Vit D deficiency increases heart attacks in men

Vitamin D Deficiency Associated with Increased MI Risk in Men

Low levels of vitamin D in men are associated with double the risk for myocardial infarction, reports Archives of Internal Medicine.

Researchers assessed plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in some 18,000 men aged 40 to 75. After 10 years, roughly 450 men had had a nonfatal MI or fatal coronary artery disease. This group was matched to a control group (from among the participants) free of cardiovascular disease.

Men who had deficient vitamin D levels (15 ng/mL or less) were at significantly higher risk for MI by follow-up, compared with men whose levels were at least 30 ng/mL (relative risk, 2.4). The results remained significant after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors and lipid levels.

The authors propose several possible mechanisms for the association — among them, vitamin D's effects on vascular smooth muscle cell growth, vascular calcification, inflammation, and blood pressure (through the renin-angiotensin system).

Archives of Internal Medicine article (Free abstract; full text requires subscription