A lot of supplements available on the market such as coenzyme, omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, and potassium claim to reduce the odds of developing heart disease.
Now, a study has found that a major form of vitamin D can help restore a damaged cardiovascular system caused by diabetes or hypertension.
Going Beyond The Bones
The latest study was conducted by Professor Dr. Tadeusz Malinski of Ohio University and his team of graduate students.
According to Malinski, vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, has been usually associated with the bones of the body. It is also known to have been essential for the treatment of osteoporosis. In recent years, however, it has been found that a lot of patients in clinical settings who experience a heart attack have Vitamin D3 deficiency, as revealed in the study.
"It doesn't mean that the deficiency caused the heart attack, but it increased the risk of heart attack," Malinksi said.
Malinski and his team used a new method to help keep track of how vitamin D3 can impact endothelial cells, which are significant for the proper functioning of the cardiovascular system.
"We use nanosensors to see why vitamin D3 can be beneficial, especially for the function and restoration of the cardiovascular system," Malinski said.
The study says that endothelial cells can easily be damaged once someone suffers from diabetes, a heart attack, or hypertension.
Vitamin D3 Works
Malinski and his team found that vitamin D3 treatment has the ability to restore damaged endothelial cells.
"There are not many, if any, known systems which can be used to restore cardiovascular endothelial cells which are already damaged, and vitamin D3 can do it," Malinski revealed in their press statement.
"This is a very inexpensive solution to repair the cardiovascular system. We don't have to develop a new drug. We already have it," he added.
Getting A Healthy Dose Of Vitamin D3
It's highly recommended that adults between the ages of 19-50 get 600 IU of vitamin D and those over the age of 70 to get 800 IU daily, according to Kaiser Permanente.
The body can naturally increase levels of the sunshine vitamin by exposing bare skin to sunlight. However, at wintertime when days are shorter, it can be challenging to get the right amount of vitamin D the body needs to stay healthy and fight off the potential of getting heart disease.
Certain foods, however, can readily provide vitamin D, such as cheese, egg yolks, and beef liver, in addition to fatty fish and mushrooms. Orange juice may also contain vitamin D.
Vitamin D3 supplements can also be found at most major grocery stores.
