The Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Glycemic Control and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Type 2 Diabetes: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), fasting blood sugar (FBS), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and the total vitamin D level in patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). A systematic search was conducted in databases such as PubMed (Medline), Scopus, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov using relevant keywords from January 1990 to January 2024. After screening and extracting data, a qualitative evaluation of articles was performed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2). The findings revealed that vitamin D supplementation significantly decreased the mean HbA1C (SMD: -0.15; 95% CI: -0.29, -0.20; : 79.76%; value < 0.001) and mean FBS (SMD: -0.28; 95% CI: -0.40, -0.15; : 70.13%; value < 0.001), lowered SBP (SMD: -0.06; 95% CI: -0.16, -0.05; : 39.63%; value = 0.23), and reduced LDL (SMD: -0.11; 95% CI: -0.28, -0.05; : 73.66%; value < 0.001). Furthermore, vitamin D supplementation increased the average HDL (SMD: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.29; : 79.33%; value < 0.001) and vitamin D levels (SMD: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.53, 2.04; : 91.92%; value < 0.001) in patients with T2DM. Subgroup analyses showed that weight gain, BMI, and duration of the disease could reduce the effect of vitamin D supplementation on diabetes control in affected patients. The results also indicated that taking vitamin D supplements in the amount of 50,000 IU had a significant effect on reducing the indicators related to diabetes control. Based on the combined evidence, the findings of this meta-analysis suggest that vitamin D supplementation can significantly improve glycemic control and reduce the risk of complications associated with T2DM, especially cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).