Research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (June 23, 2008; Volume 168, Issue 12) found that low serum vitamin D levels were associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. The study followed more than 3,200 German men and women, with an average age of 62 years.
Baseline blood levels of vitamin D were measured, and participants were followed for eight years. During that time, 737 participants died, including 463 deaths attributed to cardiovascular causes. Among those with the lowest vitamin D levels, there were 307 deaths, compared with 103 deaths in the group with the highest vitamin D levels. Participants with the lowest vitamin D status were found to be approximately twice as likely to die during the follow-up period as those with higher levels.
The findings added to growing interest in the role of vitamin D in overall health. Other research has linked low vitamin D levels with conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and certain cancers, suggesting that vitamin D status may be an important marker of long-term health risk.
