Vitamin D, Blood Pressure Link Suggested

Lack of vitamin D may increase the risk of high blood pressure, a study suggests. The study included 559 women. In 1993, only about 6% of them had high blood pressure. But more than 80% had low levels of vitamin D in their blood. By 2008, about 25% of the women had high blood pressure. Researchers compared high blood pressure rates with the rates of low vitamin D in 1993. They also adjusted their results for other factors, such as smoking, that increase the risk of high blood pressure rates. High blood pressure was three times as common in women who had prior low levels of vitamin D. The difference was seen in systolic blood pressure. This is the higher of the two numbers in a blood pressure reading. Researchers reported on the study at a heart conference. HealthDay News wrote about it September 24.