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Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease, with Emphasis on Hypertension, Atherosclerosis, and Heart Failure

Nejla Latic1, Reinhold G Erben1

  • 1Department. of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|September 9, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Vitamin D deficiency affects billions globally. While animal studies suggest cardiovascular benefits, clinical trials show mixed results, prompting a review of vitamin D

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Science
  • Nutritional Science
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Vitamin D deficiency is a global health issue, impacting nearly one billion people.
  • Vitamin D is primarily known for calcium absorption and bone health.
  • Emerging evidence suggests a role for vitamin D in the cardiovascular system, with receptors found in heart and vascular cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of vitamin D's role in cardiovascular health.
  • To explore discrepancies between experimental and clinical findings on vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular outcomes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of experimental studies (animal models) on vitamin D signaling in the cardiovascular system.
  • Analysis of observational studies linking vitamin D deficiency to cardiovascular diseases.
  • Evaluation of recent clinical intervention trials on vitamin D supplementation for cardiovascular health.

Main Results:

  • Animal studies demonstrate vitamin D's essential role in cardiovascular integrity, regulating vascular tone and acting as an antifibrotic/antihypertrophic pathway.
  • Observational studies associate vitamin D deficiency with increased risk of hypertension, atherosclerosis, and heart failure.
  • Recent clinical trials have failed to confirm a causal link between vitamin D supplementation and cardiovascular benefits.

Conclusions:

  • There is a significant gap between experimental evidence and clinical trial outcomes regarding vitamin D's cardiovascular effects.
  • Further research is needed to reconcile these discrepancies and understand the complex role of vitamin D in cardiovascular health.

Keywords:
atherosclerosiscardiovascular diseaseendothelial dysfunctionheart failurehypertensionvitamin D

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