Associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with markers of inflammation, insulin resistance and obesity in black and white community-dwelling adults

Abstract

Aims: Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin classically known for its role in calcium absorption and bone health. Growing evidence indicates that vitamin D deficiency may be associated with inflammation, insulin resistance, and obesity. However, prior studies examining the association of vitamin D with metabolic risk factors had relatively low representation of individuals of black race, limiting their ability to characterize associations of vitamin D and parameters of metabolic health in black vs. white individuals. Methods: We examined associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations with markers of inflammation (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-10, high sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP]), insulin sensitivity (adiponectin, resistin, HOMA-IR), and obesity (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference) in 1042 participants from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a large national cohort of black and white adults 45 years or older. Results: In unadjusted analyses, lower 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with higher IL-6 and hsCRP concentrations; lower adiponectin concentrations; higher HOMA-IR; and higher BMI and waist circumference (P 0.1). Conclusions: Lower 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with disturbances in metabolic health in both blacks and whites. Whether correcting vitamin D deficiency could offer a beneficial therapy for disease prevention requires further study.

Keywords

• Vitamin D
• Insulin resistance
• Metabolic syndrome
• Inflammation
• Obesity