Low vitamin D levels proven to be deadly, increase mortality(NaturalNews) The most comprehensive epidemiological review ever
conducted on the association between vitamin D and mortality has
revealed that low vitamin D levels are directly linked to early death
from heart disease and other causes. Published in the journal
Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis Vascular, Biology,
the study found that individuals with the lowest vitamin D levels have a
significantly higher risk of developing ischemic heart disease,
myocardial infarction (MI), or fatal ischemic heart disease and MI, or
dying an early death, compared to individuals with the highest vitamin D
levels.
More than 10,000 men and women were included as part of the study, which took place at
Copenhagen University Hospital (CUH) in Denmark beginning in the early 1980s, and which concluded last
year. Each of the participants had his or her levels of plasma
25-hydroxyvitamin D tested and verified at the onset of the study by
researchers working on the
Copenhagen City Heart Study, and these
same participants were subsequently followed throughout the course of
nearly 30 years to monitor for health developments.
Upon
follow-up, it was determined that 3,100 participants eventually
developed ischemic heart disease, while 1,625 had an MI, and another
6,747 died from these or another cause. But what is particularly
interesting about these findings is the huge disparity in disease and
death rates among those in the low vitamin D group compared to those in
the high vitamin D group. Based on the figures, those with the lowest
vitamin D levels, below five nanomoles per liter (nmol/L), were found to be 40
percent more likely to develop ischemic heart disease, 64 percent more
likely to have an MI, and 57 percent more likely to die an
early death. This same group was also found to be 81 percent more likely to die from ischemic heart disease or MI.
"People with low levels of vitamin D have an increased risk of heart attack, of dying early from cardiovascular
disease, and this is an important message," explained study author Dr. Borge G. Nordestgaard to
heartwire.
"The cheapest and easiest way to get enough vitamin D is to let the sun
shine on your skin at regular intervals. There's been a lot of focus on
trying to avoid people getting too much sun, but maybe this has not
been balanced."
Extensive review of all previous research confirms low vitamin D is a death sentenceTo
confirm the integrity of its own findings, the research team also
conducted a meta-analysis of all earlier research on vitamin D and
mortality -- the team identified 17 previous studies in total -- and
found similar results. Decreasing levels of vitamin D were found to be
directly associated with a higher risk of disease and death in virtually
every study, proving that maintaining high vitamin D levels is crucial
for optimal health.
"The meta-analysis gives exactly the same
result as our study," added Dr. Nordestgaard. "So the results are quite
robust when you look at the totality of the evidence."
To learn
more about the many health benefits of vitamin D, and how best to take
it when natural sunlight is not an option, check out the
Vitamin D Council:
http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/Source:-
http://www.naturalnews.com/039072_vitamin_D_mortality_early_death.html