Vitamin D deficiency linked to artery disease

People with low vitamin D levels may face an increased risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD). PAD occurs when arteries in the legs become narrowed or clogged with fatty deposits, reducing blood flow to the legs. Sunlight is the biggest source of vitamin D. The other sources are foods like fish and fortified dairy products and dietary supplements. Adequate vitamin D levels are necessary for bone health, but there haven't been many studies on the relationship between Vitamin D levels and cardiovascular diseases. To determine the association between vitamin D levels and peripheral arterial disease (PAD), American researchers analysed data from a survey in which vitamin D levels were measured in 4,839 adults. Researchers in that survey had also documented ankle-brachial index, a PAD screening tool that measures blood flow to the legs. Average vitamin D levels were found to be significantly lower in people with PAD than in people without PAD. In the participants with the highest vitamin D levels, only 3.7 percent had PAD. Among those with the lowest levels, 8.1 percent had PAD. The findings reveal that participants with the lowest vitamin D levels were 2.18 times more likely to have PAD than were participants in the highest vitamin D levels after adjustment for age, gender, and race. Further, the researchers noted that for each 10 nanogram per millilitre decrease blood vitamin D level, there was a 35 percent increase in the prevalence of PAD. The researchers, however, cautioned the use of vitamin D supplements for patients with PAD as more studies are needed to confirm these findings.

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