Impact of Vitamin D Deficiency on Cardio Metabolic Ageing in Middle Aged Adults in India: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Advancing age is accompanied by a gradual deterioration in physiological function, resulting in an increased risk of chronic diseases and early mortality. Growing evidence suggests that inadequate vitamin D status may be associated with unfavourable metabolic and cardiovascular alterations. Nevertheless, information regarding the association of vitamin D status with integrated cardio-metabolic biomarkers of ageing in middle-aged adults is currently limited. Study Objective: To investigate whether cardio-metabolic biomarkers of biological ageing differ according to vitamin D status in middle-aged adults. This cross-sectional investigation included 174 middle-aged participants between 45 and 65 years of age. Cardio-metabolic ageing was evaluated using key cardiovascular indices, comprising resting heart rate, blood pressure, and heart rate variability measurements together with metabolic indicators such as HbA1c, body fat percentage, lipid profile, and waist-hip ratio. Serum vitamin D concentration was determined to classify participants according to vitamin D status. A Mann–Whitney U test was applied to evaluate between-group differences according to vitamin D status. Individuals with deficient vitamin D status exhibited greater waist-hip ratio, total cholesterol, and low density lipoprotein than adequate vitamin D status (p<0.001). Heart rate variability analysis further revealed impaired autonomic regulation among participants exhibiting lower circulating vitamin D concentrations. Overall, the findings support that inadequate levels of vitamin D are connected to an unfavourable cardiometabolic profile in middle-aged adults and may contribute to the early development of physiological changes related to ageing.