Topic: More good news about vitamin D--for we AI-takers!

JoanofArdmore wrote:

Blood Pressure, Metabolic Syndrome Linked to Vitamin D

Vitamin D levels appear to influence blood pressure, and a new study from Spain suggests that they also affect the risk of developing metabolic syndrome. A U.S. study involving more than 12,000 adults found that as blood levels of vitamin D decline, blood pressure goes up. The investigators reported in the July 2007 issue of the American Journal of Hypertension that after age, gender, ethnicity and physical activity were taken into consideration, the association between vitamin D and high blood pressure was most pronounced among non-Hispanic blacks, Mexican-Americans and non-Hispanic whites. Next: a study is planned to determine whether raising vitamin D levels via sun exposure or supplements can bring high blood pressure down to healthy levels. Meanwhile, the Spanish study, published online on July 9, 2007 in Clinical Nutrition found that low levels of vitamin D increase the risks of metabolic syndrome among obese people. Metabolic syndrome is characterized by obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar and insulin resistance and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The researchers found that of the 73 morbidly obese patients in their study 46 had metabolic syndrome and of those, more than 60 percent were vitamin D deficient. Only 33 percent of patients who didn't have metabolic syndrome were low on vitamin D.

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