Vitamin D and the Prevention of Hypertension and Cardiovascular Diseases: A Review of the Currenct Evidence

• Published in: American journal of hypertension 2011, Vol.24
• Main Author: Geleijnse, J.M
• Format: Article
• Subjects: 3rd national-health; controlled-trial; coronary-angiography; d deficiency; d supplementation; incident hypertension; nutrition examination survey; plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin d; serum 25-hydroxyvitamin-d; systolic blood-pressure
• ISSN: 0895-7061; 1879-1905

Vitamin D plays an essential role in bone mineralization and calcium homeostasis. More recently, there has been growing evidence for a role of vitamin D in extraskeletal health, including beneficial effects in the cardiovascular system. Daylight exposure and vitamin D intake in many western populations are insufficient for maintaining an adequate vitamin D status. It is at present unclear whether vitamin D supplementation could improve cardiovascular health. This paper summarizes the evidence from observational studies and randomized–controlled trials on the relation of vitamin D with blood pressure (BP) and risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Epidemiological data suggest that optimal vitamin D status is important for CVD prevention, but results from different studies are conflicting and confounding cannot be ruled out. Randomized–controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation and BP have yielded inconsistent results, and trials that addressed the effect of vitamin D on CVDs are lacking. It is therefore premature to recommend supplemental vitamin D intake specifically for the prevention of hypertension or CVDs. Data from large, well-controlled clinical trials in this field with vitamin D supplements of sufficiently high doses are awaited to settle this issue