Vitamin D levels linked with health of blood vessels
April 4th, 2011 - 3:19 pm ICT by IANSWashington, April 4 (IANS) The lack of Vitamin D, even in generally healthy people, is linked to stiffer arteries and the inability of blood vessels to relax.
The results of a study add to evidence that lack of Vitamin D can lead to impaired vascular health, contributing to high blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Study participants who increased their Vitamin D levels were able to improve vascular health and lower their blood pressure.
The study was led by Ibhar Al Mheid, cardiovascular researcher at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, according to an Emory statement.
The 554 study participants were Emory or Georgia Tech employees - average age 47 and generally healthy - who are taking part in the Centre for Health Discovery and Well Being, part of the Emory-Georgia Tech Predictive Health Institute.
Even after controlling for factors such as age, weight and cholesterol, people with lower Vitamin D levels still had stiffer arteries and impaired vascular function, Al Mheid says.
“We found that people with Vitamin D deficiency had vascular dysfunction comparable to those with diabetes or hypertension,” he says.
Participants whose Vitamin D levels increased over the next six months, either from dietary supplements or ample sun exposure, tended to improve their measures of vascular health and had lower blood pressure.
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