The effect of omega-3 and vitamin D co-supplementation on glycemic control and lipid profiles in reproductive-aged women with pre-diabetes and hypovitaminosis D: a randomized controlled trial

Masoumeh Rajabi-Naeeni; Mahrokh Dolatian; Mostafa Qorbani; Amir Abbas Vaezi

doi:10.1186/s13098-020-00549-9

The effect of omega-3 and vitamin D co-supplementation on glycemic control and lipid profiles in reproductive-aged women with pre-diabetes and hypovitaminosis D: a randomized controlled trial

Diabetol Metab Syndr. 2020 May 12:12:41. doi: 10.1186/s13098-020-00549-9. eCollection 2020.

Authors

Masoumeh Rajabi-Naeeni¹, Mahrokh Dolatian², Mostafa Qorbani^{3

4}, Amir Abbas Vaezi⁵

Affiliations

¹ 1Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Student Research Committee, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
² 2Midwifery and Reproductive Health Research Center, Department of Midwifery and Reproductive Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
³ 3Non-communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.
⁴ 4Chronic Diseases Research Center, Endocrinology and Metabolism Population Sciences Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁵ 5Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

Background: Prediabetes can predispose the individual to type 2 diabetes in the long-term. The present study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of vitamin D and omega-3 co-supplementation on glycemic control and serum lipid profiles in women of reproductive age with prediabetes and hypovitaminosis D.

Methods: The present factorial, triple-blind, clinical trial was conducted on 168 women of reproductive age with prediabetes and hypovitaminosis D. The participants were assigned to four groups based on block randomization method: the placebo group received omega-3 and vitamin D placebos; the omega-3 group took omega-3 supplements and vitamin D placebos; the vitamin D group received omega-3 placebos and vitamin D supplements and the co-supplementation group. The groups received every 2 weeks 50,000 IU pearls of vitamin D and twice-daily doses of 1000-mg omega-3 tablets or placebos for 8 weeks. Dietary intake, physical activity, anthropometric indices and blood biochemical tests were measured at the beginning and end of the study. Analysis was performed using two-way mixed ANOVA.

Results: A significant reduction was observed in fasting glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment-beta cell function, weight and waist circumference in the co-supplementation group compared to the other three groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels increased significantly in the co-supplementation group compared to the other three groups (P < 0.05). Despite the fact that homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance, total cholesterol, triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels decreased after intervention in the co-supplementation group, there was no significant difference between the groups in these outcomes.

Conclusion: Vitamin D and omega-3 co-supplementation improved fasting serum glucose, insulin, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol level, homeostasis model assessment-beta cell function, weight and waist circumference in women of reproductive age with prediabetes and hypovitaminosis D. This co-supplementation can therefore be recommended for glycemic control in these women.Trial registration Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials Code: IRCT20100130003226N17. Registered on 9 Feb. 2019.

Keywords: HDL-C; Insulin resistance; LDL-C; Omega-3 fatty acids; Pre-diabetic state; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Vitamin D.