Less cardiovascular risk when taking more vitamin D!

Vitamin D in the blood appears to reduce cardiovascular risk and mortality from heart attack, stroke, and other diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Specifically, each increase of 10 nanograms of vitamin D, per milliliter of blood, corresponds to a 10% decrease in the risk of cardiovascular events, and a 12% decrease in the likelihood of dying from related diseases. Although more studies are needed to define them, the vitamin's effects on the cardiovascular system appear to be due to the combination of multiple mechanisms of action.

This was discovered by a team of scientists from several research centers, including Capital Medical University in Beijing (China), and Pennsylvania State University (USA). The research of was published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Cardiovascular risk: can vitamin D deficiency increase it?

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of mortality and disability in Western countries. The prevalence of these diseases is due to both the increased incidence of disease conditions and the spread of an unhealthy lifestyle. In the definition of cardiovascular diseases, all those affecting the heart and blood vessels are included. The most common are myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, cardiomyopathies, heart failure, arrhythmias, and cerebrovascular diseases, including ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. The main cause of cardiovascular disorders is a chronic inflammatory disease called atherosclerosis, caused by the presence of atherosclerotic plaques, thickenings of the inner wall of the arteries that reduce blood flow. Cardiovascular diseases have a multifactorial origin, that is, caused by multiple risk factors that simultaneously contribute to their development:

• advanced age
• male
• familiarity
• cigarette smoke
• poor nutrition
• hypertension
• high cholesterol
• diabetes

Vitamin D deficiency in the bloodstream may also be associated with heart failure and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, according to some recent findings. Vitamin D is critical for the maintenance of bone health. However, it is now well established that adequate vitamin D status is also important in counteracting certain types of malignancies, and in maintaining immune and cardiovascular system function. Vitamin D deficiency, in fact, in adults causes osteopenia, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, fractures, some cancers, autoimmune, infectious, and cardiovascular diseases. The term vitamin D refers to two biologically inactive precursors, D3, or cholecalciferol, and D2, or ergocalciferol. Both precursors are converted in the liver and kidneys into 25(OH)D, and into 1,25(OH)2D the metabolically active form of the vitamin. Most vitamin D is synthesized by the body by the action of the sun on the skin. This is why its levels in populations in northern European countries are very low during the winter months(https://www.omegor.com/blog-omega-3/omega-3-ossa-sistema-muscolo-scheletrico/omega-3-ossa-colonna-vertebrale/carenza-vitamina-d-salute-a-rischio-per-migliaia-di-europei/). In this regard, dietary supplements and fortified foods are considered by many to be the best way to increase vitamin D intake by warding off its deficiency.

A 10 ng increase in vitamin D reduces the risk of cardiovascular events by 10 percent

Although over the past decade, an increasing number of studies have focused on the relationship between vitamin D and cardiovascular disease, the link between 25(OH)D and cardiovascular risk is still unclear. Therefore, the team of researchers related values of blood concentrations of 25(OH)D to cardiovascular events and mortality by analyzing data from several scientific studies. The values obtained revealed that for each 10-nanogram increase, per milliliter of blood, in vitamin D, the risk of cardiovascular events decreased by 10 percent and the probability of death from cardiovascular disease by 12 percent. This suggested that higher concentrations of 25(OH)D had had a protective effect on cardiovascular events in general and the mortality caused by them.

Some details of the meta-analysis study

The researchers to conduct the meta-analysis collected data from 34 scientific publications, totaling more than 180,000 people from different populations. Of these, 9,170 were people who died of cardiovascular disease, 7,074 were cases of ischemic heart disease or myocardial infarction, 3,127 were cases of stroke, and 3,037 were cases of heart failure. Analyzing the statistical results, the research authors observed an inverse association of blood 25(OH)D with total cardiovascular events and the mortality rate caused by them.

How does the sunshine vitamin act?

As the researchers stated, it is currently not known exactly how vitamin D may affect cardiovascular risk, but data from other research indicate several potential mechanisms of action. Some experimental studies have indicated a regulatory effect of vitamin D on cardiomyocytes, the cells of the heart, and smooth muscle cells of blood vessels. In addition, 25(OH)D can regulate the renin-angiotensin system, which modulates blood pressure. Finally, vitamin D may have an anti-inflammatory action, playing an important role in counteracting atherogenesis, that is, the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. Vitamin D also inhibits certain proteins, called metallo proteinases, which are implicated in the instability of atherosclerotic plaques and thus in the progression of atherosclerosis.

The role of vitamin D in reducing cardiovascular risk remains to be further investigated

According to the researchers who conducted the study, further investigations will be needed to confirm the role of vitamin D in preventing diseases of the cardiovascular system. Just as the optimal concentration of the vitamin that can reduce the overall risk of cardiovascular disease remains to be defined. In any case, vitamin D is inversely associated with cardiovascular events and could be an inexpensive and effective strategy to reduce mortality from heart attacks and strokes. Omegor D3drops is a vitamin D3 dietary supplement that be can be used in all cases of increased need, or decreased dietary intake, of vitamin D. Each drop of D3 drops provides as much as 400 IU (international units) of vitamin D3, or 10 micrograms.  

Source: R. Zhang et al. "Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and the risk of cardiovascular disease: dose-response meta-analysis of prospective studies." American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.