Vitamin D supplements could reduce blood pressure in patients diagnosed with hypertension, states a new study from Denmark.
In this randomized controlled trial, the blood pressure of 112 patients with hypertension who received either vitamin D (75 mcg/day) or a placebo for 20 weeks in winter was measured (1). The study results showed that the patients who took the vitamin D supplement showed a significant reduction of 6.8 mmHg in systolic blood pressure and a cut in diastolic blood pressure of 1.7mmHg. Of the 112 patients, 92 were found to have insufficient blood vitamin D concentrations at the start of the study.
The researchers concluded that hypertensive patients can benefit from vitamin D supplementation if they have a vitamin D insufficiency. The majority of Europeans most likely have a vitamin D deficiency; many probably also have high blood pressure. Vitamin D is not a cure for hypertension, but its blood pressure-lowering effect may be able to help patients, especially in the winter months. It is important to stress that larger studies are necessary to confirm these findings, the scientists noted.