Vitamin D levels could predict risk of poor cardiovascular health

The risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure and other cardiac events could be predicted by measuring levels of two vitamin D components, according to researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Salt Lake City, UT. Here is some verbiage from Honor Whiteman, the author of the story at Medical News Today:

"Lead researcher Dr. Heidi May, a cardiovascular epidemiologist at the Institute, and colleagues found that individuals with low levels of both total vitamin D and bioavailable vitamin D were more likely to experience poor cardiovascular outcomes. Bioavailable vitamin D is vitamin D that has been absorbed into the bloodstream but has not attached to surrounding proteins. The researchers recently presented their findings at the American College of Cardiology Scientific Sessions in Chicago, IL. To reach their results, Dr. May and colleagues analyzed the vitamin D levels of 4,200 individuals aged 52-76. Of these, around a quarter had diabetes and around 70% had coronary artery disease. The team focused on measuring the participants' levels of various vitamin D metabolites - elements of the vitamin that are produced during metabolism - and assessed whether they were associated with future cardiac events."

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