Posted on June 11, 2008 by Gerald Pugliese
Apparently low levels of vitamin D can double a man’s risk of having a heart attack. Martin Mittelstaedt of
Globe and Mail reports:
The findings, published yesterday in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, may help shed light on why many people with no known risk factors - such as high blood pressure or smoking - inexplicably develop heart attacks. It also suggests it may be possible to reduce the incidence of the often fatal condition by popping an inexpensive pill that is widely available in pharmacies and supplement stores.
"It's an important finding," says Edward Giovannucci, professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, one of the researchers.
"It does indicate that even individuals without the standard risk factors for heart disease may be at somewhat higher risk if they have lower vitamin D levels," he said.
Dr. Giovannucci said vitamin D may be beneficial by reducing the buildup of plaque in arteries, one of the causes of heart attacks.
The possible link between vitamin D insufficiency and heart attacks is among a growing number of recent medical observations about the nutrient, which is often dubbed the sunshine vitamin because it can be created in people's skin when it is exposed to strong ultraviolet light, in addition to being available in a pill form.
Shameless plug, but Dr. Fuhrman sells a great vitamin D, its called
Osteo–Sun.
