Vitamin D insufficiency linked to heart disease

From the Globe and Mail:
Heart disease has a long list of known causes, including smoking, obesity and diabetes. But researchers in the United States now say there may be another and somewhat surprising addition to this list: vitamin D insufficiency.

Although it is well known that vitamin D is needed for good bone health, a study released yesterday found that not having enough of the sunshine vitamin is also linked to a higher risk of heart disease.

The research, based on a group of white Americans living near Boston, found that those with low levels of vitamin D in their blood were 62 per cent more likely to develop heart failure, strokes and other circulatory problems than those with more of the nutrient.

Those with both high blood pressure and low vitamin D status had about twice the risk of developing serious cardiac-related problems. ...more