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Vitamin D has been in the news a lot lately – studies promoting the positive effects of the “sunshine vitamin” on the immune system, cancer, bone strength, depression. This study, published in the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology, calls vitamin D a heart tranquilizer.

In the study, cells from the cells treated with activated vitamin D did not grow bigger in the heart muscle. The treatments prevented hypertrophy in rats and prevented heart muscles from overstimulation and the increased contractions that are commonly associated with the progression of heart failure.

The U-M researchers used a breed of rats predisposed to develop human-like heart failure and measured the effects of activated vitamin D given to rats given a normal or high salt diet compared to control group rats given either of the same diets but no vitamin D supplementation. The rats on the high-salt diet were expected to develop heart failure within only a few months.

After 13 weeks of the study, the high-risk rats on the high salt diet that were given activated vitamin D had lower levels of several key indicators associated with heart failure than the untreated high-salt rats in the study. The treated group also had a lower heart weight and the left ventricles were smaller indicating that heart function did not deteriorate as it did in the untreated rats. Decreased heart weight was found in the normal group that was treated as opposed to the untreated group.

Sunlight causes the body to make vitamin D, vitamin D is present in small amounts in foods, are available in supplements, but, according to this study, vitamin D analogs will more than likely be the treatment of choice in the future. Vitamin D analogs are already on the market for certain conditions, but a drawback is the undesirable increased blood calcium levels. Labs are conducting studies to find a safer, less toxic vitamin D analog. Until then, most physicians are recommending 1,000 IU of vitamin D per day. The tolerable upper limit for vitamin D is 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day.

Author's Bio: 

Ms. Shattler is currently the Director of the Dietitians and Nutrition Division of Ceu4u.com. She has spent twenty years as a Dietitian serving in various capacities such as a nutrition support dietitian, WIC, State Health Facility Surveyor, State WIC Program Manager, Chief Clinical Dietitian and as an author, speaker and program developer.