- ALLERGY, RESPIRATORY
- Climate Change Could Sting Allergy, Asthma Sufferers
- Overweight Moms More Likely to Have Asthmatic Kids
- New Spray Could Benefit Cystic Fibrosis Patients
- ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
- Acupuncture, Real or Fake, Eases Back Pain
- 38% of U.S. Adults Use Alternative Treatments
- Massage Therapy Helps Those With Advanced Cancer
- ANIMAL CARE
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- Rest Easy. When It Comes to Swine Flu, Your Pet Is Safe
- Beware of Dog Bites
- BONES & JOINTS
- Using a Balloon to Repair a Broken Back
- Bone Density Predicts Chances of Breast Cancer
- Brazilian Mint Tea Naturally Good for Pain Relief
- CANCER
- Papaya Could Be a Cancer Fighter
- Many Cancer Patients Turn to Complementary Medicine
- Lifting Weights Can Ease Arm Swelling in Breast Cancer Survivors
- CAREGIVING
- MRSA Infections Spreading to Kids in Community
- Rapid Infant Weight Gain Linked to Childhood Obesity
- Birthmark or Blood Vessel Problem?
- CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
- An Apple a Day May Help Keep Heart Disease Away
- Grapefruit-Heavy Diet Helped Spur Dangerous Clot
- Common Antioxidant Might Slow Parkinson's
- COSMETIC
- With Psoriasis, the Internet May Offer Hope
- Health Tip: After Liposuction
- Science May Banish Bad Hair Days
- DENTAL, ORAL
- Most Insured Adults Worry About Health Care Costs: Poll
- Health Tip: At Risk for Gingivitis
- Good Oral Hygiene May Protect Against Heart Infections
- DIABETES
- Lifestyle Factors Tied to Older Adults' Diabetes Risk
- Spices, Herbs Boost Health for Diabetics
- Saliva Test Could Monitor Type 2 Diabetes
- DIET, NUTRITION
- Trans-Fat Ban In New York City Is Proving successful
- Atkins Diet Tougher on Heart After Weight Loss
- Pesticides and How to Affordably Eat Organic or Reduce Pesticide Consumption
- DISABILITIES
- Review Finds Marijuana May Help MS Patients
- Could Your Cell Phone Help Shield You From Alzheimer's?
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH
- Global Warming May Bring More Respiratory Woes
- Exposure to 9/11 Fumes Tied to Chronic Headaches
- Air Pollution Raises Risk of Heart Disease, Death
- EYE CARE, VISION
- Eye Test Could Spot Diabetes Vision Trouble Early
- Just Like Skin, Eyes Can 'Burn' in Strong Sun
- Don't Lose Sight of Halloween Safety
- FITNESS
- School Phys. Ed. Injuries Up 150 Percent
- Exercise in Adolescence May Cut Risk of Deadly Brain Tumor
- Fall Cleanup Is a Prime Time for Accidents
- GASTROINTESTINAL PROBLEMS
- Soothing Imagery May Help Rid Some Kids of Stomach Pain
- HRT Use Raises Risk of Stomach Trouble
- Intestinal Bacteria Trigger Immune Response
- GENERAL HEALTH
- Standard IQ Test May Underestimate People With Autism
- New Options Offered for Sleep Apnea
- Health Gains From Lowered Smoking Rates in Jeopardy
- HEAD & NECK
- Ski Helmets Encouraged for All
- Many Children Will Outgrow Headaches
- Zen May Thicken Brain, Thwart Pain
- HEALTH & TECHNOLOGY
- Using Light Therapy to Silence Harmful Brain Activity
- 'Comfort Dogs' Come to Emotional Rescue
- The Internet Is Becoming One-Stop Shopping for Health Help
- HEART & CARDIOVASCULAR
- Arteries Age Twice as Fast in Smokers
- Brown Rice Tied to Better Heart Health in Study
- B-Vitamins Help Protect Against Stroke, Heart Disease
- INFECTIOUS DISEASE
- Bacterial Infections May Succumb to Honey
- The HPV Vaccine: Preventative Medicine or Human Sacrifice?
- Swine Flu Closes Three Schools in NYC
- KID'S HEALTH
- 3 Home Habits Help Youngsters Stay Slim
- Teens Lose More Weight Using Healthy Strategies
- Frequent Feedings May Be Making Babies Fat
- MEN'S HEALTH
- Countdown to Hair Loss
- Varicose Veins May Mask Larger Problem
- Exercise May Prevent Prostate Cancer: Study Shows
- MENTAL HEALTH
- Positive Brain Changes Seen After Body-Mind Meditation
- Have a Goal in Life? You Might Live Longer
- Daily dose of beet juice promotes brain health in older adults
- PAIN
- Acupuncture, Real or Fake, Eases Back Pain
- Are We Exercising Pain Away? Not So Much.
- 'Cell Phone Elbow' -- A New Ill for the Wired Age
- PREGNANCY
- Breast-Feeding Benefits Moms and Babies
- Sugary Colas Tied to Gestational Diabetes
- Acupuncture May Relieve Acid Indigestation In Pregnancy
- SENIORS
- For Older Walkers, Faster Is Better
- High-Impact Activity May Be Good for Old Bones
- Fitness Fades Fast After 45
Boosting Vitamin D Can Do a Heart Good
By eholistic.com Published: 03/16/2010
New research suggests that extra vitamin D could make a major difference in heart disease risk among people who have low levels of the nutrient.
Researchers from the Intermountain Medical Center Heart Institute in Murray, Utah, report in two new studies that vitamin D supplementation may reduce the risk of other chronic diseases, too.
"Vitamin D replacement therapy has long been associated with reducing the risk of fractures and diseases of the bone," study author Dr. J. Brent Muhlestein, director of cardiovascular research, said in a center news release. "But our findings show that vitamin D could have far greater implications in the treatment and reduction of cardiovascular disease and other chronic conditions than we previously thought."
The researchers found that patients who boosted their vitamin D levels to 43 nanograms per milliliter of blood or higher reduced their rates of diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, high blood pressure and heart disease. They were also less likely to die during the study period.
According to the researchers, a level of 30 nanograms per milliliter of vitamin D is considered normal.
"Although randomized trials would be useful and are coming, I feel there is enough information here for me to start treatment based on these findings," Muhlestein said, adding that increasing vitamin D intake by 1,000 to 5,000 international units a day may be a good idea in some cases.
The findings are scheduled to be presented Monday at the American College of Cardiology's annual meeting in Atlanta.
SOURCE: Intermountain Medical Center, press release, March 15, 2010.
Last Updated: March 15, 2010
