Vitamin D Deficiency May Significantly Increase Risk of Stroke, Heart Disease and Death

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A new study suggests that Vitamin D contributes to a strong and healthy heart and that inadequate levels of the vitamin may significantly increase a person's risk of stroke, heart disease, and death, even among people who've never had heart disease.

Newcastle, UK, November 18, 2009 (PressReleasePoint) -- A new study suggests that Vitamin D contributes to a strong and healthy heart and that inadequate levels of the vitamin may significantly increase a person's risk of stroke, heart disease, and death, even among people who've never had heart disease.

The researchers followed up 27,686 patients who were 50 years of age or older, with no prior history of cardiovascular disease. These patients had their blood vitamin D levels tested during routine clinical care. They were then divided into 3 groups based on their Vitamin D levels i.e. normal, low, or very low. The patients were then followed up to see if they developed some form of heart disease.

The researchers found that patients with very low levels of vitamin D were 77 percent more likely to die, 45 percent more likely to develop coronary artery disease, and 78 percent were more likely to have a stroke, than patients with normal levels. Patients with very low levels of vitamin D were also twice as likely to develop heart failure compared to those with normal vitamin D levels.

According to one of the researchers:

"We concluded that among patients 50 years of age or older, even a moderate deficiency of vitamin D levels was associated with developing coronary artery disease, heart failure, stroke, and death."

"This is important because vitamin D deficiency is easily treated. If increasing levels of vitamin D can decrease some risk associated with these cardiovascular diseases, it could have a significant public health impact.”

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