Investigating the Effect of Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation Along With High-intensity Circuit Training on Lipid Profile and Body Fat in Overweight Elderly

Lifestyle changes, such as dietary modifications and exercise, are highly recommended for managing dyslipidemia. This study aims to investigate the combined effects of high-intensity circuit training along with vitamin D and calcium supplementation on body fat and plasma lipid profiles in overweight elderly.

A total of 47 elderly subjects were randomly divided into 4 groups based on their body mass index as follows: Vitamin D and calcium supplementation+high-intensity circuit training group (D+Ca+T: n=12); high-intensity circuit training+placebo (T+P: n=13); vitamin D and calcium supplementation (D+Ca: n=12); and control group (CON: n=10). The subjects in the D+Ca group respectively received vitamin D and Ca supplements at 50 000 IU per week and 1000 mg per day for 8 weeks. Meanwhile, the subjects in training groups exercised 3 times per week for 8 weeks. The subjects in the D+Ca+T group participated in both treatments. The control group was instructed to maintain their regular daily routine throughout the study period. Body fat and blood lipid levels were assessed at the beginning of the study and after the 8-week intervention. 

The D+Ca+T, T+P, and D+Ca groups exhibited significant reductions in body fat percentage (P≤0.05), while no significant changes were observed in the control group. Additionally, total cholesterol, triglycerides, High-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly improved in the D+Ca+T, T+P, and D+Ca groups (P≤0.05), with no significant changes observed in these variables in the control group.

The results showed that high-intensity circuit training, vitamin D, and calcium supplementation would positively affect body fat and blood lipid profiles in overweight elderly. Moreover, vitamin D and calcium supplementation were especially effective when combined with exercise training.