![Vitamin D: a tool for preventing heart disease](https://img.passeportsante.net/1000x526/2014-03-24/i69311-vitamine-d-outil-de-prevention-des-maladies-du-coeur.jpg)
March 2, 2010 – Vitamin D is believed to be a preventive tool against cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
This is supported by English researchers who analyzed 28 studies conducted on the subject, comparing the concentration of vitamin D in the blood with more than 99,700 participants.
First observation: those who had the highest blood levels of vitamin D saw their risk of suffering from cardiometabolic disorders drop by 43%, such as arterial hypertension, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and diabetes.
The data also shows a 33% reduction in the risk of suffering from a cardiovascular disorder, a 51% reduction in the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, and a 55% reduction in type 2 diabetes.
Each of the 28 studies analyzed shows a protective effect of vitamin D against one or more cardiometabolic disorders; and this effect is significant in 85% of cases.
According to the authors, research in recent years indicates that cardiometabolic disorders are associated with an inflammatory phenomenon that undermines the metabolism. However, scientists believe that vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties that could explain the benefits observed in this meta-analysis.
“By targeting populations that show vitamin D deficiency, we could perhaps stop the epidemic of cardiometabolic disorders which is now manifesting itself around the world,” the authors write.
While they recognize that their results do not show that a vitamin D deficiency is one of the causes of these diseases, they believe that an adequate and constant intake of this vitamin could have a significant effect in preventing them.
Pierre Lefrançois – PasseportSanté.net
1. Parker J, Hashmi O, et al. Levels of vitamin D and cardiometabolic disorders: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Maturitas. 2010 Mar; 65 (3): 225-236.