According to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics, 47.7 percent of U.S. adults have hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure. For adults over the age of 60, that increases to 71.6 percent. But perhaps most alarming is the fact that roughly 41 percent of Americans with hypertension are unaware that they have it. However, findings from a study released this week offer some positive news: Taking a common supplement could lower blood pressure in people over 65.
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The study, published in the Journal of the Endocrine Society, found that adults 65 and older with obesity—defined as a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater—saw "significantly" decreased blood pressure after taking a vitamin D supplement as well as a calcium supplement.
Obesity is an important factor because, according to some research, it accounts for up to 65 to 75 percent of hypertension cases. Moreover, as the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) notes, more than two in five U.S. adults have obesity.
To arrive at their findings, researchers analyzed data from 221 overweight (a BMI of 25 or more) individuals ages 65 and older over the course of one year. They took a daily vitamin D supplement either at 600 IU or 3750 IU.
For context, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that adults ages 19 to 70 take 600 IU of vitamin D daily, while adults 71 years and older take 800 IU.
All study participants also took 250 mg of calcium citrate. The authors note that calcium can reduce blood pressure on its own, but the present study showed a bigger decrease than previous research focusing solely on calcium.
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Researchers observed that both groups saw a significant decrease in both systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) after one year, meaning that taking the recommended amount of vitamin D was sufficient. They also observed that individuals with obesity who began the study with low vitamin D levels saw the greatest improvement.
In speaking with Medical News Today, Michelle Routhenstein, MS, RD, CDCES, CDN, preventive cardiology dietitian and heart health expert at Entirely Nourished, who was not involved in the study, said the results were unsurprising.
"Vitamin D is involved in regulating the renin-angiotensin system, which plays a key role in controlling blood pressure. When vitamin D levels are low, renin secretion tends to increase, which can raise blood pressure by activating this system," she explained.
"Calcium was also provided, and it is known to support blood pressure regulation due to its effect on blood vessel function. By helping blood vessels relax and maintain proper tone, calcium can contribute to lower blood pressure," Routhenstein added.
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This isn't the first body of research to positively link vitamin D with improved blood pressure. Just last month, a study published in the journal Engineering found that vitamin D supplements can enhance cardiometabolic health and help prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke, heart attack, and heart disease.
As Best Life reported, the study researchers noted: "Our findings suggest that higher vitamin D levels are required to maintain cardiovascular health in non-Westerners, obese, and older populations. Consequently, consideration should be given to administering higher doses for longer durations when designing personalized intervention strategies aimed at enhancing cardiometabolic health in these populations."
