Taking one vitamin D supplement daily for a month can trigger a drop in blood pressure — slashing the risk of strokes and heart attacks, research has suggested. The so-called 'sunshine vitamin' has long been hailed as beneficial for bone health and crucial for helping us fight off diseases.
Now researchers in Lebanon, who tracked more than 200 obese adults in their 70s, found it also 'significantly' lowered blood pressure in those who took it for a month.
The team found that one tablet of 600 IU (or 15mg) achieved the optimum effect — and increasing the dose made little difference to the benefit.
High blood pressure is one of the nation's biggest killers, responsible for one in four deaths, according to NHS England.
It is often referred to as a 'silent' threat because roughly a third of those with the condition are thought to be undiagnosed, according to the British Heart Foundation.
Not only is it the leading cause of heart disease, it can also lead to kidney disease and vascular dementia.
Poster Comment:
Dr Horse: I took Vitamin D 3 in higher doses than the UK allows but did not drop BP to 125/65 until I added olive oil, beets and a variety of anthocyanins (Resveratrol, Blueberries, Elderberries, Cranberries, etc.)