Low vitamin D levels associated with higher rates of cardiovascular and cancer deaths

This study was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2011 Dec;94(6):1471-8

 

Study title and authors:

Prospective association of vitamin D concentrations with mortality in postmenopausal women: results from the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).

Eaton CB, Young A, Allison MA, Robinson J, Martin LW, Kuller LH, Johnson KC, Curb JD, Van Horn L, McTiernan A, Liu S, Manson JE.

Center for Primary Care and Prevention, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Pawtucket, RI, USA. charles_eaton@mhri.org

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22030222

25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) is the major circulating form of vitamin D and is currently considered the best indicator of vitamin D levels in the body.

This study aimed to determine whether 25-hydroxyvitamin D (vitamin D) levels were associated with cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality in 2,429 postmenopausal women.

The study found:
(a) Women with the lowest vitamin D levels had a 25% increased death rate compared to women with the highest vitamin D levels.
(b) Women with the lowest vitamin D levels had a 27% increased risk of cardiovascular disease deaths compared to women with the highest vitamin D levels.
(c) Women with the lowest vitamin D levels had a 39% increased risk of cancer deaths compared to women with the highest vitamin D levels.

The results of this study show that low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased rates of deaths from all-causes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

Vitamin D is only found in foods from animal sources (University of Bristol). The richest sources include lard, eggs, liver, fish, marine oils, organ meats and butter.

Links to other studies:
Can lard and other fatty foods offer protection from peripheral arterial disease?
High vitamin D levels associated with a 40% reduction in colon cancer - Best sources of vitamin D = High fat foods & sunshine

Can lard and other fatty foods offer protection from peripheral arterial disease?

This paper was published in Vascular health and risk management 2011;7:671-5

Study title and authors:

Vitamin D status and peripheral arterial disease: evidence so far.

Chua G, Chan Y, Cheng S.

Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Hong Kong Medical Centre, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.

This paper can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22140318

This paper reviewed the literature on the association of vitamin D and peripheral arterial disease.

The review found:
(a) People with lower vitamin D levels are more likely to develop peripheral arterial disease.
(b) Higher amputation rates are observed among patients with peripheral arterial disease and lower vitamin D levels.
(c) Vitamin D deficiency is significantly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular adverse events.

This study shows that vitamin D deficiency could be an independent risk factor for the development of peripheral arterial disease.

By far the richest source of dietary vitamin D is cod liver oil. The second richest source of vitamin D is lard. Other foods containing vitamin D include: Butter, egg yolk, liver, organ meats and seafood. Vitamin D is virtually absent from all plant food.

Foods containing the most vitamin D

This post features a list of foods rich in vitamin D and a recipe for pork rillettes.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) databases compiled in the 1980s list the following foods as rich in vitamin D
The amounts given are for 100 grams or about 3 1/2 ounces.

Cod Liver Oil 10,000

Books:

Lard (Pork Fat) 2,800
Atlantic Herring (Pickled) 680

Eastern Oysters (Steamed) 642
Catfish (Steamed/Poached) 500
Skinless Sardines (Water Packed) 480
Mackerel (Canned/Drained) 450
Smoked Chinook Salmon 320
Sturgeon Roe 232
Shrimp (Canned/Drained) 172
Egg Yolk (Fresh) (One yolk contains about 24 IU) 148
Butter 56
Lamb Liver (Braised) 20
Beef Tallow (Dripping) 19
Pork Liver (Braised) 12
Beef Liver (Fried) 12
Beef Tripe (Raw) 12
Beef Kidney (Simmered) 12
Chicken Livers (Simmered) 12
Small Clams (Steamed/Cooked Moist) 8
Blue Crab (Steamed) 4
Crayfish/Crawdads (Steamed) 4
Northern Lobster (Steamed) 4

Vitamin D can reduce the risk of colon cancer, see here and here, can offer protection from tuberculosis and has a host of other benefits.

Fish and meat items are among the richest sources of vitamin D, conversely plant sources of vitamin D are almost non-existent. Note how the second richest food rich in vitamin D is lard.

More information on this subject: Books : Scientific Studies : Other Websites : Videos : Food Mall 

Recipe of the day

Pork Rillettes

Ingredients:

Homemade Lard

2 kg pork belly
2 kg raw ham
600 g lard
10 g salt
3 g (per kilo) pepper
500 ml water
200 ml vouvray or other white wine

Preparation:
Cut the pork into pieces. Pour the water into a heavy cast-iron pot and bring to a boil. Add the lard and the cut-up meat. 2 Cover and cook in a bain marie in the oven at 225ºF for six hours, mixing often with a wooden spoon. 3 When the meat begins to fall apart, the rillettes are cooked. Add the Vouvray and return to the oven for an hour. 4 Remove from the heat. Mix and break up roughly. Season. While still hot, pack into stoneware pots. Let cool, then refrigerate.

Pork Rillettes