Previous studies have found that low vitamin D levels are linked to heart disease but now a piece of research(1) has been conducted which has found that treating vitamin D deficiency with supplements may actually help to prevent or reduce a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease and a host of other chronic conditions. The findings of this study were presented at the American College of Cardiology 59th annual scientific session in Atlanta on March 15, 2010. The findings are significant since, as previously mentioned in my blog posts, most people in the UK have insufficient vitamin D levels in their blood.
In a press release (2) Dr J. Brent Muhlestein, MD, director of cardiovascular research at the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute said: “Vitamin D replacement therapy has long been associated with reducing the risk of fractures and diseases of the bone,” “But our findings show that vitamin D could have far greater implications in the treatment and reduction of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions than we previously thought.”
In this current study(1) the scientists looked to see whether normalising low vitamin D levels (to a level of greater than 30ng/mL) was associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. They found that increasing vitamin D levels to 43 nanograms per milliliter of blood or higher had lower rates of death, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction (heart attack), heart failure, high blood pressure, depression, and kidney failure. The authors conclude that their data suggests that normalising deficient vitamin D levels is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and they call for further clinical trials to be held. They also note that since testing for vitamin D is simple and relatively inexpensive, and therapy is safe and easily administered, patients with low levels should be considered for supplementation.
One of the study authors, Heidi May, PhD, a cardiovascular clinical epidemiologist with the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute, said in a press release(2) that the link between low levels of vitamin D and increased risk for a variety of diseases is significant. “It was very important to discover that the ‘normal’ levels are too low. Giving physicians a higher level to look for gives them one more tool in identifying patients at-risk and offering them better treatment,”. Dr. Muhlestein commented (2) that the results of these studies will change the way he treats his patients. “Although randomized trials would be useful and are coming, I feel there is enough information here for me to start treatment based on these findings,”
A simple blood test is all that it takes to check an individual’s vitamin D level. If the level is below around 40ng/ml supplements can be used to raise it. As mentioned before there is no official consensus yet over how much vitamin D to supplement . 2000iu daily may be sufficient but some individuals advocate using up to 5000iu daily. If you are thinking about high dose supplementation I would recommend going to see your medical doctor who can monitor your blood vitamin D levels accurately over time.
(1)Study findings were at the American College of Cardiology 59th annual scientific session in Atlanta on March 15, 2010 (http://acc10.acc.org/Pages/ACC2010Home.aspx) Bair T et al. 2010. Supplementing Deficient Vitamin D Levels is Associated with Reduced Cardiovascular Risk e-abstract 1186-111 http://files.abstractsonline.com/CTRL/fe/a/4f1/795/216/4d0/fa6/ea2/08b/557/39c/86/a11195_1.pdf
(2)Press release: Intermountain Medical Center (2010, March 15). Treating vitamin D deficiency significantly reduces heart disease risk, studies find. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 16, 2010, from http://www.sciencedaily.com¬ /releases/2010/03/100315161716.htm
Written by Ani Kowal
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