functions. Aim: to know the effects of the consumption of a vitamin D-fortified skimmed milk on glucose, lipid profile, and blood pressure in young women. Methods: a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind parallel-group trial of 16 weeks duration was conducted in young women with low iron stores who consumed a skimmed milk fortified with iron and 200 IU/day (5 μg) of vitamin D (D-fortified group, n = 55), or a placebo without vitamin D (D-placebo group, n = 54). A reference group (n = 56) of iron-sufficient women was also recruited. Results: baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was inversely correlated with total-cholesterol (r = −0.176, p = 0.023) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-chol) (r = −0.176, p = 0.024). During the assay, LDL-cholesterol increased in the D-placebo group (p = 0.005) while it tended to decrease in the D-fortified group (p = 0.07). Neither group displayed changes in total-cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-chol), triglycerides or glucose levels. Systolic (p = 0.017) and diastolic (p = 0.010) blood pressure decreased during the assay in the D-fortified group without significant differences compared to the D-placebo. Conclusion: consumption of a dairy product fortified with vitamin D reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure but does not change lipid levels in young women.
Highlights
It is well known that vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone health
A total of 165 women completed the study with a compliance rate >96%
No differences were found in energy, macronutrient intake, or dietary lipid profile at baseline (Table 2)
Summary
It is well known that vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and bone health. a number of extra-skeletal effects have been attributed to this vitamin since the vitamin D receptor and the enzyme 1α-hydroxylase, which converts 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) to its active form1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, are present in most body tissues [1,2]. Research on the role of vitamin D in chronic illnesses including cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases is an emerging field [3]. Low vitamin D status, assessed by 25OHD levels, has been associated with increased risk of major cardiovascular events, cardiovascular mortality, and all-cause mortality [4,5,6]. The associations observed with specific cardiovascular risk markers are not consistent or are contradictory [1,7,8]. Vitamin D may influence cardiovascular disease risk by regulating blood pressure through the rennin-angiotensin system [9], by modulating serum lipids levels [1], or by stimulating insulin secretion [10]. Reports on the cardiovascular effects of vitamin D in healthy people, including young women, are scarce. Randomised clinical trials are scarce and further research is needed to clarify this relationship [1,7,11]
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