Vitamin D May Lower Risk of Heart Failure by 25%

Approximately half of people who develop heart failure die within 5 years of diagnosis. A recent study suggests that supplementation with vitamin D may lower the risk of heart failure in mature adults by between 20% and 25%.

Researchers analyzed data from the Randomized Evaluation of Calcium Or vitamin D (RECORD) study, which included 5,292 participants. The participants were given either 800 IU/d of vitamin D3, 1,000 mg/d of calcium, a combination of the two, or a placebo. The researchers found that the risk of heart failure was reduced by 25% when people took a vitamin D supplement, when compared with those taking no vitamin D.

The researchers also looked at twenty-one other studies that included 13,033 people. After conducting a systematic review, they found that people who took vitamin D had an 18% reduction in the risk of heart failure.

Researchers from the Universities of Aberdeen and Dundee in Scotland and the University of Auckland in New Zealand conducted the study. It was published on July 23, 2014, in the American Journal of Nutrition.

Previous studies have associated vitamin D with reducing the risk of skin damage, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, combating diabetes, and improving age related macular degeneration.

Vitamin D can be found in milk, fortified cereals, fish, and eggs. Your body also processes vitamin D from the sun but it becomes harder for our bodies to process it as we age. A high quality vitamin D supplement is always a good option if you feel that you’re not getting enough through diet and sun.