Does Inconclusive Evidence for Vitamin D Supplementation to Reduce Risk for Cardiovascular Disease Warrant Pessimism?
Authors: Robert P. Heaney
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2010)

Letters3 August 2010Does Inconclusive Evidence for Vitamin D Supplementation to Reduce Risk for Cardiovascular Disease Warrant Pessimism?Robert P. Heaney, MDRobert P. Heaney, MDFrom Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-153-3-201008030-00016 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:I was very disappointed to find, in the world's leading journal of internal medicine, 2 poorly conceived systematic reviews of vitamin D's effects on the cardiovascular system (1, 2), accompanied by a largely supportive editorial (3). All 3 exhibit a limited awareness of vitamin D physiology. For example, the review by Wang and colleagues (1) identified 6 prospective studies, only 1 of which used actual vitamin D (cholecalciferol). The others all used various 1-hydroxylated derivatives. Nor did the editorial, citing those 6 studies, pick up this critical distinction. Presumably, the authors of the 6 studies used 1,25-dihydroxy ...References1. Wang L, Manson JE, Song Y, Sesso HD. Systematic review: vitamin D and calcium supplementation in prevention of cardiovascular events. Ann Intern Med. 2010;152:315-23. [PMID: 20194238] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Pittas AG, Chung M, Trikalinos T, Mitri J, Brendel M, Patel K, et al. Systematic review: vitamin D and cardiometabolic outcomes. Ann Intern Med. 2010;152:307-14. [PMID: 20194237] LinkGoogle Scholar3. Guallar E, Miller ER, Ordovas JM, Stranges S. Vitamin D supplementation in the age of lost innocence [Editorial]. Ann Intern Med. 2010;152:327-9. [PMID: 20194240] LinkGoogle Scholar4. Holick MF. The vitamin D deficiency pandemic and consequences for nonskeletal health: mechanisms of action. Mol Aspects Med. 2008;29:361-8. [PMID: 18801384] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Liu PT, Stenger S, Li H, Wenzel L, Tan BH, Krutzik SR, et al. Toll-like receptor triggering of a vitamin D-mediated human antimicrobial response. Science. 2006;311:1770-3. [PMID: 16497887] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Vieth R. Vitamin D supplementation, 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations, and safety. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69:842-56. [PMID: 10232622] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. Heaney RP, Davies KM, Chen TC, Holick MF, Barger-Lux MJ. Human serum 25-hydroxycholecalciferol response to extended oral dosing with cholecalciferol. Am J Clin Nutr. 2003;77:204-10. [PMID: 12499343] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Robert P. Heaney, MDAffiliations: From Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68178.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoVitamin D Supplementation in the Age of Lost Innocence Eliseo Guallar , Edgar R. Miller III , Jose M. Ordovas , and Saverio Stranges Systematic Review: Vitamin D and Cardiometabolic Outcomes Anastassios G. Pittas , Mei Chung , Thomas Trikalinos , Joanna Mitri , Michael Brendel , Kamal Patel , Alice H. Lichtenstein , Joseph Lau , and Ethan M. Balk Systematic Review: Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation in Prevention of Cardiovascular Events Lu Wang , JoAnn E. Manson , Yiqing Song , and Howard D. Sesso Metrics Cited byVitamin D equilibrium affects sex-specific changes in lipid concentrations during Christian Orthodox fastingVitamin D and Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Comparing Studies with and without Biological Flaws 3 August 2010Volume 153, Issue 3Page: 208-209KeywordsAttentionCalcitriolCardiovascular diseasesCarotenoidsCellsConflicts of interestProspective studiesSystematic reviewsVitamin AVitamin D ePublished: 3 August 2010 Issue Published: 3 August 2010 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2010 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...