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. 2012 Aug;14(4):414-24.
doi: 10.1007/s11936-012-0183-8.

Vitamin d and cardiovascular disease

Jacqueline S Danik  1 , Joann E Manson
Affiliations

Vitamin d and cardiovascular disease

Jacqueline S Danik et al. Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med. 2012 Aug.

Abstract

Vitamin D has received widespread attention for its potential role in preventing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Several epidemiological studies have suggested that individuals with low blood levels of vitamin D have increased risks of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, and diabetes. Yet, the revised 2011 Institute of Medicine report for intake of calcium and vitamin D, which was guided by skeletal health alone, concluded that the evidence that vitamin D prevents CVD, diabetes, or other cardiometabolic outcomes was inconsistent and inconclusive and did not meet criteria for establishing a cause and effect relationship [1•, 2]. This finding was consistent with an earlier systematic review conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in 2009 [3•]. Ongoing clinical trials seek to address the effects of vitamin D supplementation on CVD and other nonskeletal outcomes.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mechanisms by which vitamin D may impact CVD. Adapted from Manson et al, 2012. PG, prostaglandin; COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2 ; CRP, C-reactive protein ; IL-6, interleukin-6 ; IL-10, interleukin-10 ; TNF-a, tumor necrosis factor-a, MMP-9, matrix metalloproteinase-9; RAAS, renin-angiotension-aldosterone system.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Hypothesized mechanisms underlying the interrelationships among vitamin D deficiency, cardiovascular disease risk factors such as insulin resistance, hypertension and diabetes.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
The VITamin D and OmegA-3 Trial (VITAL) design.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ross AC, Manson JE, Abrams SA, et al. The 2011 report on dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin d from the institute of medicine: what clinicians need to know. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2011 Jan;96(1):53–58. This paper provides the clinician with a review of the current dietary guidelines. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Institute of Medicine. Dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D. Washington, D.C: National Academies Press; 2011. - PubMed
    1. Chung M, Balk EM, Brendel M, et al. Vitamin D and calcium: a systematic review of health outcomes. Evidence report/technology assessment no.183. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Rockville, MD: Aug, 2009. This paper is the AHRQ’s systemic review of the literature. - PubMed
    1. Norman AW. From vitamin D to hormone D: fundamentals of the vitamin D endocrine system essential for good health. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Aug;88(2):491S–499S. - PubMed
    1. Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007 Jul 19;357(3):266–281. - PubMed

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