Heart Failure, Vitamin D Supplements Help Your Heart Be Stronger and More Efficient
Heart Failure: Vitamin D Strengthens the Heart
Vitamin D supplements can improve heart function in patients with chronic heart failure, a condition where the heart becomes too weak to pump blood properly. Vitamin D could be a safe and cost-effective alternative for those suffering from this syndrome.
Effects of Vitamin D on the Heart
Most vitamin D is produced by the skin through sunlight exposure and is also found in foods like fatty fish, eggs, cheese, and organ meats. Vitamin D deficiency is widespread worldwide, especially in countries with low sunlight exposure, and is common among the elderly.
As people age, they tend to spend less time outdoors and their skin’s ability to produce vitamin D decreases. Vitamin D is essential for bone and dental health and plays a fundamental role in immune, respiratory, and cardiac system function.
Research shows that patients with heart failure often have low vitamin D levels, which is linked to a worse prognosis compared to those with higher levels. Heart failure is the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood to meet the body’s needs due to weakened heart muscle.
This results in reduced blood volume pumped from the left ventricle with each heartbeat. Clinical studies on vitamin D supplementation in chronic heart failure patients have previously been inconclusive.
Vitamin D Supplements Increase Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction
According to researchers from Leeds, a study on 163 patients with heart failure found that vitamin D supplements improved the heart’s ability to pump blood throughout the body. Specifically, the ejection fraction—the percentage of blood pumped out of the heart chambers each beat—increased from 26% to 34%. The hearts also became smaller but more powerful and efficient. While the exact mechanism is unclear, it is believed that all body cells respond to vitamin D. Dr. Witte, who led the study, stated these results are remarkable compared to other more expensive treatments, with no similar findings in the last 15 years.
Study Details
Klaus K. Witte and colleagues observed 223 patients (average age 70) with chronic left ventricular heart failure, systolic dysfunction, and low vitamin D levels—even during summer. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 100 micrograms of vitamin D3 daily or a placebo pill. A total of 163 completed the one-year treatment.
After 12 months, the primary measure was left ventricular ejection fraction, which is normally 60-70% in healthy adults but only about 25% in heart failure patients. Those receiving vitamin D showed a 6.07% greater increase in ejection fraction compared to placebo. Additionally, echocardiographic measures such as heart size and volume improved significantly in the vitamin D group.
Vitamin D: A Safe and Affordable Alternative
The authors conclude that vitamin D supplementation improved heart function and symptoms, but larger and longer studies are needed to confirm if these changes translate into longer life expectancy for heart failure patients. Vitamin D supplements may represent a significant advancement in heart failure treatment due to their safety and low cost.
Source: Witte KK, et al., “Effects of Vitamin D on Cardiac Function in Patients With Chronic HF: The VINDICATE Study.” J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016 Jun 7;67(22):2593-603. Epub 2016 Apr 4.
