Vitamin D deficiency linked to heart trouble
Sunlight exposure helps body produce vitamin D
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Tuesday, 02, Dec 2008 08:25
Vitamin D deficiency, once only associated with bone and muscle weakness, may also be bad for your heart, research suggests.
An article published in next week's issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology warns a lack of the vitamin heightens the risk of hypertension, obesity and diabetes.
These are all risk factors for cardiovascular disease. As up to half of adults and 30 per cent of children and teenagers are estimated as having vitamin D deficiency in the US, where the study took place, the finding could have major public health implications.
"Vitamin D deficiency is an unrecognised, emerging cardiovascular risk factor, which should be screened for and treated," James O'Keefe of the Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City said.
"Vitamin D is easy to assess, and supplementation is simple, safe and inexpensive."
Most of the body's vitamin D requirements can come from sun exposure, but the use of suntan lotion and indoor lifestyles means many people are not producing enough.
This does not justify spending long periods of time outside in the sun, Dr O'Keefe warned.
"We are outside less than we used to be, and older adults and people who are overweight or obese are less efficient at making vitamin D in response to sunlight," he added.
"A little bit of sunshine is a good thing, but the use of sunscreen to guard against skin cancer is important if you plan to be outside for more than 15 to 30 of intense sunlight exposure."
Instead increased uptake of vitamin D is recommended through supplements and food intake. Natural food sources of vitamin D include salmon, sardines, cod liver oil and vitamin D-fortified foods including milk and some cereals.