TABLE 4.

Subgroup analyses for the effects of vitamin D supplementation on lipid profile

	Effect size number	ES (95% CI)1	P-within2	I2 (%)3	P-heterogeneity4
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on TG levels (SMD)
Overall	8	-0.15 (-0.23, -0.08)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.483
Renal and liver disease
Yes	1	-0.36 (-1.76, 1.04)	0.421	—	—
No	7	-0.15 (-0.22, -0.08)	0.014	0.0	0.378
Number of included studies
<10	5	-0.19 (-0.35, -0.02)	0.024	0.0	0.548
≥10	3	-0.16 (-0.27, -0.05)	0.004	38.5	0.197
Sex
F	3	-0.18 (-0.40, 0.04)	0.104	35.4	0.213
M/F	5	-0.14 (-0.22, -0.06)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.556
Age (y)
≤50	6	-0.16 (-0.25, -0.07)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.516
>50	2	-0.23 (-0.53, 0.08)	0.143	55.8	0.133
Study population
PCOS	3	-0.18 (-0.40, 0.04)	0.104	35.4	0.213
Other	5	-0.14 (-0.22, -0.06)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.556
Dose (IU/d)
>4000	5	-0.24 (-0.38, -0.10)	≤ 0.001	6.4	0.370
≤4000	3	-0.12 (-0.21, -0.04)	0.005	0.0	0.946
Duration (wk)
≤14	4	-0.20 (-0.38, -0.03)	0.024	4.5	0.370
>14	4	-0.14 (-0.22, -0.06)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.404
Presence of cosupplementation
No	6	-0.15 (-0.25, -0.04)	0.005	0.0	0.629
Yes	2	-0.21 (-0.43, 0.01)	0.061	66.5	0.084
Quality
Critically low	3	-0.17 (-0.37, 0.04)	0.108	0.0	0.650
Low	4	-0.21 (-0.37, -0.05)	0.010	40.3	0.170
High	1	-0.12 (-0.23, -0.01)	0.038	—	—
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on TG levels (WMD)
Overall	16	-4.63 (-7.70, -1.57)	0.003	57.0	0.003
Renal and liver disease
Yes	4	-6.74 (-21.50, 8.01)	0.677	68.75	0.042
No	12	-4.79 (-7.32, -2.25)	0.006	39.80	0.005
Number of included studies
<10	10	-3.17 (-9.09, 2.74)	0.293	70.6	≤ 0.001
≥10	6	-4.53 (-6.46, -2.60)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.555
Sex
F	4	-7.07 (-10.98, -3.16)	≤ 0.001	67.3	0.027
M/F	12	-2.44 (-7.20, 2.32)	0.316	53.0	0.016
Age(y)
≤50	6	-8.92 (-13.49, -4.35)	≤ 0.001	44.3	0.110
>50	7	-1.19 (-5.81, 3.43)	0.615	56.1	0.034
NR	3	-3.91 (-9.05, 1.24)	0.137	0.0	0.533
Dose (IU/d)
>4000	7	-5.50 (-12.03, 1.02)	0.098	67.4	0.005
≤4000	7	-3.17 (-6.71, 0.37)	0.079	38.2	0.137
NR	2	-4.71 (-10.30, 0.87)	0.098	0.0	0.394
Duration (wk)
≤14	7	-3.19 (-11.31, 4.93)	0.442	76.4	≤ 0.001
>14	7	-3.61 (-5.57, -1.65)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.767
NR	2	-4.71 (-10.30, 0.87)	0.098	0.0	0.394
Presence of cosupplementation
No	11	-4.54 (-8.62, -0.47)	0.029	68.9	≤ 0.001
Yes	3	-3.92 (-9.92, 2.08)	0.200	0.0	0.381
NR	2	-4.71(-10.30, 0.87)	0.098	0.0	0.394
Quality
Critically low	5	3.46 (-5.82, 12.74)	0.465	66.5	0.018
Low	9	-7.24 (-10.45, -4.03)	≤ 0.001	48.5	0.050
Moderate	1	-1.92 (-7.72, 3.88)	0.516	—	—
High	1	11.27 (-10.99, 33.53)	0.321	—	—
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on TC levels (SMD)
Overall	7	-0.17 (-0.23, -0.11)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.719
Renal and liver disease
Yes	2	-0.16 (-0.40, 0.07)	0.112	0.0	0.479
No	5	-0.17 (-0.23, -0.11)	0.041	0.0	0.528
Number of included studies
<10	3	-0.23 (-0.42, -0.04)	0.016	0.0	0.528
≥10	4	-0.16 (-0.22, -0.10)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.585
Sex
F	2	-0.35 (-0.55, -0.14)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.962
M/F	5	-0.15 (-0.22, -0.09)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.957
Age(y)
≤50	4	-0.27 (-0.43, -0.11)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.627
>50	3	-0.15 (-0.22, -0.09)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.931
Dose (IU/d)
>4000	2	-0.35 (-0.55, -0.14)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.962
≤4000	5	-0.15 (-0.22, -0.09)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.957
Duration (wk)
≤14	4	-0.27 (-0.43, -0.11)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.627
>14	3	-0.15 (-0.22, -0.09)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.931
Presence of cosupplementation
No	5	-0.17 (-0.24, -0.09)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.745
Yes	2	-0.21 (-0.38, -0.03)	0.022	41.8	0.190
Quality
Critically low	1	-0.46 (-1.31, 0.39)	0.289	—	—
Low	5	-0.18 (-0.25, -0.11)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.548
High	1	-0.15 (-0.25, -0.06)	0.005	—	—
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on TC levels (WMD)
Overall	15	-2.87 (-5.93, 0.19)	0.066	84.2	≤ 0.001
Renal and liver disease
Yes	3	-0.19 (-8.76, 8.37)	0.742	78.82	0.006
No	12	-3.42 (-6.76, -0.07)	0.048	85.28	≤ 0.001
Number of included studies
<10	9	-3.02 (-7.85, 1.81)	0.220	80.3	≤ 0.001
≥10	6	-2.57 (-6.76, 1.61)	0.228	88.5	≤ 0.001
Sex
F	11	-7.89 (-14.06, -1.72)	0.012	89.7	≤ 0.001
M/F	4	-0.70 (-3.00, 1.60)	0.552	52.7	0.020
Age(y)
≤50	5	-7.83 (-12.35, -3.30)	≤ 0.001	79.3	≤ 0.001
>50	7	-0.24 (-2.61, 2.13)	0.845	39.0	0.132
NR	3	0.08 (-2.25, 2.41)	0.945	0.0	0.428
Dose (IU/d)
>4000	5	-9.23 (-12.62, -5.85)	≤ 0.001	56.4	0.057
≤4000	8	0.18 (-2.07, 2.43)	0.874	38.5	0.123
NR	2	-0.25 (-2.64, 2.15)	0.840	0.0	0.524
Duration (wk)
≤14	6	-9.50 (-12.71, -6.29)	≤ 0.001	47.9	0.088
>14	7	0.31 (-1.72, 2.34)	0.766	29.9	0.200
NR	2	-0.25 (-2.64, 2.15)	0.840	0.0	0.524
Presence of cosupplementation
No	10	-4.19 (-8.60, 0.22)	0.062	87.5	≤ 0.001
Yes	3	-0.11 (-5.06, 4.84)	0.965	60.2	0.081
NR	2	-0.25 (-2.64, 2.15)	0.840	0.0	0.524
Quality
Critically low	5	-1.28 (-4.11, 1.55)	0.376	42.3	0.139
Low	8	-4.99 (-9.49, -0.50)	0.030	84.2	≤ 0.001
Moderate	1	1.52 (-1.42, 4.46)	0.311	—	—
High	1	3.51 (-2.83, 9.85)	0.278	—	—
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on LDL levels (SMD)
Overall	9	-0.10 (-0.20, 0.00)	0.053	57.9	0.015
Renal and liver disease
Yes	2	-0.25 (-0.99, 0.48)	0.534	68.97	0.073
No	7	-0.10 (-0.22, 0.01)	0.059	69.37	0.019
Number of included studies
<10	6	-0.05 (-0.24, 0.14)	0.609	63.5	0.018
≥10	3	-0.15 (-0.24, -0.05)	0.002	40.3	0.187
Sex
F	3	-0.22 (-0.35, -0.09)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.550
M/F	6	-0.05 (-0.18, 0.07)	0.404	65.2	0.013
Age
≤50	6	-0.08 (-0.30, 0.14)	0.466	72.9	0.002
>50	3	-0.12 (-0.19, -0.05)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.812
Study population
PCOS	3	-0.22 (-0.35, -0.09)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.550
NAFLD	4	-0.26 (-0.99, 0.48)	0.495	69.0	0.073
Other	2	-0.05 (-0.19, 0.09)	0.474	72.4	0.012
Dose (IU/d)
>4000	4	-0.03 (-0.26, 0.21)	0.817	71.2	0.015
≤4000	5	-0.13 (-0.24, -0.03)	0.009	46.1	0.115
Duration (wk)
≤14	4	-0.23 (-0.36, -0.10)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.429
>14	5	-0.04 (-0.16, 0.08)	0.507	66.2	0.019
Presence of cosupplementation
No	7	-0.06 (-0.20, 0.08)	0.384	58.9	0.024
Yes	2	-0.18 (-0.35, -0.00)	0.048	69.0	0.073
Quality
Critically low	3	-0.06 (-0.55, 0.44)	0.824	76.7	0.014
Low	5	-0.15 (-0.23, -0.06)	≤ 0.001	18.6	0.296
High	1	-0.10 (-0.20, -0.00)	0.047	—	—
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on LDL Levels (WMD)
Overall	17	-1.69 (-3.66, 0.28)	0.092	75.5	≤ 0.001
Renal and liver disease
Yes	4	0.79 (-2.11, 3.71)	0.253	8.92	0.152
No	13	-2.13 (-4.18, -0.07)	0.036	75.53	≤ 0.001
Number of included studies
<10	12	-1.04 (-3.67, 1.60)	0.441	71.0	≤ 0.001
≥10	5	-2.81 (-5.83, 0.20)	0.067	81.5	≤ 0.001
Sex
F	4	-3.27 (-6.31, -0.24)	0.034	73.9	0.009
M/F	13	-1.01 (-3.60, 1.58)	0.444	76.9	≤ 0.001
Age
≤50	7	-3.33 (-5.21, -1.45)	≤ 0.001	32.1	0.183
>50	7	0.62 (-1.78, 3.02)	0.613	55.9	0.034
NR	3	-2.44 (-9.37, 4.48)	0.489	88.7	≤ 0.001
Dose (IU/d)
>4000	6	-4.07 (-5.63, -2.51)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.419
≤4000	9	0.81 (-1.09, 2.70)	0.402	48.7	0.049
NR	2	-6.39 (-8.91, -3.88)	≤ 0.001	13.0	0.284
Duration (wk)
≤14	6	-4.78 (-6.54, -3.02)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.609
>14	9	0.53 (-1.16, 2.22)	0.535	48.0	0.052
NR	2	-6.39 (-8.91, -3.88)	≤ 0.001	13.0	0.284
Presence of cosupplementation
No	12	-1.19 (-3.50, 1.12)	0.313	70.8	≤ 0.001
Yes	3	-0.77 (-4.11, 2.57)	0.652	46.1	0.156
NR	2	-6.39 (-8.91, -3.88)	≤ 0.001	13.0	0.284
Quality
Critically low	6	-2.16 (-3.87, -0.45)	0.013	0.0	0.672
Low	9	-2.30 (-5.06, 0.47)	0.104	81.6	≤ 0.001
Moderate	1	3.23 (0.55, 5.91)	0.018	—	—
High	1	-0.97 (-8.70, 6.76)	0.806	—	—
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on HDL levels (SMD)
Overall	9	0.08 (0.01, 0.15)	0.025	9.0	0.360
Renal and liver disease
Yes	2	0.23 (-0.01, 0.48)	0.062	0.00	0.782
No	7	0.06 (0.00, 0.13)	0.050	0.01	0.316
Number of included studies
5	6	0.14 (0.03, 0.24)	0.011	0.0	0.776
10	3	0.01 (-0.13, 0.15)	0.908	56.5	0.100
Sex
F	3	0.04 (-0.11, 0.19)	0.590	0.0	0.677
M/F	6	0.09 (-0.01, 0.19)	0.088	35.2	0.173
Age (y)
≤40	7	0.09 (0.03, 0.15)	0.005	0.0	0.853
>40	2	0.05 (-0.47, 0.57)	0.849	79.0	0.029
Study population
PCOS	3	0.04 (-0.11, 0.19)	0.590	0.0	0.677
NAFLD	2	0.24 (-0.01, 0.48)	0.060	0.0	0.782
Other	4	0.06 (-0.06, 0.18)	0.319	50.8	0.107
Dose (IU/d)
>4000	3	0.11 (-0.01, 0.23)	0.082	0.0	0.495
≤4000	6	0.06 (-0.04, 0.17)	0.239	29.8	0.212
Duration (wk)
≤14	4	0.06 (-0.07, 0.20)	0.360	0.0	0.701
>14	5	0.08 (-0.03, 0.20)	0.165	45.3	0.120
Presence of cosupplementation
No	7	0.10 (-0.03, 0.23)	0.132	25.6	0.233
Yes	2	0.07 (-0.00, 0.15)	0.056	0.0	0.409
Quality
Critically low	3	0.11 (-0.01, 0.23)	0.076	0.0	0.734
Low	5	0.06 (-0.12, 0.24)	0.519	44.6	0.124
High	1	0.09 (0.01, 0.17)	0.038	—	—
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on HDL levels (WMD)
Overall	16	0.16 (-0.25, 0.57)	0.453	69.3	≤ 0.001
Renal and liver disease
Yes	4	0.73 (-0.17, 1.64)	0.185	62.52	0.025
No	12	0.09 (-0.65, 0.84)	0.351	82.13	≤ 0.001
Number of included studies
<10	12	0.28 (-0.24, 0.79)	0.288	58.5	0.005
≥10	4	0.03 (-0.90, 0.95)	0.951	78.5	0.003
Sex
F	4	-0.45 (-0.74, -0.17)	0.002	0.0	0.989
M/F	12	0.60 (-0.04, 1.24)	0.068	73.0	≤ 0.001
Age(y)
≤40	6	-0.02 (-0.19, 0.14)	0.799	0.0	0.524
>40	7	-0.08 (-0.82, 0.66)	0.831	70.6	0.002
NR	3	1.88 (0.94, 2.81)	≤ 0.001	0.0	0.763
Dose (IU/d)
>4000	6	-0.30 (-0.84, 0.24)	0.276	0.0	0.630
≤4000	8	0.20 (-0.32, 0.71)	0.457	80.0	≤ 0.001
NR	2	2.32 (0.81, 3.83)	0.003	0.0	1.000
Duration (wk)
≤14	7	0.33 (-0.60, 1.25)	0.486	62.2	0.014
>14	7	-0.11 (-0.55, 0.34)	0.634	73.3	≤ 0.001
NR	2	2.32 (0.81, 3.83)	0.003	0.0	1.000
Presence of cosupplementation
No	11	-0.12 (-0.45, 0.21)	0.490	44.5	0.055
Yes	3	1.08 (-1.36, 3.51)	0.386	90.3	≤ 0.001
NR	2	2.32 (0.81, 3.83)	0.003	0.0	1.000
Quality
Critically low	5	-0.70 (-1.23, -0.18)	0.009	0.0	0.703
Low	9	0.37 (-0.16, 0.89)	0.170	79.7	≤ 0.001
Moderate	1	-0.14 (-0.99, 0.71)	0.747	—	—
High	1	1.14 (-0.64, 2.92)	0.209	—	—

Abbreviations: CI, confidence interval; ES, effect size; HDL, high-density lipoprotein; LDL, low-density lipoprotein; MD, mean difference; NAFLD, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; NR, not reported; PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome; SMD, standardized mean difference; TC, total cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; WMD, weighted mean difference.

¹Obtained from random-effects model

²Refers to the mean (95% CI)

³Inconsistency, percentage of variation across studies due to heterogeneity

⁴Obtained from Q-test