Vitamin D Supplements Do Not Affect CVD Biomarkers
Low vitamin D levels have been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, a recent study adds to prior evidence suggesting that supplemental vitamin D does not reduce CVD risk. In the STURDY trial, 688 people, ages 70 and older, with low vitamin D levels received 200, 400, 1,000 or 2,000 international units (IUs) of vitamin D per day. They also underwent testing for two biomarkers of heart injury and strain—high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTnI) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)—at three months, one year and two years. A low vitamin D level was associated with elevated hs-cTnI at baseline. Levels of these biomarkers increased in all the study groups, regardless of the dose (American Journal of Preventive Cardiology, December 2024). “While much work is needed to understand why vitamin D deficiency is associated with CVD, our study adds to the growing body of evidence that daily or monthly supplementation with vitamin D does not prevent CVD events or reduce markers of subclinical cardiac injury or strain,” one of the study authors said in a news release.
