I was delighted to see a new article that came out in December 2008 in a major cardiology journal on the subject of vitamin D deficiency as a treatable cardiovascular risk factor. It was authored by Dr. Michael Holick and others.

In this article the authors review the role of vitamin D deficiency is a contributor to the development of heart disease. They review the medical literature and point out that vitamin D blood levels are inversely connected with coronary artery calcification. It is pointed out that vitamin D deficiency increases inflammation in the body, specifically diagnosable by elevated levels of C-reactive protein. The C-reactive protein was even recently mentioned in the Wall Street Journal as a risk factor that all executive should pay attention to with their physician. All patients with elevated C-reactive printing should have their vitamin D status evaluated.

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