Vitamin D Deficiency is Associated with the Metabolic Syndrome in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes

There is convincing evidence that subjects concomitantly affected by type 2 diabetes [T2D] and metabolic syndrome [MeS] are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease [CVD]. Many metabolic derangements in T2D might be attributed to poor vitamin D status. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations among vitamin D status, MeS and glycemic status in subjects with T2D. A total of 101 known cases of T2D [39 males, 62 females] were enrolled in a cross-sectional study by convenient sampling. Serum 25[OH]D3, glycemic markers and lipid profile were assessed. Mean concentration of serum 25[OH]D3 was 42.2 +/- 33.8 nmol/L. Prevalence of undesirable vitamin D status [25[OH]D < 50nmol/L] was significantly higher among the subjects with MeS as compared to those without MeS [p=0.020]. The subjects with sufficient vitamin D status had 50% lower risk for MeS compared to those who had vitamin D deficiency, and this association remained significant even after additional adjustment for body mass index [BMI], percent of fat mass or waist circumference. Our data showed that firstly higher vitamin D status is inversely associated with fasting glycemia, and secondly serum 25[OH]D3 predicts MeS risk in the subjects with T2D. Demonstrating the association of hypovitaminosis D with disorders of glucose metabolism and higher risk for development of further complications, notably CVD, may lead to a new target for preventive efforts at the population level