The effect of vitamin D supplementation in combination with low-calorie diet on anthropometric indices and androgen hormones in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is known as the most common endocrine disorder in reproductive age women. The aim of this studywas to evaluate the effects of vitamin D supplementation in combination with low-calorie diet on anthropometric indices, reproductive hormones and menstrual regularity in overweight and obese PCOS women. METHODS: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 60 PCOS women with vitamin D insufficiency were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of either (1) weight-loss intervention + 50,000 IU/week oral vitamin D3 or (2) weight-loss intervention + placebo. At the beginning and end of the study, the anthropometric indices, body composition, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, total testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and free androgen index (FAI) were measured and regularity of menses was compared among the two groups. RESULT: After 12-week intervention, median of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 significantly increased from 18.5 (10.75-20) ng/ml to 42.69 (34-53.25) ng/ml in vitamin D group compared to placebo group (p < 001). Moreover, there was a significant improvement in frequency regular menstrual cycle (p = 0.01). Mean of weight, body mass index, fat mass, waist and hip circumference and waist-to-hip ratio significantly decreased in both groups, but was not different between two groups. Mean of total testosterone insignificantly decreased from 0.7 to 0.5 ng/ml in vitamin D group (p = 0.18). In addition, we did not observe significant differences regarding DHEAS, FAI and SHBG between two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In women with PCOS, androgen profile did not change with vitamin D supplementation when combined with low-calorie diet, but menstrual frequency significantly improved. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: IRCT2016062710826N19.

Effects of a single post-partum injection of a high dose of vitamin D on glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in mothers with first-time gestational diabetes mellitus.

AIM: This study was performed to determine the effect of a single, large, intramuscular injection of vitamin D post-partum on glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in women with gestational diabetes. METHODS: Forty-five participants in a randomized controlled trial on gestational diabetes mellitus were divided into an intervention group and a control group. Only subjects in the intervention group received one intramuscular injection of 300,000 IU of vitamin D3. HbA(1c), serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, fasting insulin and blood glucose, C-peptide, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), ß-cell function, insulin sensitivity and the Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI) were measured at baseline and after 3 months of intervention. RESULTS: Approximately 80% of the mothers had a degree of vitamin D deficiency. Post-intervention, this was found in 4.2 and 71.4% in the intervention and control groups, respectively. The medians of HOMA-IR indices before and after intervention were 0.6 and 0.5 (P = 0.7), respectively, in subjects in the intervention group, and 0.5 and 0.9 (P = 0.01) in subjects in the control group. The mean of the QUICKI fell only in the control group (P = 0.008). In the control group, ß-cell function increased by ~8% (P = 0.01) and insulin sensitivity decreased after 3 months (P = 0.002). Post-intervention, the median C-peptide decreased in the intervention group and increased in the control group, but the change was significant only in the control group (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: A single injection of 300,000 IU of vitamin D3 achieves a 3-month serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D range of 50-80 nmol/l and is an efficient, effective and safe procedure for improving the vitamin status and indices of insulin resistance in mothers with gestational diabetes after delivery.

Combination of bolus dose vitamin D with routine vaccination in infants: a randomised trial.

INTRODUCTION: The present study was designed to compare two methods of vitamin D supplementation in infants: every two months as a routine vaccination versus a daily dose. METHODS: A randomised clinical trial was performed on 120 healthy breastfed infants between January and September 2007 in Yazd, Iran. The infants were randomly divided into three groups with different doses of vitamin D3 supplementation: 200 IU daily, 400 IU daily and a bolus of 50,000 IU every two months. A blood sample was taken and evaluated for 25-hydroxy vitamin D and calcium levels when the infants were six months old. The data was reported as the mean and standard deviation. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between the serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in the groups administered with 200 IU and 400 IU vitamin D daily. However, the serum level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D reached significance in the third group (p is less than 0.001). All the blood calcium measured was below 11 mg/dl in the bolus group. A few complications such as diarrhoea and agitation, all of which were self-limited, were seen in the bolus group. No other significant side effects were reported in the other groups. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that a bolus of 50,000 IU of vitamin D every two months with a routine child vaccination program provides the ideal serum level of vitamin D. This method produces no serious side effects and offers a highly convenient way to supply vitamin D, especially among non-compliant parents.

The relationship between BMI and iron status in iron-deficient adolescent Iranian girls.

OBJECTIVE: Many Iranian adolescent girls are Fe-deficient, but it is unclear whether Fe deficiency is associated with other nutritional risk indicators. The present study aimed to investigate the association between Fe deficiency and weight status (measured as BMI) among a representative sample of adolescent girls. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. Fe-deficient high-school girls (with or without anaemia) were selected by systematic random sampling among all students in grades 1 to 4 from high schools for girls. Blood samples were collected and analysed for Hb, haematocrit, serum ferritin, Fe and total Fe binding capacity. Weight and height were measured. BMI was calculated and compared with age- and gender-specific BMI reference values. SETTING: South Iran. SUBJECTS: A total of 431 adolescent girls aged 13-20 years. RESULTS: Some 15.3 % of the participants were at risk for overweight and 9.5 % of them were overweight. An inverse association was found between serum ferritin and BMI (r = -0.38, beta = -0.21, P < 0.001). Anaemia was more prevalent among overweight Fe-deficient adolescents than among those Fe-deficient and at risk for overweight or normal weight (34.1 % v. 28.8 % v. 27.8 %, respectively; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: An inverse association was found between BMI and serum ferritin. Overweight adolescents demonstrated an increased prevalence of Fe-deficiency anaemia. It seems that both abnormalities of weight and Fe status should simultaneously be targeted in overweight female adolescents.

The effects of sour tea (Hibiscus sabdariffa) on hypertension in patients with type II diabetes.

To compare the antihypertensive effectiveness of sour tea (ST; Hibiscus sabdariffa) with black tea (BT) infusion in diabetic patients, this double-blind randomized controlled trial was carried out. Sixty diabetic patients with mild hypertension, without taking antihypertensive or antihyperlipidaemic medicines, were recruited in the study. The patients were randomly allocated to the ST and BT groups and instructed to drink ST and BT infusions two times a day for 1 month. Their blood pressure (BP) was measured on days 0, 15 and 30 of the study. The mean of systolic BP (SBP) in the ST group decreased from 134.4+/-11.8 mm Hg at the beginning of the study to 112.7+/-5.7 mm Hg after 1 month (P-value <0.001), whereas this measure changed from 118.6+/-14.9 to 127.3+/-8.7 mm Hg (P-value=0.002) in the BT group during the same period. The intervention had no statistically significant effect on the mean of diastolic BP (DBP) in either the ST or BT group. The mean pulse pressure (PP) of the patients in the ST group decreased from 52.2+/-12.2 to 34.5+/-9.3 mm Hg (P-value <0.001) during the study, whereas in the BT group, it increased from 41.9+/-11.7 to 47.3+/-9.6 mm Hg (P-value=0.01). In conclusion, consuming ST infusion had positive effects on BP in type II diabetic patients with mild hypertension. This study supports the results of similar studies in which antihypertensive effects have been shown for ST.