Vitamin D and cardiovascular health

Abstract

It is well-known that vitamin D supplementation improves bone strength and deficiency leads to rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.1 Through observational studies it was noted that vitamin D deficiency is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.2,3 In 2008, Giovannucci et al., reported that in The Health Professional Follow-Up Study which was conducted on 50,000 men, those men who were deficient in vitamin D were twice more likely to suffer from a myocardial infarction than those with adequate levels.4 Additionally, in a cohort of patients, Ford et al., identified a statistically significantly association between low vitamin D levels and obesity, glucose intolerance, metabolic syndrome and hypertension, which all increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.5 This manuscript will review how vitamin D deficiency may predispose to coronary problems and how adequate vitamin D stores may improve cardiovascular health.