Cardiovascular and metabolic effects of vitamin D

• Main Author: Veysel Kıdır
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Modestum Publishing LTD 2013-09-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical and Experimental Investigations
• Subjects: Vitamin D; cardiovascular system; diabetes mellitus; obesity; metabolic syndrome
• Online Access: http://www.jceionline.org/upload/sayi/18/JCEI-00705.pdf
• ISSN: 1309-8578; 1309-6621

In humans, approximately 95% of the total requirementfor vitamin D is synthesized in the skin by the effects ofsunlight. The active vitamin D synthesis from 25 (OH) Dtakes place via the 1-alpha hydroxylase enzyme both inrenal and non-renal tissues. The effect of vitamin D on thereceptor level is through active vitamin D. Vitamin D receptorsare shown in more than 30 tissues. Non-classicaleffects of vitamin D are grouped under three main headings:Regulation of hormone secretion, regulation of immunefunction, regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation.Cardiovascular diseases, renal diseases, diabetes,obesity, metabolic syndrome are mostly researcheddiseases related with vitamin D. Vitamin D levels wereshown inversely to be related with hypertension, obesity,diabetes and hypertriglyceridemia. In vitro studies haveshown that vitamin D accelerates relaxation in cardiomyocytesand improves diastolic function of the heart. In clinicalstudies done in patients with chronic kidney disease,poor vitamin D status was shown to be an independentrisk factor for coronary vascular calcification, other heartdiseases such as heart failure, and cardiovascular mortality.In this review, the cardiovascular and metaboliceffects of vitamin D have been reviewed in the light ofcurrent knowledge. J Clin Exp Invest 2013; 4 (3): 398-404Key words: Vitamin D; cardiovascular system; diabetesmellitus; obesity; metabolic syndrome