No Link Between Hypertension and Vitamin D, Study Rules

Challenging popular notion that vitamin D lowers blood pressure in older adults, a new study found no clinical correlation between the two.

According to CBS News, the study involved 4,541 participants, who were given vitamin D for four weeks. Researchers found that the vitamin produced no effect on systolic or diastolic blood pressures. While low levels of vitamin D are seen in people with high blood pressure, prescribing vitamin D does not improve hypertension, the study found.

"Large studies have shown that people with low vitamin D levels tend to have higher blood pressure. It hasn't been clear though whether giving vitamin D to people actually lowers their blood pressure as individual trials have been too small to find out the answer," said Dr. Miles Witham at University of Dundee's School of Medicine.

The study involved 46 clinical trials besides scrutiny of individual patient data.

"By combining all of these trials into one analysis, we have been able to show that taking vitamin D supplements doesn't lower your blood pressure - even if you start with low vitamin D levels or a high blood pressure," Dr. William said.

Higher levels of vitamin D in blood can cause high calcium levels in blood causing nausea, disturbed heart rhythm and kidney stones.

"Vitamin D can help reduce falls and fractures in older people, and might still have other health benefits, but we need to wait for the result from further large clinical trials before we know if more widespread use of this medication is safe or worthwhile," Dr. Willam noted.