Nutrition in the News: Are you supplementing Vitamin D3 year round? It’s important for your heart

Vitamin D and Heart Health

A recent article in What Doctors Don’t Tell You (WDTTY) reported on two long-term studies that showed taking reasonably high strength Vitamin D3 is beneficial for your heart.

We tend to think of this important vitamin (actually a hormone) for its role in immunity and building strong bones, but two new studies show how far-reaching the benefits of D3 are in the body and why – with British weather(!) we should supplement a high potency all year round.

Researchers in Queensland, Australia have discovered that people who take 60,000 IUs of the vitamin a month (equivalent to 2000iu per day) reduce their chances of a heart attack by around 20 percent. They are also 11 percent less likely to need heart bypass surgery. The research was conducted at QIMR Berghofer Medical Institute in Queensland, Australia.

This was a 5-year study with over 21,000 Australians aged 60-84. Those that took the high strength D3 supplement were 20% at lower risk of a heart attack compared to those who took the placebo.

In a separate 5-year study in Finland with over 2000 individuals aged 60+, researchers found that taking, 1600IU of Vitamin D3 reduced the risk of atrial fibrillation by 27% compared to placebo. This heart arrhythmia can lead to increased risk of blood clots and then potentially stroke or heart failure.

How much should you supplement?

Far more than the NHS advises! I believe the NHS information is outdated. It states; “….between October and early March, we do not make enough vitamin D from sunlight….” And; “From about late March/early April to the end of September, the majority of people should be able to make all the vitamin D they need from sunlight on their skin.” The NHS still recommends only 400iu daily, even in Winter.

I recommend you test your vitamin D levels in September before the start of Winter with a simple, cheap, finger prick blood test. Based on the results, I can assess how much you should supplement – and the best supplements of D3 to take – for just £20. This is a reliable site to use: https://www.vitamindtest.org.uk/

Your results may suggest you have “adequate” levels, but this is very different to optimal levels for your overall health.

The authors of the Australian study acknowledged that the heart attack risks associated with low vitamin D3 could be even more significant for those living in the Northern Hemisphere, where there is so little sunshine. With the Summer we have had in the UK, it’s time to take action!

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Again, thanks for reading.

Keep your eye out for more articles and Peyton Principles in the media.

Caroline

A little more about me…

Providing expert, personalised, health advice utilising 10 years of nutritional therapy and naturopathy experience with a strong emphasis on digestion and gut health. Zoom or face to face Consultations.

I also develop and deliver well-being in the workplace workshops.