Relationship between dietary Vitamin D and deaths from stroke and coronary heart disease the Japan collaborative cohort study

Abstract

Background and Purpose-There is growing evidence about the importance of Vitamin D for cardiovascular health. Therefore, we examined the relationship between dietary Vitamin D intake and risk of mortality from stroke and coronary heart disease in Japanese population. Methods-A prospective study encompassing 58 646 healthy Japanese adults (23 099 men and 35 547 women) aged of 40 to 79 years in whom dietary Vitamin D intake was determined via a self-Administered food frequency questionnaire. The median follow-up period was 19.3 years (1989-2009). The hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of mortality were calculated using categories of Vitamin D intake. Results-During 965 970 person-years of follow-up, 1514 stroke and 702 coronary heart disease deaths were documented. Vitamin D intake was inversely associated with risk of mortality from total stroke especially intraparenchymal hemorrhage but not from coronary heart disease; the multivariable hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the highest (>440 IU/d) versus lowest (<110 IU/D) categories of Vitamin D intake were 0.70 (0.54-0.91; P for trend=0.04) for total stroke and 0.66 (0.46-0.96; P for trend=0.04) for intraparenchymal hemorrhage. Conclusions-Dietary Vitamin D intake seems to be inversely associated with mortality from stroke.