Vitamin D status, gender and cardiovascular diseases: a systematic review of prospective epidemiological studies

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Vitamin D deficiency is highly suggested as an emerging risk factor in primary and secondary cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention. However, there remains controversy regarding the need for vitamin D supplementation in high CVD risk individuals to prevent cardiac episodes and to achieve a better prognosis. Another literature gap is the potential existence of sex-specific associations of this factor with major CVD events or surrogate markers. The interaction of vitamin D and its metabolites with gene-mediated paths as well as lifestyle parameters sets the hypothesis for different effect of this factor on vascular health between men and women.

Areas covered: The aim of the systematic review was to summarize the hitherto data on the association of vitamin D with CVD prevention or progression, separately for men and women. Studies were eligible if they were published research epidemiological studies evaluating the gender-specific effect of vitamin D metabolic serum concentrations on CVD onset, progression or mortality.

Expert opinion: An unequivocal association between vitamin D deficiency and CVD has been demonstrated by large-scale epidemiological studies yet with inconclusive remarks from the standpoint of sex-specific highlights. Epidemiological and experimental studies designed to draw conclusions specified in men and women are demanded.

KEYWORDS:

• Vitamin D
• 25-hydroxyvitamin D
• heart disease
• sex
• cardiovascular disease

Article highlights box

• Unequivocal evidence exists regarding the association between vitamin D status and cardiac health.

• The mediating or moderating effect of gender has inadequately been investigated.

• Most of the selected studies could not support the existence of a strong sex-specific protective effect of vitamin D on vascular system.

• Vitamin D in relation to health-related factors has mostly examined in women.

• Routine screening of vitamin D status in high CVD risk patients should not be set as a recommendation.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer Disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.