Diabetologia, DOI 10.1007/s00125-014-3293-x
Z. Asemi: Research Center for Biochemistry and Nutrition in Metabolic Diseases, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, I. R. Iran
M. Karamali: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, School of Medicine, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran
A. Esmaillzadeh (*)
Food Security Research Center, Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Science, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran e-mail: Esmaillzadeh at hlth.mui.ac.ir
Aims/hypothesis This study was designed to assess the effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on the metabolic status of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
Methods This randomized placebo-controlled trial was performed at maternity clinics affiliated with Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran. Participants were 56 women with GDM at 24-28 weeks gestation (18 to 40 years of age). Subjects were randomly assigned to receive calcium plus vitamin D supplements or a placebo. All study participants were blinded to group assignments. Individuals in the calcium-vitamin D group (n=28) received 1,000 mg calcium per day and a 50,000 U vitamin D3 pearl twice during the study (at the study baseline and on day 21 of the intervention), and those in the placebo group (n=28) received two placebos at the mentioned times. Fasting blood samples were taken at the study baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention.
Results The study was completed by 51 participants (calcium-vitamin D n=25, placebo n=26). However, as the analysis was based on an intention-to-treat approach, all 56 women with GDM (28 in each group) were included in the final analysis. After the administration of calcium plus vitamin D supplements, we observed a significant reduction in fasting plasma glucose (-0.89±0.69 vs. +0.26±0.92 mmol/l, p<0.001), serum insulin levels (-13.55±35.25 vs. +9.17± 38.50 pmol/l, p=0.02) and HOMA-IR (—0.91±1.18 vs + 0.63±2.01, p=0.001) and a significant increase in QUICKI (+0.02±0.03 vs. —0.002±0.02, p=0.003) compared with placebo. In addition, a significant reduction in serum LDL-cholesterol (—0.23±0.79 vs. +0.26±0.74 mmol/l, p= 0.02) and total cholesterol: HDL-cholesterol ratio (—0.49± 1.09 vs. +0.18±0.37, p=0.003) and a significant elevation in HDL-cholesterol levels (+0.15±0.25 vs —0.02±0.24 mmol/l, p=0.01) was seen after intervention in the calcium-vitamin D group compared with placebo. In addition, calcium plus vitamin D supplementation resulted in a significant increase in GSH (+51.14±131.64 vs. —47.27±203.63 mol/l,p=0.03) and prevented a rise in MDA levels (+0.06±0.66 vs +0.93± 2.00 mol/l, p=0.03) compared with placebo.
Conclusions/interpretation Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation in women with GDM had beneficial effects on their metabolic profile.
Trial registration www.irct.ir IRCT201311205623N11
Funding The study was supported by a grant (no. 92110) from Kashan University of Medical Sciences.
Changes after 42 days
Vitamin D was given on day 0 and day 21
 Download the PDF from VitaminDWiki
See also VitaminDWiki
- Overview Middle East and vitamin D
- Overview Pregnancy and vitamin D
- Gestational diabetes reduced by just two 50,000 IU doses of vitamin D – RCT Nov 2014
same authors as a study on this page - Gestational Diabetes helped by Vitamin D and Calcium (also less C-section and LGA) – RCT Jan 2016 )
same authors as a study on this page
Pages listed in BOTH the categories of Diabetes and Pregnancy
- Gestational Diabetes best fought by Vitamin D plus probiotics – RCT review Dec 2023
- Diabetes 30% more likely in those with low birth weight - June 2023
- Gestational Diabetes Mellitus 10X more-likely if low vitamin D in first trimester – July 2022
- Gestational Diabetes 2.1 X more likely if less than 30 ng of Vitamin D - July 2022
- Gestational diabetes risk reduced 1.5X by Vitamin D – meta-analysis March 2021
- Gestational Diabetes – increased risk if poor Vitamin D Receptor – 2 Meta-Analyses 2021
- Gestational Diabetes 2.4X more likely if poor Vitamin D Receptor (region in China) – June 2019
- Vitamin D food fortification during pregnancy reduced gestational diabetes in daughters by 13 percent – Nov 2018
- Gestational Diabetes 3 X more likely if poor Vitamin D receptor (Turkey) – May 2019
- Type 1 Diabetes risk increased if high postpartum Vitamin D binding protein – Jan 2019
- Vitamin D treats Gestational Diabetes, decreases hospitalization and newborn complications – meta-analysis March 2019
- Maternal Diabetes and Risk of Autism in Offspring – JAMA June 2018
- Gestational Diabetes 39 percent more likely if insufficient Vitamin D – Meta-analysis March 2018
- Gestational Diabetes 1.9 X more likely if low vitamin D – review Dec 2017
- Congenital Heart Disease is associated with gestational diabetes in first trimester (need Vitamin D and Omega-3 early) Dec 2017
- Gestational Diabetes Mellitus associated with 4 Vitamin D genes – Oct 2015
- Gestational diabetes 30 percent less likely if consumed more than 400 IU of vitamin D daily – Oct 2017
- Low vitamin D plus gestational diabetes resulted in increased ICU use, SGA – Oct 2016
- Gestational diabetes treated by Vitamin D plus Omega-3 – RCT Feb 2017
- Gestational Diabetes reduce 3 times by 5,000 IU of Vitamin D – RCT Jan 2016
- Gestational Diabetes treated with 50,000 IU every two weeks – RCT Sept 2016
- Low vitamin D in pregnancy – epigenetic pancreas problems in offspring (mice) – May 2016
- MAGNESIUM IN MAN - IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH AND DISEASE – review 2015
- Gestational Diabetes 3.7 X more likely if smoke and have low vitamin D (no surprise) – Feb 2016
- Gestational Diabetes helped by Vitamin D and Calcium (also less C-section and LGA) – RCT Jan 2016
- T1 Diabetes in child not prevented by a tiny amount of vitamin D during pregnancy – Nov 2015
- Gestational Diabetes Mellitus 1.5X more likely if low vitamin D – meta-analysis Oct 2015
- Gestational Diabetes increasing, especially in dark skinned women (low vitamin D) - 2007
- Increased Gestational Diabetes and poorer infant health associated with low vitamin D – June 2015
- Gestational Diabetes in 10 percent of pregnancies, vitamin D probably helps – Jan 2014
- Gestational diabetes – Vitamin D and Calcium provided huge benefits – RCT March 2015
- Gestational diabetes reduced by just two 50,000 IU doses of vitamin D – RCT Nov 2014
- Gestational Diabetes reduced with 50,000 IU of vitamin D every 3 weeks and daily Calcium – RCT June 2014
- Gestational Diabetes reduced 40 percent by 5,000 IU of vitamin D – RCT April 2014
- Insulin resistance during pregnancy improved with 50,000 IU of vitamin D every 2 weeks – RCT April 2013
- Will 1600 IU vitamin D prevent gestational diabetes – no, not enough, July 2013
- Vitamin D protects against many types of health problems – review May 2013
- Dr. Holick video on vitamin D - March 2013
- Gestational diabetes 2.2X more likely below 10 ng of vitamin D – June 2012
- Gestational diabetes 60 percent more likely below 20 ng of vitamin D – meta-analysis Feb 2012
- Type I diabetes 2X more likely if mother had low vitamin D – Jan 2012
- 300,000 IU injection loading dose of vitamin D3 stopped gestational diabetes in RCT – Oct 2011
- Less muscle and insulin resistance for children of vitamin D deficient mothers – Jan 2011
- Vitamin D Levels at Birth May Predict Obesity Risk at age 3 - Oct 2010
See also web
- Nutragedients comment on same study June 2014
GDM 7% in the US, 1%-14% around the world - Lowering Diabetes Risk After Pregnancy NYT March 2015
9% of pregnant women have gestational diabetes  Download PDF from VitaminDWiki
about half of these women will develop Type 2 diabetes later in life. (no mention of vitamin D) - Early pregnancy maternal vitamin D concentrations and risk of GDM
May 2015 " A 5-ng/mL increase in 25OHD3 concentration was associated with a 14% decrease in GDM risk." - Gestational Diabetes was not treated by 1,600 IU daily - RCT 2019
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2019.04.006 DALI