Vitamin D Absorption and Aortic Stenosis

[tobagotwo]

There are some things of interest brewing regarding the cause of aortic calcification. Two things have recently come up as having statistical relationships with rates of incidence and even speed of calcification.

First, vitamin D absorption abnormalities are being linked with calcific aortic stenosis in humans. This is referred to as "vitamin D receptor polymorphism," and is apparently associated with the B allele of a gene that manages calcium.
http://heart.bmj.com/content/85/6/635.short

However, what that link means is not clear, as one study has shown that rabbits given vitamin D2 supplements actually developed aotic stenosis, and another that pregnant rabbits given high doses of vitamin D had much higher levels of aortic issues with their offspring. Certainly, vitamin D doesn't seem to be good for rabbit aortas.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18585377

So I wouldn't go out and buy vitamin D for this just yet. It doesn't seem to be clear how - or if - the interaction works, or whether the absence or presence of vitamin D is a positive or negative factor.

One thing that does seem to be coming clear is that calcium supplements without added vitamin D can raise risk of heart attacks, and maybe calcification as well. Note that Tums and similar stomach medications would quality as this, so beware if you have heartburn: http://www.theheart.org/article/1108009.do

Also, there is some possibility of a link between bone loss treatments and the speed of calcification: http://www.theheart.org/article/987103.do

It's a small group and there are other significant limitations to the information, but it does bear following up on. Anything that might slow the progression down may be good, and the reason it might be slowing calcification down could be illuminating on the entire topic.

Best wishes,

 

[ottagal]

Interesting info, Bob! Thanks for keeping us 'in the loop'.

 

[Lynlw]

Thanks Bob, I like theheart.org they have alot of good useful info there and lots of interesting webcast of discussions.
Someone ask on a CHD group, where parents go online to get reliable heart medical info (their doctor asked them to find out) That was one of the places I listed. I'm glad you can join for free

 

[Eva]

My vitamin D level stays under the normal range despite having increased my intake from 800mg to 1200 mg to 1600 mg.

My PCP just sent me for Bone Density. He wants to know what is going on before increasing my dose again!

 

[pat45750]

My vitamind D level is very low, but I am 66 I also live in Rolaids even with the Prylosec. My stenosis went downhill very fast. Maybe that was one of the reasons. Interesting stuff. I would like to protect my new bovine valve from calcification. Hope they do more research. Thanks for the info. Pat

 

[Marguerite53]

Thanks, Bob. We can always count on you for being at the cusp of this useful kind of information. Appreciate all that you share.

Marguerite

 

[tobagotwo]

My interest in vitamin D's possible effects was triggered by a posting by Barbwil, who apparently heard a mention of it from Dr. OZ, of all places. So no kudos to me for locating the original topic.

There are a number of papers on the web of varying age and accuracy on this and related topics (I would avoid the ones that indicate miracle cures or stories of reversals of calcification). At least one that looked well-done and promising ended in a note that statins may be the answer, which means they missed all the data from the huge statin SEAS and other statin trials, which showed that statins were entirely ineffective in slowing aortic calcification.

I wouldn't be troubled by the rabbit studies that showed vitamin D as causing, rather than benefitting aortic stenosis. Rabbits don't get aortic stenosis in nature, or aterosclerosis. Atherosclerosis can be induced in rabbits only through an entirely unnatural diet of extremely high fats. That atherosclerosis also infests the rabbit's valve, and is unlike the type of calcification that humans get on their valves (although the studies call it aortic stenosis). Also, atherosclerosis is not a forerunner of valve stenosis in humans. As such, it's highly unlikely that the vitamin D effects shown in the rabbit studies would translate to humans.

This research is in its infancy, but holds as much promise as or more than other leads that have been investigated over the years.

Best wishes,