Research Article
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The Relationship between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

Year 2026, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 13 - 20, 31.01.2026
https://doi.org/10.30621/jbachs.1623952

Abstract

Project Number

001

References

  • Stroia CM, Ghitea TC, Vrânceanu M, et al. Relationship between vitamin D3 deficiency, metabolic syndrome and VDR, GC, and CYP2R1 gene polymorphisms. Nutrients. 2024;16(9):1272.
  • Mutt SJ, Jokelainen J, Sebert S, et al. Vitamin D status and components of metabolic syndrome in older subjects from Northern Finland (latitude 65° North). Nutrients. 2019;11(6):1239.
  • Brannon PM, Fleet JC. Vitamin D. Adv Nutr. 2011;2(4):365–367.
  • Thoufeeq MH. Vitamin D: the best thing under the sun? Eurasian J Med. 2017;49(3):228.
  • Infante M, Ricordi C, Sanchez J, et al. Influence of vitamin D on islet autoimmunity and beta-cell function in type 1 diabetes. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2185.
  • Aranow C. Vitamin D and the immune system. J Investig Med. 2011;59(6):881–886.
  • Uslu AU, Sekin Y, Tarhan G, et al. Evaluation of monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in the presence and severity of metabolic syndrome. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2018;24(5):828–833.
  • Tekin T, Cicek B, Konyaligil N. Regulatory peptide nesfatin-1 and its relationship with metabolic syndrome. Eurasian J Med. 2019;51(3):280–284.
  • Brede S, Serfling G, Klement J, et al. Clinical scenario of the metabolic syndrome. Visc Med. 2016;32(5):336–341.
  • Swarup S, Zeltser R. Metabolic syndrome. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020.
  • Grundy SM, Cleeman JI, Daniels SR, et al. Diagnosis and management of the metabolic syndrome: An American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute scientific statement. Circulation. 2005;112(17):2735–2752.
  • Matthews DR, Hosker JP, Rudenski AS, et al. Homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance and beta-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in man. Diabetologia. 1985;28(7):412–419.
  • Vardeny O, Gupta DK, Claggett B, et al. Insulin resistance and incident heart failure. JACC Heart Fail 2013;1(6):531–536.
  • Kumari R, Kumar S, Kant R. An update on metabolic syndrome: metabolic risk markers and adipokines in the development of metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2019;13(4):2409–2417.
  • Monserrat-Mesquida M, Quetglas-Llabrés M, Capó X, et al. Metabolic syndrome is associated with oxidative stress and proinflammatory state. Antioxidants. 2020;9(3):236.
  • Bagby SP. Obesity-initiated metabolic syndrome and the kidney: A recipe for chronic kidney disease? J Am Soc Nephrol. 2004;15(11):2775–2791.
  • Aguirre V, Uchida T, Yenush L, et al. The c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase promotes insulin resistance during association with insulin receptor substrate-1 and phosphorylation of Ser307. J Biol Chem. 2000;275(12):9047–9054.
  • Roberts CK, Hevener AL, Barnard RJ. Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance: underlying causes and modification by exercise training. In: Comprehensive Physiology. Hoboken (NJ): John Wiley & Sons; 2013. p. 1–58.
  • Gobato AO, Vasques ACJ, Zambon MP, et al. Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in obese adolescents. Rev Paul Pediatr. 2014;32(1):55–59.
  • Adnan E, Rahman IA, Faridin HP. Relationship between insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome components and serum uric acid. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2019;13(3):2158–2162.
  • Takiishi T, Gysemans C, Bouillon R, Mathieu C. Vitamin D and diabetes. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2010;39(2):419–446.
  • Tai K, Need AG, Horowitz M, Chapman IM. Vitamin D, glucose, insulin, and insulin sensitivity. Nutrition. 2008;24(3):279–285.
  • Barker T, Martins TB, Hill HR, et al. Circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines are elevated and peak power output correlates with 25-hydroxyvitamin D in vitamin D insufficient adults. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013;113(6):1523–1534.
  • Khoo AL, Chai LY, Koenen HJ, et al. Regulation of cytokine responses by seasonality of vitamin D status in healthy individuals. Clin Exp Immunol. 2011;164(1):72–79.
  • Chiu KC, Chu A, Go VL, Saad MF. Hypovitaminosis D is associated with insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;79(5):820–825.
  • Forouhi NG, Luan J, Cooper A, et al. Baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is predictive of future glycemic status and insulin resistance. Diabetes. 2008;57(10):2619–2625.
  • Maestro B, Campión J, Dávila N, Calle C. Stimulation by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 of insulin receptor expression and insulin responsiveness. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2000;73(1–2):1–6.
  • Sun G, Vasdev S, Martin GR, Gadag V, Zhang H. Altered calcium homeostasis is correlated with abnormalities of fasting serum glucose, insulin resistance, and beta-cell function in the Newfoundland population. Diabetes. 2005;54(11):3336–3339.
  • Ahlström T, Hagström E, Larsson A, et al. Parathyroid hormone and calcium are related to cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome. Metabolism. 2009;58(10):1482–1487.
  • Ford ES, Ajani UA, McGuire LC, Liu S. Concentrations of serum vitamin D and the metabolic syndrome among U.S. adults. Diabetes Care. 2005;28(5):1228–1230.
  • Hyppönen E, Power C. Vitamin D status and glucose homeostasis in the 1958 British birth cohort. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(10):2244–2246.
  • Esteghamati A, Aryan Z, Esteghamati AR, et al. Association of vitamin D deficiency with insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects and type 2 diabetic patients. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2015;9(4):273–277.
  • Guasch A, Bulló M, Rabassa A, et al. Plasma vitamin D levels are associated with lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes. Atherosclerosis. 2012;223(2):516–519.
  • Wortsman J, Matsuoka LY, Chen TC, Lu Z, Holick MF. Decreased bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72(3):690–693.
  • Al-Dabhani K, Tsilidis KK, Murphy N, et al. Vitamin D deficiency and risk of metabolic syndrome: a meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2017;71(1):18–25.
  • Kayaniyil S, Retnakaran R, Harris SB, et al. Prospective association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Care. 2014;37(3):661–668.
  • Mansouri M, Abasi R, Nasiri M, et al. Association of vitamin D deficiency with metabolic syndrome and obesity in adults. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2018;28(6):549–554.
  • Pittas AG, Dawson-Hughes B, Sheehan P, et al. Vitamin D supplementation and prevention of type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(6):520–530.

The Relationship between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

Year 2026, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 13 - 20, 31.01.2026
https://doi.org/10.30621/jbachs.1623952

Abstract

Purpose: Vitamin D (25-[OH]D) deficiency is a common health problem. Recently, it has been found to be associated with chronic diseases such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases and Tip 2 diabetes mellitus. The study purposed to determine the relationship between vitamin D levels and IR and MetS.

Materials and methods: Our study was a retrospective study including 52 MetS patients diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria and 74 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. Insulin resistance was defined using a HOMA-IR threshold of ≥2.5. The study population was divided into 4 groups according to insulin resistance. 31 patients with IR were included in group 1 (MetS IR+), 21 patients without IR were included in group 2, 22 healthy subjects with IR were included in group 3 and 52 healthy subjects without IR were included in group 4.

Results: 25-(OH)D values were 17.3±9.1 ng/mL for patients with MetS and 25.5±11.9 ng/mL for patients among the control group (P<0.0001). Significant statistical differences were observed in terms of 25-(OH)D levels between 1st (MetS IR+), 2nd, 3rd, and 4th groups (16.9±9.4 ng/mL, 18.6±8.5 ng/mL, 25.8±15.2 ng/mL, 25.3±9.3 ng/mL, P=0.001). 25-(OH)D remained an independent MetS IR+ predictor (P=0.004) in MetS IR+ logistic regression analysis using several variables.

Conclusion: This study suggests that vitamin D deficiency is important in the pathogenesis of MetS and IR. In addition, vitamin D deficiency may predict insulin resistance in the metabolic syndrome.

Ethical Statement

Approved by the Ethics Committee of Eskişehir Osmangazi University and conducted in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki (Date: 28.07.2020, Decision No: 10)

Supporting Institution

None

Project Number

001

Thanks

None

References

  • Stroia CM, Ghitea TC, Vrânceanu M, et al. Relationship between vitamin D3 deficiency, metabolic syndrome and VDR, GC, and CYP2R1 gene polymorphisms. Nutrients. 2024;16(9):1272.
  • Mutt SJ, Jokelainen J, Sebert S, et al. Vitamin D status and components of metabolic syndrome in older subjects from Northern Finland (latitude 65° North). Nutrients. 2019;11(6):1239.
  • Brannon PM, Fleet JC. Vitamin D. Adv Nutr. 2011;2(4):365–367.
  • Thoufeeq MH. Vitamin D: the best thing under the sun? Eurasian J Med. 2017;49(3):228.
  • Infante M, Ricordi C, Sanchez J, et al. Influence of vitamin D on islet autoimmunity and beta-cell function in type 1 diabetes. Nutrients. 2019;11(9):2185.
  • Aranow C. Vitamin D and the immune system. J Investig Med. 2011;59(6):881–886.
  • Uslu AU, Sekin Y, Tarhan G, et al. Evaluation of monocyte to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio in the presence and severity of metabolic syndrome. Clin Appl Thromb Hemost. 2018;24(5):828–833.
  • Tekin T, Cicek B, Konyaligil N. Regulatory peptide nesfatin-1 and its relationship with metabolic syndrome. Eurasian J Med. 2019;51(3):280–284.
  • Brede S, Serfling G, Klement J, et al. Clinical scenario of the metabolic syndrome. Visc Med. 2016;32(5):336–341.
  • Swarup S, Zeltser R. Metabolic syndrome. StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2020.
  • Grundy SM, Cleeman JI, Daniels SR, et al. Diagnosis and management of the metabolic syndrome: An American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute scientific statement. Circulation. 2005;112(17):2735–2752.
  • Matthews DR, Hosker JP, Rudenski AS, et al. Homeostasis model assessment: insulin resistance and beta-cell function from fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations in man. Diabetologia. 1985;28(7):412–419.
  • Vardeny O, Gupta DK, Claggett B, et al. Insulin resistance and incident heart failure. JACC Heart Fail 2013;1(6):531–536.
  • Kumari R, Kumar S, Kant R. An update on metabolic syndrome: metabolic risk markers and adipokines in the development of metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2019;13(4):2409–2417.
  • Monserrat-Mesquida M, Quetglas-Llabrés M, Capó X, et al. Metabolic syndrome is associated with oxidative stress and proinflammatory state. Antioxidants. 2020;9(3):236.
  • Bagby SP. Obesity-initiated metabolic syndrome and the kidney: A recipe for chronic kidney disease? J Am Soc Nephrol. 2004;15(11):2775–2791.
  • Aguirre V, Uchida T, Yenush L, et al. The c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase promotes insulin resistance during association with insulin receptor substrate-1 and phosphorylation of Ser307. J Biol Chem. 2000;275(12):9047–9054.
  • Roberts CK, Hevener AL, Barnard RJ. Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance: underlying causes and modification by exercise training. In: Comprehensive Physiology. Hoboken (NJ): John Wiley & Sons; 2013. p. 1–58.
  • Gobato AO, Vasques ACJ, Zambon MP, et al. Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in obese adolescents. Rev Paul Pediatr. 2014;32(1):55–59.
  • Adnan E, Rahman IA, Faridin HP. Relationship between insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome components and serum uric acid. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2019;13(3):2158–2162.
  • Takiishi T, Gysemans C, Bouillon R, Mathieu C. Vitamin D and diabetes. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 2010;39(2):419–446.
  • Tai K, Need AG, Horowitz M, Chapman IM. Vitamin D, glucose, insulin, and insulin sensitivity. Nutrition. 2008;24(3):279–285.
  • Barker T, Martins TB, Hill HR, et al. Circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines are elevated and peak power output correlates with 25-hydroxyvitamin D in vitamin D insufficient adults. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013;113(6):1523–1534.
  • Khoo AL, Chai LY, Koenen HJ, et al. Regulation of cytokine responses by seasonality of vitamin D status in healthy individuals. Clin Exp Immunol. 2011;164(1):72–79.
  • Chiu KC, Chu A, Go VL, Saad MF. Hypovitaminosis D is associated with insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004;79(5):820–825.
  • Forouhi NG, Luan J, Cooper A, et al. Baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is predictive of future glycemic status and insulin resistance. Diabetes. 2008;57(10):2619–2625.
  • Maestro B, Campión J, Dávila N, Calle C. Stimulation by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 of insulin receptor expression and insulin responsiveness. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2000;73(1–2):1–6.
  • Sun G, Vasdev S, Martin GR, Gadag V, Zhang H. Altered calcium homeostasis is correlated with abnormalities of fasting serum glucose, insulin resistance, and beta-cell function in the Newfoundland population. Diabetes. 2005;54(11):3336–3339.
  • Ahlström T, Hagström E, Larsson A, et al. Parathyroid hormone and calcium are related to cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome. Metabolism. 2009;58(10):1482–1487.
  • Ford ES, Ajani UA, McGuire LC, Liu S. Concentrations of serum vitamin D and the metabolic syndrome among U.S. adults. Diabetes Care. 2005;28(5):1228–1230.
  • Hyppönen E, Power C. Vitamin D status and glucose homeostasis in the 1958 British birth cohort. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(10):2244–2246.
  • Esteghamati A, Aryan Z, Esteghamati AR, et al. Association of vitamin D deficiency with insulin resistance in non-diabetic subjects and type 2 diabetic patients. Diabetes Metab Syndr. 2015;9(4):273–277.
  • Guasch A, Bulló M, Rabassa A, et al. Plasma vitamin D levels are associated with lipid metabolism in type 2 diabetes. Atherosclerosis. 2012;223(2):516–519.
  • Wortsman J, Matsuoka LY, Chen TC, Lu Z, Holick MF. Decreased bioavailability of vitamin D in obesity. Am J Clin Nutr 2000;72(3):690–693.
  • Al-Dabhani K, Tsilidis KK, Murphy N, et al. Vitamin D deficiency and risk of metabolic syndrome: a meta-analysis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2017;71(1):18–25.
  • Kayaniyil S, Retnakaran R, Harris SB, et al. Prospective association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with metabolic syndrome. Diabetes Care. 2014;37(3):661–668.
  • Mansouri M, Abasi R, Nasiri M, et al. Association of vitamin D deficiency with metabolic syndrome and obesity in adults. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2018;28(6):549–554.
  • Pittas AG, Dawson-Hughes B, Sheehan P, et al. Vitamin D supplementation and prevention of type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med. 2019;381(6):520–530.
There are 38 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects ​Internal Diseases, Metabolic Medicine, Health Services and Systems (Other)
Journal Section Research Article
Authors

Gülten Tarhan 0000-0002-3828-3849

Ali Ugur Uslu 0000-0002-7746-1783

Project Number 001
Submission Date January 20, 2025
Acceptance Date October 20, 2025
Publication Date January 31, 2026
Published in Issue Year 2026 Volume: 10 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Tarhan, G., & Uslu, A. U. (2026). The Relationship between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome. Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences, 10(1), 13-20. https://doi.org/10.30621/jbachs.1623952
AMA Tarhan G, Uslu AU. The Relationship between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome. JBACHS. January 2026;10(1):13-20. doi:10.30621/jbachs.1623952
Chicago Tarhan, Gülten, and Ali Ugur Uslu. “The Relationship Between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome”. Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences 10, no. 1 (January 2026): 13-20. https://doi.org/10.30621/jbachs.1623952.
EndNote Tarhan G, Uslu AU (January 1, 2026) The Relationship between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome. Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences 10 1 13–20.
IEEE G. Tarhan and A. U. Uslu, “The Relationship between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome”, JBACHS, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 13–20, 2026, doi: 10.30621/jbachs.1623952.
ISNAD Tarhan, Gülten - Uslu, Ali Ugur. “The Relationship Between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome”. Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences 10/1 (January2026), 13-20. https://doi.org/10.30621/jbachs.1623952.
JAMA Tarhan G, Uslu AU. The Relationship between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome. JBACHS. 2026;10:13–20.
MLA Tarhan, Gülten and Ali Ugur Uslu. “The Relationship Between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome”. Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences, vol. 10, no. 1, 2026, pp. 13-20, doi:10.30621/jbachs.1623952.
Vancouver Tarhan G, Uslu AU. The Relationship between Vitamin D and Insulin Resistance in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome. JBACHS. 2026;10(1):13-20.