Vitamin D Deficiency May Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Previous research has indicated that a significant amount of people are vitamin D deficient. A recent study found that vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and hypertension.

The study used data from 44,519 adults with cardiovascular disease and 251,269 adults without cardiovascular disease.

In general, the researchers found that as vitamin D levels increased, the incidence rate of cardiovascular disease and hypertension declined For example, individuals with a vitamin D level of 25 nmol/L  had an 11% higher risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those at 50 nmol/L. Participants with vitamin D levels of 50 nmol/L or above were found to have a 4.4% reduction in cardiovascular disease incidence.

The study was conducted by researchers from the University of South Australia. It was published online ahead of print on December 5, 2021 in the European Heart Journal.