Low in Vitamin D: You May Be Twice as Prone to Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease has been consistently ranked one of the top killers in the Philippines. Each year, many Filipinos die due to this deadly disease. In 2022, ischemic heart disease accounts for 18% of the country’s fatalities. Globally, it is also one of the top leading causes of death (together with stroke) in the last 15 years, according to the World Health Organization.

Vitamin D Deficiency as a risk factor

According to the World Heart Federation, modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular disease include physical inactivity, smoking, and diet. Aside from these, mounting studies show that Vitamin D deficiency also increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

In a 1990 study conducted by Professor Robert Scragg of the University of Auckland, it was found that the risk of heart attack was 57% lower among people with higher Vitamin D levels than those with lower Vitamin D levels.

Optimal Vitamin D levels can also help decrease the probability of cardiovascular disease. In 2002, a team of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco led by Dr. Paul Varosy found that heart disease was reduced by 31% among people who took Vitamin D supplements.

How Vitamin D helps the heart

Vitamin D relaxes blood vessels and makes them more flexible, allowing blood to flow more freely, according to Dr. Michael F. Holick in his book "The Vitamin D Solution: A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problems".

Vitamin D plays a role in several mechanisms in the body including lowering blood pressure and minimizing calcification of arteries. Skin exposure to sunlight and dietary or supplemental Vitamin D can help increase your blood levels of 25(OH)D (target is at least 32 ng/mL or 80 nmol/L in adults).

Generally, aging, an indoor lifestyle (less than 15 minutes/day of sun exposure), and existing medical conditions make us more prone to Vitamin D deficiency. Supplementing daily with a Vitamin D supplement may be beneficial in helping the body avoid diseases of the heart. 

References: 

Holick, M. (2010) The Vitamin D Solution: A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problems. Penguin.

Wimalawansa, S.J. (2018). Vitamin D and cardiovascular diseases: Causality. The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, 175, 29-43. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2016.12.016.