A new study finds that older adults with insufficient levels of vitamin D die from heart disease more often than those with adequate levels of the vitamin.
The research, published in the Journal of the American Geriatric Society, explored the association between levels of the vitamin in the blood and the death rates of those 65 and older.
It suggests those with a vitamin D deficiency were three times more likely to die from heart disease and two and a half times more likely to die from any cause, compared to those with optimum levels of the vitamin.
“Given the aging population and the simplicity of increasing a persons level of vitamin D, a small improvement in death rates could have a substantial impact on public health,” said the studys lead author Dr. Adit Ginde from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicines Division of Emergency Medicine.
Vitamin D is found in foods like milk, fish and eggs as well as cod liver oil and nutritional supplements. It is also produced in the body after exposure to the sun. It is believed that as little as 10 minutes of daily sun exposure is enough to prevent deficiencies.