Vitamin D is a steroid hormone precursor that has recently been found to play a role in a wide variety of diseases. Current research indicates vitamin D deficiency plays a role in causing seventeen varieties of cancer as well as heart disease, stroke, hypertension, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, depression, chronic pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, muscle weakness, muscle wasting, birth defects and periodontal disease.

Edward Giovannucci, M.D., Sc.D., of Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston and his colleagues have conducted a study about the link between the low levels of vitamin D and the myocardial infarct.

According to their research, previous studies shown that the rates of cardiovascular disease-related deaths are increased at higher latitudes and during the winter months and are lower at high altitudes.

The scientists said that this pattern coincides with the adverse effect of hypovitaminosis D (vitamin D deficiency), which is more prevalent at higher latitudes, during the winter and at lower altitudes.

Vitamin D is found in many dietary sources such as fish, eggs, fortified milk, and cod liver oil. The sun also contributes significantly to the daily production of vitamin D, and as little as 10 minutes of exposure is thought to be enough to prevent deficiencies. This is the reason why the vitamin is also called the “sunshine vitamin.”

They reviewed the medical records and blood samples of 454 men (age 40 to 75) who had non-fatal heart attack or fatal heart disease from the date of blood collection (between January 1993 and December 1995) until January 2004. They then compared the data from these men with records and blood samples of 900 living men who did not have a history of cardiovascular disease.

They found out that men with a vitamin D deficiency (having 15 nanograms per milliliter of blood or less) had an increased risk for heart attack compared with those with a sufficient amount (having 30 nanograms per milliliter of blood or more) of vitamin D.

Even after they applied additional adjustments such as family history of myocardial infarction, body mass index, alcohol consumption, physical activity, history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension, this relationship remained significant.

A previous report released in January by the Framingham Heart Study researchers has showed that the lack of vitamin D may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk.

The scientists have studied  1,739 offspring from Framingham Heart Study participants and they discovered that those subjects who had blood levels of vitamin D below 15 nanograms per milliliter had twice the risk of a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, heart failure or stroke in the next five years compared to those with higher levels of vitamin D.

The findings of the studies are particularly important as the low levels of vitamin D are highly prevalent in the United States, especially in areas without much sunshine.