Low Vitamin D Levels May Explain Higher Rates of Hypertension In Blacks
A new study published in the current Journal of General Internal Medicine suggests that low vitamin D levels may, in part, explain why blacks have higher rates of high blood pressure when compared to whites in the US. A growing body of evidence has suggested that vitamin D receptors are found in various parts of the body, including the arteries and the heart, and a deficiency of vitamin D may somehow negatively affect the cardiovascular system, leading to issues such as hypertension. And, indeed, in the current study scientists showed that, overall, blacks had significantly lower levels of vitamin D in their blood than whites and low blood levels of vitamin D were linked to elevated systolic blood pressures. According to the researchers, “We also know that blood pressure is highest among Blacks living in the US, where UV exposure is low…these findings point towards vitamin D deficiency as a potential contributor to higher rates of vascular dysfunction – here hypertension – among Blacks living in the US. Further work is required to determine whether vitamin D supplementation could reduce these racial disparities.” [via Medical News Today]
Learn more about Vitamin D and Hypertension.
Share your comments here.
Unsubscribe
© 2008 Kosmix Corporation. RightHealth is a trademark of Kosmix Corporation.
Free Template Blogger collection template Hot Deals SEO
0 comments:
Post a Comment