Causes of Vitamin D Deficiency and Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Metabolic Complications in Obesity: a Review

Curr Obes Rep. 2015 Dec;4(4):429-40. doi: 10.1007/s13679-015-0176-5.

Abstract

Obese subjects are often characterized by low plasma 25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25OHD) levels. Many explanations for this association have been proposed. Low plasma 25OHD is associated with obesity-related comorbidities such as insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and low-grade inflammation. In this review, we discuss the proposed mechanisms for low 25OHD in obesity and explore the results of recent RCTs on vitamin D (VD) supplementation on obesity and its metabolic complications such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Although the results from these clinical randomized controlled trials vary, the general picture is that VD treatment of obese individuals does not seem to be an effective treatment of obesity-related metabolic complications.

Keywords: Adipose tissue; Inflammation; Insulin resistance; Obesity; Review; Vitamin D.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / blood*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / etiology
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Insulin Resistance
  • Obesity / blood*
  • Obesity / complications
  • Obesity / drug therapy
  • Risk Factors
  • Vitamin D / analogs & derivatives*
  • Vitamin D / therapeutic use
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / blood
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / drug therapy
  • Vitamin D Deficiency / etiology*
  • Vitamins / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Vitamins
  • Vitamin D
  • 25-hydroxyvitamin D