foodconsumer.org: Got hypertension? Use vitamin D!

Got hypertension? Use vitamin D!
================================================================================
admin on 09/24/2009 23:59:00
 
Taking vitamin D supplements may help control hypertension or lower blood
pressure, a review article published in the Oct 2009 issue of Nature reviews
Cardiology suggests.
S. Pilz and colleagues from Medical University of Graz in Austria systematically
reviewed research on the effect of vitamin D on high blood pressure and said
vitamin D supplementation may help people with hypertension.
Pilz et al. say in their report that observational data indicate that vitamin D
is involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and arterial
hypertension.
Vitamin D affects blood pressure though a number of physiological functions
including renoprotection, suppression of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone
system, effects on vascular cells and calcium metabolism, according to the
authors.
Clinical trial results showed that vitamin D sufficiency promotes lowering of
arterial blood pressure although not all studies came to the same conclusion.
The antihypertensive effect of vitamin D appears to be particularly significant
in people with high blood pressure.
Pilz and colleagues believe that vitamin D supplements should be given to
patients with hypertension and 25-hydrovitamin D levels below target values.
Dr. John Cannell, vitamin D expert and president of Vitamin D Council suggests
that people need to maintain vitamin D level at 50 to 70 ng per mL year round to
avoid a variety of diseases.
By David Liu davidl at foodconsumer dot org