Low vitamin D levels were related to higher risk and occurrence of coronary artery disease in recent research from the American College of Cardiology. A press release from the organization notes that “a growing body of research shows that vitamin D may be beneficial in preventing heart disease.”

This study, the largest to date on the subject, evaluated vitamin D levels in 1,484 patients, 70.4 percent of which were found to be deficient (>20ng/ml). A 32 percent higher occurrence of coronary artery disease existed in those with the lowest vitamin D levels, as well as an almost 20 percent increase in severe disease affecting multiple vessels. Those with vitamin D levels less than 10ng/ml had nearly double the rate of coronary atherosclerosis.

“Present results suggest vitamin D deficiency to be the cause rather than the consequence of atherosclerosis,” Monica Verdoia, M.D., specializing cardiologist at the Department of Cardiology, Ospedale Maggiore della Carità, Eastern Piedmont University in Novara, Italy, said in the press release. “Although evidence of benefits with vitamin D supplementation in cardiovascular outcomes are still lacking, strategies to raise endogenous vitamin D should probably be advised in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.”

Click here to view the press release from the American College of Cardiology.

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