A review of vitamin D status and CVD

Beyond the well-accepted effects on the skeleton, low vitamin D status has been linked to increased risk of several non-skeletal disease, including CVD. If low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentration is causally linked to risk of CVD then this is important not only because low vitamin D status is quite common particularly in winter in countries above 40°N, but also of key relevance is the fact that such low vitamin D status can be improved by food-based strategies. The overarching aim of the present paper is to review the current evidence-base to support a link between low vitamin D status and CVD risk. The review initially briefly overviews how mechanistically vitamin D may play a role in CVD and then reviews the current available evidence-base to support a link between low vitamin D status and CVD risk, with particular emphasis on data from the randomised control trials, cohort studies and recent meta-analysis data as well as to the conclusions of a number of authoritative agencies/bodies. Finally, the review summarises current serum 25(OH)D concentrations within a select number of adult populations in the context of different definitions of vitamin D status proposed recently, and then briefly highlights food-based strategies for increasing vitamin D intake and status. In conclusion, at present the data for a causal link between low vitamin D status and CVD are mixed and ambiguous; however, should causality be affirmed by ongoing and future studies, there are food-based strategies for enhanced vitamin D status in the population which could ultimately lower risk of CVD.