Vitamin D has long been recognized as an important vitamin for synthesizing calcium to build strong bones. Products such as milk and juice are often fortified with it. But new information has linked vitamin D to atrial fibrillation, a cardiac condition that could be deadly if not treated. Your health-care provider can help you determine if you are vitamin D deficient and if you need a supplement.
Atrial Fibrillation
Your heart is a pump that drives the circulation of blood and oxygen to your body's cells. The efficient pumping of blood requires that all four chambers of the heart, the two atria and the two ventricles, contract rhythmically. As the atria contract, they force blood into the ventricles. The right ventricle then forces deoxygenated blood into the lungs to pick up oxygen, and the left ventricle forces oxygenated blood into the systemic circulation. The American Heart Association says that during an episode of atrial fibrillation, rather than beating rhythmically, the atria quiver, failing to do the job of pumping blood to the ventricles. Blood can then pool in the atria and clot, potentially leading to arterial blockage that causes heart attack or stroke.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient that is stored in your fat cells to be drawn upon when needed. Yet while most people have plenty of fat cells, vitamin D deficiency in the United States is on the rise. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005 to 2006 data placed the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among Americans at 41.6 percent. Darker-skinned people showed even higher prevalence, with black people at 81.2 percent and Hispanics at 69.2 percent. Vitamin D helps maintain blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, assists in calcium absorption and plays a vital role in heart function.
Research
A 2011 study headed by Dr. Ibhar Al Mheid of Emory University School of Medicine and Dr. Arshed Quyyumi, a professor of medicine and director of the Emory Cardiovascular Research Institute, linked vitamin D deficiency to arterial stiffening. "We found that people with vitamin D deficiency had vascular dysfunction comparable to those with diabetes or hypertension," says Al Mheid. The Emory study supports the findings of a 2009 study by Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City that linked vitamin D deficiency to heart disease and death. The University of Maryland Medical Center lists hypertension and coronary artery disease as causes of atrial fibrillation.
Sources of Vitamin D
Vitamin D is found in fish, eggs, fortified milk and cod liver oil. Your body naturally manufactures vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun. The Mayo Clinic notes that as little as 10 minutes of sun exposure is enough to prevent deficiencies. However, wearing sunscreen can interfere with natural vitamin D production. Dietary supplements may be an alternative. The Mayo Clinic explains that vitamin D comes in several forms and that the forms humans need are D-2 and D-3.
References
- American Heart Association: What Is Atrial Fibrillation (AF) ?
- UPI.com Health News; Lack of Vitamin D May Stiffen Arteries; April 4, 2011
- Medical News Today; Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Cardiovascular Disease and Death by New Study; Nov. 16, 2009
- Mayo Clinic: Vitamin D
- "Nutrition Research"; Prevalence and Correlates of Vitamin D Deficiency in U.S. Adults; K.Y. Forrest and W.L. Stuhldreher; January 2011
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter -- Overview
