Vitamin D deficiency can increase your risk of serious illness! • Al Marsad newspaper

Al-Marsad Journal: Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency increase with the onset of winter, and worryingly, a study finds that deficiency increases the risk of serious cardiovascular disease.

In a study published in Molecular Nutrition Food Research, vitamin D deficiency in mice was studied, causing heart failure due to insulin resistance in the heart muscle.

The study examined the cause and effect relationship between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular abnormalities.

Male mice were fed a normal diet, a diet low in vitamin D, or a diet high in fat and fructose for 20 weeks.

Vitamin D deficiency in mice was found to mimic a diet high in fat and fructose with induced metabolic syndrome and cardiac dysfunction.

The study concluded: “This study demonstrates that vitamin D deficiency is an independent risk factor for heart failure, at least in part, by inducing insulin resistance in the myocardium.”

A growing number of studies indicate that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for heart attack, congestive heart failure, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), stroke and conditions associated with cardiovascular disease, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, Johns Hopkins said.

She added, “Vitamin D acts like a hormone that regulates over 200 genes throughout the body. And as people spend less time outdoors and use more sunscreen when they are outdoors, there is a general shortage among the general population. “

“The research sheds new light and better direction for patients who can get the most benefit from taking a vitamin D supplement,” said Dr. Brent Muhlesten, associate director of cardiovascular research at the Institute of cardiology at the Intermountain Medical Center.

He added, “While there is a possibility that patients may benefit in one way or another from getting higher levels of vitamin D in their blood, the new information tells us that the greater benefit to the heart is likely to occur in patients whose vitamin D level is less than 15 ng / ml. As we continue to study vitamin D and the heart, we hope to eventually have enough information that we can specifically educate all patients on what they need to do to reduce their risk of heart disease as much as possible. “

Experts explained that the study needs more expansion and that a doctor should be consulted to determine the healthy level of vitamin D in the body.