Vitamin D deficiency may increase CVD risk, BP
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Individuals with vitamin D deficiency were more likely to develop CVD and higher BP than those with normal levels of vitamin D, according to findings published in the European Heart Journal.
“Severe deficiency is relatively rare, but in settings where this does occur it is very important to be proactive and avoid negative effects on the heart,” Elina Hyppönen, PhD, MPH, MSc, the director of the Australian Centre for Precision Health at the University of South Australia Cancer Research Center, said in a press release. “For example, deficiency can be a problem for people living in residential care who may have limited exposure to sun.”
Hyppönen and colleagues conducted a nonlinear Mendelian randomized study. They analyzed data from the U.K. Biobank on 44,519 patients with CVD and 251,269 control cases. The participants underwent genetic profiling and only individuals with “patterns of relatedness” were enrolled. The researchers also conducted final genetic analyses on those with complete information on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, or serum 25(OH)D, concentration and relevant covariates. According to a press release, a serum 25(OH)D of less than 30 nmol/L is deficient, 30 nmol/L to 50 nmol/L is mildly deficient and greater than 50 nmol/L is sufficient for healthy bones.
Overall, the average serum 25(OH)D concentration among participants was 50 nmol/L, Hyppönen and colleagues observed. However, 55% of participants had low levels of vitamin D and 13% had severe vitamin D deficiency, with levels below 25 nmol/L. Only 107 participants had concentrations above 150 nmol/L.
Every 10 nmol/L increase was associated with 1.6% lower odds of developing CVD (OR = 0.98, 95% CI, 0.98–0.99), according to the researchers. The Mendelian randomization revealed 11% higher odds (95% CI, 1.05-1.18) of CVD among individuals with serum 25(OH)D at 25 nmol/L compared with those with 50 nmol/L. The researchers reported similar findings for systolic and diastolic BP. Individuals with 25 nmol/L were estimated to have 0.7 mm Hg (95% CI, 0.15–1.26) higher systolic BP and 0.25 mm Hg (95% CI, –0.02 to 0.51) higher diastolic BP compared with individuals with 50 nmol/L.
She noted in the release that an estimated 4.4% of all CVD cases could have been prevented by increasing vitamin D-deficient individuals to serum 25(OH)D levels of at least 50 nmol/L.
Hyppönen told Healio Primary Care that the low amount of vitamin D that comes from food can be boosted from direct sunlight and by taking supplements. However, she cautioned that bolus doses of vitamin D supplementation taken above recommended safe levels “may not be helpful and … can even be counterproductive.”
References:
The sunshine vitamin that ‘D’elivers on cardio health. https://unisa.edu.au/media-centre/Releases/2021/the-sunshine-vitamin-that-delivers-on-cardio-health/. Published Dec. 6, 2021. Accessed Dec. 9, 2021.
Zhou A, et al. Eur Heart J. 2021;doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehab809.