The prevention and treatment of heart disease in some patients could be as simple as your diet include vitamin D supplements, according to two studies from the Heart Institute at Intermountain Medical Center Murray (USA). The results of both studies were made public during the annual scientific meeting of the American College of Cardiology meeting in Atlanta.
The researchers last fall showed the link between vitamin D deficiency and increased risk of coronary artery disease. These new studies show that treatment of the deficiency in vitamin D supplements may help prevent or reduce a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease and a variety of chronic disorders. The researchers also determined the level of vitamin D which increases the risk reduction.
J. explains Brent Muhlestein, “replacement therapy of vitamin D is associated with reduced risk of fractures and bone diseases. But our findings show that vitamin D could have wider implications for the treatment and reduction of cardiovascular disease and other conditions chronic than we thought before.”
For the first of their studies, the researchers followed two groups of patients for a year. In the first study group involved more than 9,400 patients, mostly women, who reported initial low levels of vitamin D and had at least one follow-up examination during that period of time.
The researchers found that 47 percent of patients who increased their vitamin D levels between the two visits showed a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
In the second study, researchers put more than 31,000 patients in three categories based on their levels of vitamin D. Patients in each category that increased levels of vitamin D to 43 nanograms per milliliter of blood or more had the lowest mortality rates, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, myocardial infarction, heart failure, hypertension, depression and kidney failure. At present, a level of 30 nanograms per milliliter is considered ‘normal’.
“It was very important to find that levels ‘normal’ were too low. Giving physicians a higher level to look provides a tool to identify patients at risk and provide better treatment,” says Heidi May, co-author study.
Muhlestein for his part said that the results of both studies will change the way they treat their patients. “Although clinical trials are coming that will be useful, I feel that there is enough information to begin treatment as this discovery,” added the researchers.
The choices here are simple, as they would begin with a blood test to determine the level of vitamin D from the patient, if detected low levels may be prescribed supplements or increased sun exposure.
According to the researchers, increased intake of vitamin D from 1,000 to 5,000 international units (IU) could be the right thing one day, depending on the health and genetic risks for the patient. Most supplements on the market provide an average of 400 IU per capsule.
Although exposure of 20 to 30 minutes in the light of the sun can provide up to 10,000 IU, Muhlestein said it was important to use sun protection factor and avoid the hottest parts of the day to avoid sunburn and ultraviolet rays associated with skin cancer.