The effect of vitamin D supplementation on insulin resistance in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver

Abstract

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is the most common chronic liver disease in worldwide. Prevalence of the disease is about 35 percent in Iran. Metabolic disorders were seen in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver. In several studies, vitamin D supplementation led to ameliorate glycemic indicator. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on glycemic indices in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver. Methods: In this randomized parallel clinical trial, 60 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease participated in the intervention and placebo groups. For 10 weeks, the intervention and placebo groups received 50,000 IU Pearle vitamin D or placebo, respectively. Glycemic indices were measured at the beginning and end of the study. Nonalcoholic fatty liver was diagnosed via ultrasound. Data were analyzed using ANCOVA and regression tests in SPSS software. Findings: At the end of the study, in intervention group, compared with the placebo group, serum vitamin D levels were significantly increased and insulin resistance and fasting blood glucose levels were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). But, vitamin D supplementation had not significant effect on other variables. Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation reduced insulin resistance in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver. But, more researches must be conducted with large sample sizes and strong designs to confirm these findings. © 2015, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.