A recent finding based on a large-scale genetic study has revealed that deficiency of vitamin D lead to hypertension among people.
According to the researchers, the results of the D-CarDia collaboration, which is world's largest study conducted to examine the causal relationship between vitamin D and hypertension provide a strong case for enrichment of food with vitamin D in order to prevent some kinds of cardiovascular disease.
Although this link has already shown by observational studies but a large-scale genetic study was necessary before the cause and effect could be proven.
The findings will be presented by Vimal Karani S. from the Institute of Child Health, University College London at the annual conference of the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG) in Paris Tuesday.
The research involved 35 studies, more than 155,000 participants in various centers across Europe and North America, showed that those with high concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) had reduced blood pressure and, therefore have least risk of hypertension.
"We knew from earlier observational studies that low 25(OH)D concentrations were likely to be associated with increases in blood pressure and hypertension, but correlation is not causality," Vimal Karani says.
"Additionally, randomised controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation in humans have produced inconsistent effects on cardiovascular outcomes. The whole picture was somewhat confused, and we decided to try to figure it out once and for all," the researcher adds.
The researchers during the study used genetic variants called single nucleotide polymorphisms, or SNPs, as proxy markers to represent individual's vitamin D status in order to test for a causal association with blood pressure and hypertension, reports Science Daily.
Moreover, after analyzing the results they found a significant link. For every 10 percent increase in 25(OH)D concentrations, there was a 8.1 percent decrease in the risk of developing hypertension.
-With inputs from IANS
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