Elevated total
cholesterol and
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in sera are both well-known
risk factors of
coronary heart disease . Adequate
vitamin D status is important for optimal function of many organs and
tissues of our body. There is continuing controversy about the effect of adequate
vitamin D consumption on
serum lipids and
lipoproteins . The present study assessed the effect of
vitamin D ,
calcium and multiple
micronutrients supplementation on the
lipid profile in Bangladeshi young
female garment factory
workers who have hypovitaminosis D. This placebo-controlled intervention trial conducted over a period of one year randomly assigned a total of 200 apparently
healthy subjects aged 16-36 years to 4 groups. The subjects received daily supplements of 400 IU of
vitamin D (VD group) or 400 IU of
vitamin D +600 mg of
calcium lactate (VD-Ca group), or multiple
micronutrients with 400 IU of
vitamin -D+600 mg of
calcium lactate (MMN-VD-Ca group), or the group consuming placebo (PL group).
Serum concentrations of
lipid and
lipoprotein , 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and intact
parathyroid hormone (iPTH) were measured at baseline and after one year of follow-up. No significant changes in the
serum levels of total
cholesterol (TC),
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C),
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were observed in the supplemented groups compared to the placebo group. Supplementation had a positive effect (p<0.05) on very
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C) and
triacylglycerol (TAG). A negative correlation between changes in
serum iPTH and HDL-C was observed, which indicated that subjects with the greatest decline in S-iPTH had the greatest increase in HDL-C. The results suggest that
consumption of adequate
vitamin D with
calcium or MMN for one-year may have no impact on
serum lipid profile in the subjects studied. Longer-term clinical trials with different doses of supplemental
vitamin D are warranted in evaluating the effect of intervention.