Vitamin D protects against peripheral arterial disease

25 April, 2008

Yet another benefit of vitamin D has been discovered. Vitamin D decreases the chance of getting peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

PAD is a common disease that occurs when arteries in the legs become narrowed by fatty deposits, causing pain and numbness and impairing the ability to walk, and, in some cases, leading to amputation.

Scientists at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University in New York, the United States, found that people with low levels of vitamin D in their blood run an increased risk of getting the peripheral artery disease.

They based their findings on a United States government-sponsored health survey involving 4,839 adults.

These 4,839 adults had their vitamin D levels in blood measured, besides undergoing a screening method for PAD that evaluates blood flow to the legs.

It was noticed that people in the lowest 25% of vitamin D levels were 80% more likely to have the peripheral arterial disease than those in the highest 25%, the news agency Reuters quoted researchers as saying.

According to Dr Michal Melamed, who led the study, “participants in the survey who had the lowest vitamin D levels had a much higher prevalence of peripheral artery disease.”

However, Dr Melamed cautioned that it would be premature for people to start taking vitamin D supplements because since studies are needed to confirm that it is protective.

The study conducted by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine was presented at a meeting of the American Heart Association held in Atlanta. It was also published in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, the journal of the American Heart Association.

Vitamin D, or 25-hydroxyl vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium, is considered essential for the health of the bones. In adults, deficiency of vitamin D can lead to osteoporosis, and in children, the deficiency causes a condition known as rickets.

Other studies conducted recently have shown that high intake of vitamin D can drastically cut the risk of a variety of cancers as well as cardiovascular diseases.

According to the American Heart Association, people with the peripheral arterial disease run 4-5 times greater risk of having a heart attack or a stroke, and about 8 million Americans suffer from PAD.

The best source of vitamin D is sunshine, with 15 minutes of sun exposure a day considered enough to meet Vitamin D requirements.

The food that is most rich in vitamin D is oily fish, such as salmon fish. Since dietary sources for vitamin D are limited, vitamin D is used to fortify a number of foods, including orange juice, milk and cereal.