Vitamin D Important for Heart Health

by Irfan Qureshi, ND

Vitamin D has long held the leading role in building and maintaining strong bones, but recent studies also show this vitamin plays an important role in protecting your heart. Vitamin D is linked to supporting a number of key areas of your body including bones, muscles, mood and healthy weight management, and now your heart can receive the same support. According to researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Murray, Utah, a number of studies have illustrated the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and optimal heart health and were presented during the American College of Cardiology’s 59th annual scientific session.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin essential to the body. This hormone-like nutrient helps in many biological processes and most people fail to get an adequate daily supply. In 2010, the Food and Nutrition Board set the daily recommended intake of vitamin D for children and adults up to age 70 to 400-600 IU depending upon life stage and gender. The researchers at the Intermountain Medical Center found that not only do most people not meet these very basic daily requirements, most would benefit from an increased daily amount of vitamin D. More specifically, the results of several studies found that correcting vitamin D deficiency offered an array of cardiovascular benefits.

In one study, more than 9,000 patients whose blood tests showed vitamin D levels below the normal range (30 nanograms per milliliter) had their levels monitored over a period of time. Those who eventually raised their levels of vitamin D to greater than 30 nanograms/ml were less likely to be at risk of suffering from poor cardiovascular health as compared to those whose levels remained below the normal range. In a second study, the researchers found that those who were severely deficient in vitamin D were more likely to have been diagnosed with a major cardiovascular issue than those who were within the adequate range. Furthermore, their research found that those who had vitamin D levels of 43 nanograms per milliliter or higher had the best chance of maintaining optimal heart health.

Overall, the Institute concluded that vitamin D is a key factor for maintaining a healthy heart and peak cardiovascular function. J. Brent Muhlestein, MD, the director of cardiovascular research at the Institute suggests that most people would benefit from an increase of vitamin D to a daily amount of 1,000-5,000 IU. Ensuring you maintain an adequate level of vitamin D each day can be achieved through an easy combination of daily supplementation, diet and brief exposure to the UV light of the sun.