Lack of Vitamin D During Childhood Linked to Heart Problems Later in Life

According to a new study, the levels of Vitamin D in childhood may determine the adult’s heart health.
The recent study was conducted by a team of researchers from the University of Turku in Finland.

They discovered that there is an important association between Vitamin D deficiency in children and heart problems later in their life.

The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism and explained that a Vitamin D deficiency in young children and teenagers is often linked to serious heart illnesses like atherosclerosis or the development of plaque which makes the arteries hard with age.

According to experts, the hardening of arteries have been linked to a higher risk of developing heart diseases, and even though it’s not yet proven to be a direct cause and effect, researchers advise parents to bear in mind that a healthy Vitamin D intake could reduce the children’s risk of developing cardiovascular illnesses later in their life.

For this study, the scientists analyzed the data from more than 2,100 participants.
They measured their Vitamin D levels from the 1980s, when the participants were between the ages of 3 and 18.
The researchers analyzed the participants 27 years later, at the ages of 30 to 45. They wanted to see if the participants showed any signs of atherosclerosis.

The scientists analyzed the participants’ physical exams, including Vitamin D levels, diet, exercise, blood pressure, smoking habits and cholesterol levels.

Also, the researchers analyzed the participants’ arteries, including the carotid, using ultrasound technology.
After the scientists analyzed the participants’ exercise levels, nutritional habits, smoking, obesity and blood pressure, in order to determine their cardiovascular health, they discovered that those who had a Vitamin D deficiency while being young, were more likely to show symptoms of hardened arteries later in life, in their 30s and 40s.

According to experts, the healthy reading for Vitamin D is between 30 and 50 nanograms per milliliter.
The lower the Vitamin D levels during childhood, the higher the risks of developing atherosclerosis, which endangers heart health.

The authors of the study published their findings in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
Image Source: foodandhealth

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Alan O’Leary

Alan is a happily-married, New York-based writer with over 5 years of experience in journalism. He mainly focuses on subjects such as international politics, arts culture, social media and national news.