P815 - VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION AND CORTISOL REGULATION IN ADULTS

P815

VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION AND CORTISOL REGULATION IN ADULTS

S. Kundu^1,*

¹ClinicalMedicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia

Rationale: Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent and may dysregulate cortisol. This study investigates whether vitamin D supplementation reduces cortisol levels, addressing a gap in stress management strategies.

Methods: A 12-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial will enroll 60 adults (aged 18–50) with low vitamin D levels (<30 ng/mL). Participants receive 4,000 IU vitamin D3 or placebo daily. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) is measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and salivary cortisol (morning and evening) by radioimmunoassay at baseline and post-intervention. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) assesses subjective stress. Primary outcome is change morning cortisol change. Secondary outcomes: evening cortisol, 25(OH)D levels, and PSS-10 scores. Data analysis using repeated-measures ANOVA, adjusting for age, sex, and baseline values; p<0.05.

Results: Expected results are summarized based on pilot data trends (Table 1). We hypothesize the vitamin D group will show a 15–20% reduction in morning cortisol (mean decrease: 2.0 µg/dL) and a 10-point increase in 25(OH)D levels (ng/mL) compared to placebo. Evening cortisol is expected to decrease by 10–15%, with PSS-10 scores improving by 3–5 points in the intervention group.

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Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation may lower cortisol levels and perceived stress in adults with suboptimal vitamin D status. If confirmed, this intervention could support stress management in clinical practice, particularly for populations at risk of deficiency.

References: 1. Methods - Holick, M. F., et al. (2011). Evaluation, treatment, and prevention of vitamin D deficiency: An Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism
2. Expected Results - Tripkovic L, Lambert H, Hart K, et al. Comparison of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 supplementation in raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status: a systematic review and meta-analysis. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Disclosure of Interest: None declared