There has been a significant amount of research about the benefits of vitamin D on cardiovascular disease.
- Vitamin D deficiency is a common medical problem and its prevalence rises along with patient obesity, sedentary lifestyle, limited sunlight exposure and aging.
- A great body of evidence has shown that patients with vitamin D deficiency have increased cardiovascular risks and the catch-22 circumstance begins as abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and hypertension places the patients at an increased risk of vitamin D deficiency.1
Some of the larger studies suggested that patients who raised their vitamin D levels were less likely to have a heart attack and develop heart failure. In the most recent study published in the medical journal Lancet, researchers suggest that low levels of vitamin D may be a cause high blood pressure. 2
So while doctors agree that Vitamin D deficiency has been linked with hypertension, myocardial infarction, and stroke, as well as other cardiovascular-related diseases, such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis, and endothelial dysfunction, 3 yet despite this knowledge the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the general population remains alarming and requires implementation of clear supplementation guidelines.4 Mainly because vitamin D deficiency is associated with a significant risk of cardiovascular disease and reduced survival. While Vitamin D supplementation was significantly associated with better survival, specifically in patients with documented deficiency,5 and in reducing inflammation and cardiovascular risk.6
Monitoring and adjusting Vitamin D deficiency is an important part of any health and anti-aging regimen, not only for cardiovascular patients but also for diabetes, vision problems, multiple sclerosis and general wellness.
Practical application also corroborates what researchers have noted — particularly relating to women who have type 2 diabetes and show signs of depression; vitamin D supplements significantly lowered blood pressure and improved their moods.7
1. Matyjaszek-Matuszek B1, Lenart-Lipińska M2, Woźniakowska E3. Clinical implications of vitamin D deficiency. Prz Menopauzalny. 2015 Jun;14(2):75-81. doi: 10.5114/pm.2015.52149. Epub 2015 Jun 22. [Pubmed Clinical implications of vitamin D deficiency]
2. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology, news release, June 25, 2014
3. McGreevy C, Williams D. New insights about vitamin d and cardiovascular disease: a narrative review. Ann Intern Med. 2011 Dec 20;155(12):820-6. [Pubmed Clinical implications of vitamin D deficiency]
4. Van der Schueren BJ, Verstuyf A, Mathieu C. Curr Opin Lipidol. 2011 Nov 24. Straight from D-Heart: vitamin D status and cardiovascular disease.
5. Vacek JL, Vanga SR, Good M, Lai SM, Lakkireddy D, Howard PA. Vitamin D Deficiency and Supplementation and Relation to Cardiovascular Health. Am J Cardiol. 2011 Nov 7. [Epub ahead of print]
6. Gupta GK, Agrawal T, Delcore MG, Mohiuddin SM, Agrawal DK. Vitamin D deficiency induces cardiac hypertrophy and inflammation in epicardial adipose tissue in hypercholesterolemic swine. Exp Mol Pathol. 2012 Apr 17;93(1):82-90. [Epub ahead of print]
