The Relationship Between Vitamin D Status and Cardiovascular Diseases
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Published on: December 9, 2015
Vernie Soh1, Shawn Jia Xiang Tan1, Rijuvani Sehgal1
1Department of Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, School of Medicine, Belfast, UK.
Insights
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in cardiovascular health by potentially reducing risks of heart conditions. Further research, including large trials, is needed to confirm its cardioprotective effects and mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Nutritional Science
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a major global health concern.
- Observational studies suggest a link between Vitamin D levels and CVD risk.
- Vitamin D may influence the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system, impacting heart health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current evidence on Vitamin D's role in cardiovascular health.
- To explore the physiological pathways through which Vitamin D exerts cardioprotective effects.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of in vivo and in vitro studies.
- Analysis of observational data linking Vitamin D and cardiovascular conditions.
- Examination of proposed molecular mechanisms.
Main Results:
- Evidence suggests Vitamin D downregulates the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system.
- Potential reduction in risks for hypertension, heart failure, and coronary artery disease.
- Most current evidence is observational, lacking large-scale randomized trials.
Conclusions:
- Vitamin D is a critical metabolite with potential cardioprotective properties.
- Further investigation via large-scale randomized controlled trials is warranted to establish causality and efficacy.
Abstract:
With cardiovascular conditions being a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, several studies have identified that there is an important correlation between the level of Vitamin D and cardiovascular diseases, including an increased risk of hypertension, heart failure, and coronary artery diseases. Current published studies are in the form of both in vivo and in vitro studies and they primarily showed the evidence of how Vitamin D can downregulate Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system activity and therefore providing a cardioprotective role. Nevertheless, most of these studies are observational, and there yet to be large-scale randomized controlled trials which would increase the evidence of the findings.This review aims to capture the current evidence of Vitamin D as a metabolite which is critical in reducing cardiovascular conditions and the possible physiological pathways that it works via.
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