Older individuals may want to consider adding more of the nutritional supplement vitamin D to their diet, as a new study suggests it could potentially decrease the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Findings published in the journal Maturitas revealed that elderly patients who had a high intake of vitamin D had a 43 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Researchers were able to determine that there was a 33 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a 55 percent reduction of type 2 diabetes and a 51 percent chance of not developing metabolic syndrome.

“We found that high levels of vitamin D among middle age and elderly populations are associated with a substantial decrease in cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome,” said study co-author Oscar Franco,M.D.

The authors also write that these findings should instill the importance of checking older individuals for vitamin D deficiency, and instead encouraging a higher intake of the nutritional supplement.