Research appearing in Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases (2005; 15(3):188-97) looked at nutrient intake in 755 male and female subjects aged 66-99 years and correlated it with the incidence of heart attack and stroke. Dietary histories were taken and vitamins and mineral levels in the serum were analyzed. The researchers found that low vitamin D intake and low serum vitamin D was a risk factor for stroke. Low serum iron and low vitamin D were associated with a higher incidence of stroke and of myocardial infarction. Intake of certain bioflavonoids (antioxidant chemicals found in plants) lowered the risk of myocardial infarction.