Vitamin D deficiency in older individuals can double their risk of dying by a certain age, a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society revealed this week.

According to the study, individuals with low vitamin D levels were three times more likely to die of heart disease and had a 2.5 times greater risk of dying from any cause. The study looked at more than 3,400 men and women over 65 years old.

Individuals were followed over seven-and-a-half years. Those with vitamin D levels under 20 ng/ml were at the highest risk; those with vitamin D levels higher than 40 ng/ml had the lowest risk.