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Does Vitamin D Cause Heart Attacks?

Q. I get a health newsletter from a respected medical center. I noticed in the last issue that vitamin D could raise the risk of heart attack and stroke by up to 20 percent. Any comments?

A. Several research reports have created considerable confusion. A year ago researchers reported that people taking calcium supplements were 30 percent more likely to have a heart attack than those getting placebos (BMJ, online, July 29, 2010). Although this finding came from a meta-analysis of 11 studies involving over 12,000 people, many health professionals were skeptical and objected that vitamin D intake was not part of the analysis.

This year a new study in BMJ (online, April 19, 2011) confirmed the original finding with a twist. Even women taking vitamin D with their calcium had a higher risk (20 percent) of heart attack or stroke compared to placebo. We suspect that this is what your newsletter was reporting.

More recent research shows that vitamin D alone appears to protect men from heart attacks and strokes (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, online, June 8, 2011). For more on the benefits and risks of vitamin D you may wish to review our Guide to Vitamin D Deficiency. Excess calcium may be the culprit, while vitamin D may be neutral or protective for the heart.

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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