Low Vitamin D Levels May Raise Heart Attack Risk

by | Aug 26, 2008 | 2008, Cardiovascular Health, Heart Attack, Vitamin D - Heart

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Study has found that low vitamin D levels may play a role in heart attacks.

A recent study (1) has found that low vitamin D levels may play a role in heart attacks.  Over 700,000 Americans have a heart attack for the first time each year.  Heart attacks cause 1 in every 5 deaths in the U.S. and incur costs of $151.6 billion each year (2).

Previous research has shown an association between cardiovascular disease-related deaths at higher latitudes, with increases during the winter months (3).  Building on these findings, 900 patients from the Health Professional Follow-up Study (HPFS) (4) completed food frequency questionnaires (5) and provided blood samples during the study period, 1993 to 2003.

The researchers found that those with vitamin D blood levels of 15 ng/mL or less had a 53% increased risk of a heart attack, compared to those with vitamin D blood levels of at least 30 ng/mL.  Even when the researchers controlled for other heart disease risks, including family history of disease (heart attack, diabetes, high blood pressure), body mass index, alcohol consumption, physical activity, ethnicity, region, omega-3 fatty acid intake, and LDL/HDL cholesterol, there was still a 24% increased risk for heart attack in the group with lower blood levels of vitamin D.

For the researchers, “low levels of [vitamin D] are associated with higher risk of [heart attack]…even after controlling for factors known to be associated with coronary artery disease” and that “the amount of vitamin D required for optimal benefit may be much higher than would be provided by current recommendations (200-600 IU/d).”

Source: Giovannucci, Edward, Yan Liu, Bruce W. Hollis, and Eric B. Rimm. “25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of myocardial infarction in men: a prospective study.” Archives of internal medicine 168, no. 11 (2008): 1174-1180.

© 2008 American Medical Association. All rights reserved

Posted August 26, 2008.

References:

  1. Giovanucci E.  25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Risk of Myocardial Infarction in Men: A Prospective Study.  Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(11):1174-1180.
  2. American Heart Association Update.  Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics—2007 Update.  Circulation. 2007;115:e69-e171
  3. Zittermann A, Schleithoff SS, Koerfer R. Putting cardiovascular disease and vitamin D insufficiency into perspective. Br J Nutr. 2005;94(4):483-492.
  4. Rimm EB, Giovannucci EL, Willett WC; et al. Prospective study of alcohol consumption and risk of coronary disease in men. Lancet. 1991;338(8765):464-468.
  5. Rimm EB, Giovannucci EL, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Litin LB, Willett WC. Reproducibility and validity of an expanded self-administered semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire among male health professionals. Am J Epidemiol. 1992;135(10):1114-1126