Vitamin D Deficiency Trigger Heart Disease

Vitamin D deficiency may cause increased risk of heart disease is easily repaired.

The researchers said the growth of the body suggests that vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of heart disease and other diseases closely associated with heart disease such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.


Several studies have shown that people with low vitamin D levels had a 2 times greater risk of heart attack, stroke, and diseases associated with other heart disease compared with people who have vitamin D levels are higher.

"Vitamin D deficiency is not visible, but the risk of cardiovascular disease to worry about," says researcher James H. O'Keefe, MD, director of preventive cardiology at the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City. "Vitamin D is easily obtained; supplementation is simple, safe and inexpensive."

Most of the body's vitamin D requirements are met through the skin response to sun exposure. Another source of vitamin D is salmon, sardines, cod liver oil, milk, and cereals. Vitamin D can also be consumed in supplement form.

Vitamin D deficiency is increasing

Vitamin D deficiency is usually associated with weak bones and muscles, but in recent years a number of studies show that low levels of vitamin D can cause high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and chronic inflammation of blood vessels. In addition, it can also alter levels of hormones that increase insulin resistance, which increases the risk of diabetes.

In a review article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the researchers present the latest data linking vitamin D deficiency with heart disease and advice on screening and treatment.

The researchers said vitamin D deficiency has to do with habits of life of people who spend more time indoors and try to minimize sun exposure with sunscreen use. Sunscreen with a sun protection factor of almost 99% block of vitamin D so it cannot penetrate the skin.

"We rarely outside the room, and older people and people who are overweight are less effective response to sunlight," said O'Keefe. "A little sunlight is good for health, but use sunscreen to protect skin from cancer is also important when you are outdoors more than 15-30 minutes of exposure to sunlight.”

"Returning to normal levels of vitamin D is important for maintaining bone health and muscle, as well as improving cardiovascular health," said O'Keefe.

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