New study investigates vitamin D with lipids in osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a silent chronic disease associated with weakened bone mass and an increased risk of fracture.

Vitamin D is a crucial steroid like vitamin for human health with many benefits. Vitamin D affects bone mineralization, the rate of bone resorption, and the incidence of fracture.

According to a new study published two weeks ago in the Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research, researchers investigated the association between vitamin D levels and lipid profiles in patients with osteoporosis. The objective is to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease as it is a major health issue in individuals with osteoporosis.

This study was a retrospective cross-sectional study including 2,063 patients between January 2015 to March 2022. The associations between serum lipids and vitamin D levels were examined by multiple linear regression. Laboratory assessments included serum lipoprotein, total cholesterol, triglycerides, apolipoprotein-A, lipoprotein A, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and serum vitamin D 25-OH.

The average vitamin D concentration was 21.13 ng/ml, which is a true vitamin D deficiency. Individuals with this level will need approximately 10,000 IU per day to obtain an optimal level of vitamin D between 50-70 ng/ml. It is also important to use a supplement that combines vitamin D with vitamin K1 and K2 as these vitamins have strong interrelationships.

The results demonstrated in patients with osteoporosis that the serum vitamin D levels were inversely connected with blood triglyceride concentration. Vitamin D levels were also positively associated with the HDL, apolipoprotein A, and lipoprotein A levels. In addition, the research team found a nonlinear relationship and threshold effect between serum vitamin D levels and total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. Furthermore, there were positive correlations between the vitamin D levels and the lipid profiles.

Other nutrients to consider include vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, delta and gamma tocotrienols, collagen peptides, genistein, and probiotics. In addition, it is essential to make sure these individuals are obtaining adequate protein intake as well as addressing underlying hormonal imbalance.

Source: Si-Ming Xu, Ke Lu, et al. Association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels with lipid profiles in osteoporosis patients: a retrospective cross-sectional study. J Orthop Surg Res. 2023 Aug 14;18(1):597.