A recent study has found that Vitamin D supplements do not reduce the risk of heart disease, despite earlier research suggesting a link between low Vitamin D levels and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Conducted by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), the study aimed to determine whether taking higher doses of Vitamin D could lower the risk of heart problems in older adults.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for people over the age of 65. Many seniors also have low levels of Vitamin D, which has been associated with a higher risk of heart disease.
However, while observational studies have shown a connection between low Vitamin D and heart problems, there has been little evidence from clinical trials that Vitamin D supplements can actually prevent these issues.
To investigate this further, the researchers analyzed data from a double-blind, randomized trial—a rigorous form of scientific study.
This trial, called the Study to Understand Fall Reduction and Vitamin D in You (STURDY), involved adults aged 70 or older with low Vitamin D levels.
Participants were divided into four groups and given different daily doses of Vitamin D3: 200, 1000, 2000, or 4000 international units (IU).
Blood levels of two specific proteins linked to heart damage were measured at the beginning of the study and at follow-up visits after 3, 12, and 24 months.
The results, published in the American Journal of Preventative Cardiology, showed that while people with lower Vitamin D levels had higher levels of one marker linked to heart disease, taking Vitamin D supplements did not lower these markers over the two-year study period—no matter how much Vitamin D they took.
The findings were consistent across different groups, regardless of age, sex, race, or whether participants had a history of heart disease, high blood pressure, or diabetes.
Lead author Dr. Katharine W. Rainer explained, “Our study clearly showed that Vitamin D supplementation had no effect on heart disease markers, regardless of dose.”
The study’s senior author, Dr. Stephen P. Juraschek, added that while Vitamin D deficiency is linked to cardiovascular disease, the results suggest that other factors—like outdoor physical activity—might play a bigger role in preventing heart problems.
This study adds to the growing evidence that taking daily or monthly Vitamin D supplements is not an effective way to prevent heart disease. Researchers believe further studies are needed to explore the connection between Vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular health, but for now, Vitamin D supplementation is not recommended for heart disease prevention.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how vitamin D influences cholesterol levels, and what we know about egg intake and heart disease.
For more health information, please see recent studies about best supplements for heart disease prevention, and wild blueberries can benefit your heart and brain.
