Atrial fibrillation, the most common arrhythmia that raises the risk of stroke, heart failure, and mortality, especially with advancing age, may be preventable with higher-than-recommended doses of vitamin D.
A new five-year study from the University of Eastern Finland has shown a reduced risk of this condition in older men and women who took larger doses of vitamin D.
The Finnish Vitamin D Trial (FIND)
The study, known as the Finnish Vitamin D Trial (FIND), ran from 2012 to 2018, with the primary goal of exploring the associations of vitamin D supplementation with the incidence of cardiovascular diseases and cancers.
It involved 2,495 participants, aged 60 or above for men and 65 or above for women.
The participants were randomized into one placebo group and two vitamin D3 supplementation groups, with daily supplements of 40 micrograms (1600 IU) and 80 micrograms (3200 IU).
Participants were also permitted to take their personal vitamin D supplement, up to 20 micrograms (800 IU) per day, the recommended dose for this age group at the study’s outset.
Data on disease occurrence and deaths were obtained from Finnish nationwide health registers, with approximately 20% of participants randomly selected for more detailed examinations and blood samples.
Outcomes and Implications
During the study, 190 participants were diagnosed with atrial fibrillation: 76 in the placebo group, 59 in the 40 micrograms group, and 55 in the 80 micrograms group.
Compared to the placebo group, the risk of atrial fibrillation was 27% lower in the 40 micrograms group, and 32% lower in the 80 micrograms group.
FIND is the first randomized controlled trial to observe that vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of atrial fibrillation in generally healthy men and women.
Prior research included only two randomized trials, which did not observe an effect when using doses of 10 micrograms (400 IU) or 50 micrograms (2000 IU) per day.
However, further confirmation of these results is needed before recommending significantly higher doses of vitamin D for preventing atrial fibrillation.
The FIND study previously found no association with the incidence of other cardiovascular events or cancers.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about the best time to take vitamins to prevent heart disease, and scientists find how COVID-19 damages the heart.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about Aspirin linked to a higher risk of heart failure, and results showing this drug could reduce heart disease, fatty liver, and obesity.
The study was published in American Heart Journal.
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