Aim: Low circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] concentration has been linked to a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease. One explanation for this phenomenon is that there is an association between the serum 25(OH) D level and lipid profiles. However, studies examining this relationship are limited and have yielded inconsistent results. We thus aimed to evaluate the association between the serum 25(OH) D concentration and lipid profiles in Japanese men taking into consideration confounding factors, including the visceral fat area (VFA) and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Methods: A total of 136 men (age range: 20-79 years) participated in our study. Fasting blood samples were analyzed to determine the 25(OH) D, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglyceride (TG), apolipoprotein (Apo) A-1 and ApoB levels. The VFA was evaluated on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by measuring the peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak).
Results: The median 25(OH) D concentration was 35.6 nmol/L, and the prevalence of 25(OH) D deficiency was 78.7%. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the serum 25(OH)D concentration was inversely related to the LDL-C/HDL-C, TG, ApoB and ApoB/ApoA-1 values, even after adjusting for age, season, smoking status, alcohol consumption, medication use, vitamin D intake, calcium intake, VFA and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Conclusions: Serum 25(OH) D level is inversely correlated with the LDL-C/HDL-C, TG, ApoB and ApoB/ApoA-1 values in Japanese men, independent of the VFA and cardiorespiratory fitness.