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Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Evidence-Based Supplement Research

Vitamin D and Reduced Blood Cholesterol

Research synthesisModerate evidenceSmall effect8 studies · 3 beneficial · 5 neutral · 0 harmful

Across 8 studies, 3 reported small beneficial effects of vitamin D supplementation on reducing blood cholesterol, while 5 found neutral effects. The median study duration was 42 days (6 weeks), suggesting effects may be observed within this timeframe. Evidence primarily comes from clinical populations (e.g., pediatric MASLD, gestational diabetes, diabetes/prediabetes) and overweight/obese children, with no clear convergence on a single dose or form.

  • Studied populations: clinical populations (pediatric MASLD, gestational diabetes, diabetes/prediabetes) and children with overweight/obesity

Caveats: Three of 8 studies reported statistically significant findings, but 5 did not reach significance, suggesting the effect may be smaller than the beneficial direction implies. Benefits were observed mostly in specific clinical or pediatric subgroups, so generalizing to healthy adults is uncertain. Many of the included studies did not reach statistical significance — effect may be smaller than the predominant direction suggests.

Generated Jul 14, 2026
Doses used in studies
  • IU/day: 1,000 (median 1,000, IQR 1,0001,000) 1 study
Time to effect
Median: 6 weeks · IQR 6 weeks6 weeks · Range 6 weeks6 weeks — Reported in 1 of 8 studies
8 of 8 papers
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