Vitamin D May Reduce Heart Disease & Diabetes

(February 17, 2010) - As you get older, pumping up your vitamin D (Read about "Vitamins & Minerals") might be a good idea. Middle aged and elderly people with high levels of vitamin D could reduce their chances of developing heart disease or diabetes by 43 percent, according to researchers. (Read about "Cornary Heart Disease" "Diabetes")

The researchers carried out a systematic literature review of studies examining vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders. Cardiometabolic disorders include cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. (Read about "Metabolic Syndrome")

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in some foods and is also produced when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. Fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel are good sources of vitamin D, and it is also available as a dietary supplement.

Researchers looked at 28 studies including 99,745 participants across a variety of ethnic groups including men and women. The studies revealed a significant association between high levels of vitamin D and a decreased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (33 percent compared to low levels of vitamin D), type 2 diabetes (55 percent reduction) and metabolic syndrome (51 percent reduction).

"We found that high levels of vitamin D among middle age and elderly populations are associated with a substantial decrease in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome," said one of the researchers, Dr Oscar Franco. "Targeting vitamin D deficiency in adult populations could potentially slow the current epidemics of cardiometabolic disorders."