Vitamin D supplementation and body weight status: a systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract

Vitamin D is anticipated to have many extra-skeletal health benefits. We questioned whether supplementation with the vitamin influenced body weight and composition. A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted on high-quality, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that had supplemented vitamin D without imposing any caloric restriction. Eighteen trials reporting either body weight, body mass index (BMI), fat mass (FM), percentage fat mass (%FM) or lean body mass (LBM) met our criteria. Twelve studies provided the required data for the meta-analysis. Vitamin D supplementation did not influence the standardized mean difference (SMD) for body weight, FM, %FM or LBM. A small but non-significant decrease in BMI (SMD = -0.097, 95% confidence interval: [-0.210, 0.016], P = 0.092) was observed. Meta-regression confirmed that neither the absolute vitamin D status achieved nor its change from baseline influenced the SMD of any obesity measure. However, increasing age of the subjects predicted a shift in the SMD for FM towards the placebo treatment, whereas a greater percentage of women in these studies favoured a decrease in FM following vitamin D. Vitamin D supplementation did not decrease measures of adiposity in the absence of caloric restriction. A potential confounding by age and gender was encountered.

Association of serum vitamin D with change in weight and total body fat in a German cohort of older adults

“…8 Although these results consistently suggest that higher 25(OH)D levels may be associated with less body fat accumulation in older women, results from a meta-analysis of 12 clinical trials (some including older adults) indicate that vitamin D supplementation without caloric restriction does not significantly influence fat mass. 13 Our study is limited by the short follow-up time, the medium sample size, a missing assessment of weight history and the small total change in weight and body fat. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was found to be valid to track changes in fat mass in older adults, but it might not accurately estimate changes of o5 kg.…”

Association between Vitamin D Concentration and Visceral Fat Area in Healthy Korean Adults

“…[13][14][15] In several studies, VFA showed significant correlation with blood vitamin D levels, although weight, waist circumference but not BMI. 16,17) As not improve obesity-related variables, 23,24) whereas other meta-analysis presented that blood vitamin D levels increase as weight or PBF decreases. 25) Sun et al 16) demonstrated that serum vitamin D levels are negatively correlated with VFA using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is in correspond with outcome of our study, But not BMI.…”

Vitamin D Deficiency and Autism

“…Although vitamin D is not present naturally in most foods, it is commonly added into some manufactured foods, as fruit juices and fruit juice drinks, beverages, cheese and cheese products [19,20]. Value of Vitamin D in foods is reduced by cooking, such as by boiling, frying or baking.…”