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Vitamin D and Heart Disease

Previous studies have hinted that low levels of vitamin D in the body may be associated with a higher risk of heart disease. A ten-year study from Seattle suggests, however, that this connection does not hold true in all ethnic groups.

More than 6,000 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis had blood levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D measured at the beginning of a decade of follow-up. The scientists found a significant link between low vitamin D levels and subsequent heart disease among Chinese and white study subjects, but there was no clear association between vitamin D and heart disease in Hispanic or African-American volunteers.

Studies that are currently underway (including the VITAL study out of Harvard) will hopefully tell us more about the relationship between vitamin D and heart disease in various ethnic populations. In the meantime, we offer information on vitamin D and its association with a wide range of health concerns in our Guide to Vitamin D Deficiency.

[JAMA, July 10, 2013]

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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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