Vitamin D status and cardiovascular health: A 2009 update

Vitamin D has long been known to be vital to bone health. More recently, vitamin D has been shown to play a role in the risk of malignancy, infection, autoimmune disease, renal disease, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) including its associated risk factors of diabetes and hypertension. Within the umbrella of cardiovascular disorders, low vitamin D levels have been specifically linked to increased risk of congestive heart failure, left ventricular hypertrophy, peripheral arterial disease, subclinical vascular disease, myocardial infarction, stroke, and mortality - associations that remain even after traditional risk factors and lifestyle factors are taken into account. However, a direct causal relationship between 25(OH)D deficiency and the risk of CVD has not been completely established. A thorough review of the scientific evidence linking vitamin D deficiency with CVD as well as an explanation of the potential biologic mechanisms that may support these associations will be the focus of this review.