Research appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Vol. 168 No. 12, June 23, 2008) showed that low serum level of vitamin D is linked to an increase in mortality from cardiovascular problems. The subjects of the study were over 3200 German men and women averaging 62 years of age.
Blood levels of vitamin D were tested. During the following eight years, 737 of the subjects died, with 463 of the deaths due to heart issues. There were 307 deaths in subjects with the lowest vitamin D levels compared to 103 deaths in the group with the highest levels. Those with the lowest levels of vitamin D were twice as likely to die within the eight-year period as those with high levels of the vitamin.
The study has researchers wondering about the importance of vitamin D. Other studies have linked low vitamin D levels to high blood pressure, diabetes and even cancer.
