Table 3.
Summary of interventional studies evaluating the effect of vitamin D supplements on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk
| Source | Study design | Condition | Population (cases) | Main outcome(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris et al72 | Randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Vitamin D (2,000 IU/day) for 16 weeks | 57 African American adults | Vitamin D supplements (2,000 IU/day) for 16 weeks were effective at improving vascular endothelial function in African American adults |
| Zittermann et al73 | Randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Vitamin D (83 μg/day) for 1 year | 200 overweight subjects (mean 25[OH]D3 levels =12 ng/mL) | Vitamin D supplements enhanced the beneficial effects of weight loss on CVD risk, including decreasing lipid levels and inflammation |
| Sun et al74 | Cross-sectional (prospective study) | Vitamin D (≥600 IU/day) or vitamin D (<100 IU/day) | 2,280,324 person-years of follow-up | Higher intake of vitamin D was associated with a lower risk of CVD in men but not in women |
| Cauley et al75 | Cross-sectional (prospective study) | Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation | 29,862 postmenopausal women | There was no difference in CVD morbidity between groups |
| Ponda et al77 | Randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Vitamin D (50,000 IU/week) for 8 weeks | 151 vitamin D-deficient (25[OH]D levels <20 ng/mL) patients | Correcting vitamin D deficiency in the short term did not improve the lipid profile |
| Yiu et al78 | Randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Vitamin D (5,000 IU/day) for 12 weeks | 100 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients | 12 weeks of oral supplementation with vitamin D did not significantly affect vascular function or serum biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress |
| Stricker et al168 | Randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Vitamin D (100,000 IU/single oral dose) | 76 patients with peripheral arterial disease | Vitamin D supplementation did not influence endothelial function, arterial stiffness, coagulation, or inflammation parameters |
| Gepner et al76 | Randomized, placebo-controlled trial | Vitamin D (2,500 IU/day) for 4 months | 114 subjects | Vitamin D supplementation did not improve endothelial function, arterial stiffness, or inflammation |