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Vitamin D and cardiovascular disease.
1Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA. egiovann@hsph.harvard.edu
Current Atherosclerosis Reports
|October 27, 2009
Summary
Low vitamin D levels increase cardiovascular disease risk. Maintaining adequate vitamin D (25-hydroxy-vitamin D) may be crucial for heart health, with optimal levels potentially above 30 ng/mL.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Emerging evidence links deficient vitamin D status to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
- The specific cardiovascular functions regulated by vitamin D are under investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the relationship between vitamin D status and cardiovascular disease risk.
- To elucidate potential mechanisms by which vitamin D influences cardiovascular health.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent studies on vitamin D and cardiovascular outcomes.
- Analysis of potential physiological pathways affected by vitamin D, including blood pressure regulation, myocardial function, and inflammation.
Main Results:
- Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher risks of both ischemic and nonischemic cardiovascular diseases.
- Key mechanisms include influence on the renin-angiotensin system, parathyroid hormone, myocardial function, inflammation, and vascular calcification.
- Elevated cardiovascular risk is noted at 25-hydroxy-vitamin D levels below 10-15 ng/mL; optimal levels may be ≥30 ng/mL.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin D plays a potentially significant role in cardiovascular health.
- Further research, including randomized controlled trials, is needed to confirm these findings and establish optimal vitamin D supplementation strategies for CVD prevention.
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