According to new data the onset of Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) in postmenopausal women may be closely linked to Vitamin D deficiency. Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) was seen in 58% of postmenopausal women with either deficient or insufficient levels of Vitamin D when compared with a 40% occurrence in women with adequate Vitamin D levels.
Over 450 women participated in this study. Participants ages were between 45 and 75 years and all participants had stopped menstruating for at the minimum of 1 year prior to the beginning of the study. Additionally none of the participants had experienced any type of Cardiovascular Disease at the baseline. 35% of the participants were Vitamin D deficient and 33% of the participants had insufficient levels of Vitamin D. A Vitamin D deficiency is usually defined as blood levels below 50 nanomoles/liter (nmol/L) and an insufficient Vitamin D level is defined as a blood level between 50 – 75 nmol/L.
Blood levels of the participants Vitamin D levels were measured and compared to the analyzed Metabolic Syndrome parameters of the participants. Researchers found the lower the blood level of Vitamin D the greater the occurrence of Metabolic Syndrome. Additionally researchers found an inverse relationship between blood triglycerides and HDL levels, 2 individual components of Metabolic Syndrome and Vitamin D levels.
Metabolic Syndrome involves a group of conditions that increase a person’s risk for stroke, heart disease and diabetes. For the purposes of the study, participants meeting 3 of more of the criteria listed below were considered to have Metabolic Syndrome:
Waist circumference above 88 cm
High Blood Pressure (above 130/85 mmHG)
High Blood Sugar (fasting glucose levels over 100 mg/dl)
Abnormal triglycerides (above 150 mg/dl)
HDL below 50 mg/dl
Further studies are needed.
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