Low Vitamin D May Harm Arteries

Very low levels of vitamin D in the blood may increase the risk of artery disease and death, new research suggests. The study included 27,686 people. All were age 50 or older. They had no history of heart or artery disease. Researchers measured vitamin D in people’s blood and then kept track of them for a year. In that time, people with very low vitamin D were 77% more likely to die than people with normal levels. This means there would be 177 deaths in people with very low vitamin D for every 100 deaths in people with normal levels. The risk increase for stroke was similar. People with very low vitamin D also were 45% more likely to develop coronary artery disease. The Salt Lake (Utah) Tribune wrote about the study. Results were presented November 16 at a conference.