Health

Health: Vitamin D & Heart Disease

PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ― Medical Reporter Stephanie Stahl has details on new risk factors when it comes to heart disease.

Not getting enough Vitamin D increases the risk of heart disease, according to a groundbreaking new study from Harvard. And it's believed up to 40 percent of Americans do not get enough.

Not getting enough vitamin D can weaken bones. The new research says it can also hurt the heart.

"People with the lower Vitamin D levels did have an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular events," said Dr. Thomas Wang, the lead researcher of the study from Harvard Medical School.

The research of 1,700 people found those with a moderate Vitamin D deficiency had a 60 percent increased risk of cardiovascular problems. People with a severe deficiency had nearly a 100 percent risk.

"A number of laboratory studies suggest that Vitamin D has a variety of important effects on the heart and the blood vessels surrounding the heart," said Dr. Wang.

Sources of Vitamin D include milk, fish and the sun.

"We feel that being out in the sun for one and a half to two hours a week will provide you with enough vitamin D," said Cardiologist Merle Myerson.

Vitamin D is in supplements.

Hap Snyder, who has a family history of heart disease, has taken them for years before this new link was discovered.

"It feels great that there's something out there that might be helping me," said Hap Snyder.

Getting vitamin D with exposure to sunlight is somewhat controversial because that can increase the risk of skin cancer and can be especially dangerous for some people. If you're concerned about getting enough vitamin D, it's best to check with your doctor.

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