- Australian researchers followed a group of older adults to determine whether vitamin D supplements could reduce the risk of major heart disease events, such as heart attack and stroke.
- The researchers gave the test group a monthly vitamin D supplement which they took for five years.
- The results show a small risk reduction for certain major cardiovascular events.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important for bone health and immune system support that may offer a number of health benefits.
A study recently published by
The researchers followed a group of older adults between ages 60 and 84. This particular age group is known to be at a higher risk for developing heart disease.
While the scientists did not find that vitamin D had any impact on strokes when comparing the control and test groups, they did learn that the rate of major cardiovascular events was 9% lower in the group that took the vitamin D supplement.
Considering how deadly cardiovascular disease (CVD) can be and the burden it may have on the healthcare system, scientists have been looking for ways to improve treatments for such diseases and prevent them.
According to the study authors, prior studies did not show a connection between vitamin D and reducing cardiovascular disease risk, but the authors thought those studies had limitations.
The authors noted that “vitamin D has biological effects which suggest it could influence cardiovascular disease,” which prompted them to do a more in-depth study focusing on older adults.
The researchers recruited 21,315 people ages 60 to 84. They excluded participants already taking vitamin D supplements or had a history of certain conditions, such as sarcoidosis and hypercalcemia.
The test group took vitamin D once per month for five years in the form of a…
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