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Higher vitamin D levels linked to higher 'good' cholesterol levels

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

New research indicates that low blood levels of vitamin D may be linked to various risk factors for cardiovascular disease, in addition to being an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality.

A study presented at the National Lipid Association Annual Scientific Sessions in Miami, assessed the relationship between vitamin D levels in the blood and various risk markers for cardiovascular disease, including the metabolic syndrome and its various components: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol, high LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance or glucose intolerance, prothrombotic state and elevated C-reactive protein in the blood.

Using blood tests from 257 men and women, the study found that each 10 ng/mL increase in vitamin D in the blood was associated with a 4.2 mg/dL increase in HDL-C and the higher the vitamin D level, the lower the occurrence of metabolic syndrome.

"Additional research is warranted to assess whether increasing vitamin D intake will improve the metabolic cardiovascular risk factor profile," said Dr Kevin C. Maki, the study's principal investigator, but previous studies already link low vitamin D levels to cardiovascular risk.