Suboptimal vitamin D status during childhood may increase cardiovascular risk in adulthood

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March 18, 2015 - Weekly Essentials of Health by Usana Health Sciences

Suboptimal vitamin D status during childhood may increase cardiovascular risk in adulthood

 At a Glance

A new study shows an association between low 25-OH vitamin D levels in childhood and increased occurrence of atherosclerosis in adulthood.

 Read more about this research below. 

 

Many previous studies have shown an association between inadequate vitamin D levels in adulthood and an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. One of the major risk factors for heart disease is atherosclerosis, or thickening and narrowing of the arteries.

In a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, researchers investigated a potential link between childhood vitamin D deficiency and increased artery thickness and atherosclerosis in adulthood.
The study included 2,148 subjects aged 3-18 years from the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study, which began in 1980. Ultrasound studies of the left carotid artery were conducted in 2007, when the participants were then aged 30-45. Stored serum vitamin D samples taken at the beginning of the study were analyzed for 25-hydroxyvitamin D in 2010.
After adjusting for age, sex, and childhood risk factors, and independent of cardiovascular risk factors such as serum lipids, hypertension, smoking, diet, physical activity, BMI, and socioeconomic status, decreased levels of vitamin D in childhood were associated with a greater carotid artery thickness. Children with 25-OH vitamin D levels in the lowest 25% (
The results could possibly be explained by the fact that the biologically active form of vitamin D, calcitriol, plays a role in vascular proliferation and growth while inhibiting calcification. The authors also suggest that since vitamin D is important for a healthy immune system, it may help reduce infections early in life that could contribute to cardiovascular disease risk.
These findings suggest that insufficient vitamin D levels during childhood should be considered a possible risk factor for adult cardiovascular disease, and add support to the recommendation to supplement vitamin D during childhood.
Juonala M et al. Childhood 25-OH Vitamin D Levels and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2015 Feb 10:jc20143944. [Epub ahead of print]

Vitamin D deficiency common in US children - Weekly Essentials of Health by Usana Health Sciences

March 4, 2015 Vitamin D deficiency common in US children At a Glance Research indicates that the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among children in the United States is higher than previously thought. Although several small studies had found a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in specific populations of children, this study is the first to examine the issue nationwide. Read more about this research below.    A study in the journal Pediatrics reveals a troublesome prevalence of low levels of vitamin D among children in the U.S.   Researchers evaluated data from over 6,000 children aged 1 to 21 who participated in the National Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2001 and 2004. Insufficient levels of vitamin D were defined as 15 to 29 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), and deficient levels as less than 15 ng/mL. Over 60 percent of the children studied had vitamin D levels defined as insufficient. Outright deficiency occurred in nine percent of the subjects. If applied to the U.S. population, these percentages would be equivalent to nearly 51 million children with insufficient vitamin D levels, and 7.6 million children with vitamin D deficiency. Participants who consumed at least 400 IU of vitamin D per day were less likely to experience a deficiency, but just four percent of the children used vitamin D supplements. In addition to its consequences regarding bone health, vitamin D deficiency can potentially increase the risk of future heart disease and other health conditions. The researchers concluded that physicians should be screening children for vitamin D levels, especially in populations that are considered high risk. Kumar J.  Prevalence and associations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in US children: NHANES 2001-2004. Pediatrics. 2009 Sep;124(3):e362-70.