We include products we think are useful for our readers. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. Here’s our process.

Medical News Today only shows you brands and products that we stand behind.

Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we:
  • Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?
  • Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence?
  • Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices?
We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.
Was this helpful?

People who have cardiovascular disease can reduce their risk of death by almost a third simply by maintaining normal vitamin D levels. This is the finding of a new study recently published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

supplements in the shape of a heartShare on Pinterest
Researchers say that vitamin D levels that are too low or too high could raise the risk of death from CVD.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is an umbrella term for conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels, including heart disease, heart attack, heart failure, and stroke.

CVD is the number 1 killer in the United States. Heart disease alone is responsible for around 610,000 deaths in the country every year.

Previous research suggests that vitamin D status may play an important role in cardiovascular health.

A study reported by Medical News Today in 2016, for example, associated low vitamin D levels with greater risk of stroke, heart failure, heart attack, and cardiovascular death.

The new study — led by Prof. Jutta Dierkes, of the Department of Clinical Medicine at the University of Bergen in Norway — further investigated the role that vitamin D levels play in the risk of death from CVD.

In order to reach their findings, Prof. Dierkes and colleagues analyzed the blood samples of 4,114 adults who had suspected angina pectoris, which is chest pain as a result of coronary heart disease.

Subjects were an average age of 62 at study baseline, and they were followed-up for an average of 12 years.

The team assessed the subjects’ blood samples for levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3, or 25(OH)D, which is the primary circulating form of vitamin D. During follow-up, there were a total of 895 deaths. Of these, 407 were related to CVD.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a 25(OH)D level of 50–125 nanomoles per liter (nmol/l) is “generally considered adequate for bone and overall health in healthy individuals.”

In the study, the researchers found that the optimal 25(OH)D blood concentrations for mortality risk were 42–100 nmol/l. Concentrations lower than 42 nmol/l and higher than 100 nmol/l were associated with a greater risk of death from CVD.

In fact, the researchers found that participants with the optimal 25(OH)D concentrations were 30 percent less likely to die of CVD.

“We discovered,” says Prof. Dierkes, “that the right amount of vitamin D reduces the risk of death substantially. However, too much or too little increase the risk.”

Based on these results, Prof. Dierkes recommends that all people with CVD have their vitamin D levels measured and monitored. If levels are below normal, vitamin D supplementation might be required.

That said, the researchers note that the optimal amount of vitamin D is not the same for everyone. “It depends where you live, and what kind of diet you have,” Prof. Dierkes adds.

The primary source of vitamin D is sunlight, but we can also get it from certain foods — including salmon, tuna, and eggs — and dietary supplements, which are available to purchase online.

However, it is worth noting that further studies are needed before vitamin D can be recommended as a beneficial supplement for people with CVD.