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Strong correlations have been noted between cardiovascular diseases and low bone density / osteoporosis-connections so strong that the presence of one type of pathology is considered a likely predictor of the other. This potentially causal relationship has led to the hypothesis that these conditions share core mechanisms. Recent advances in our understanding of the complimentary roles played by vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 in vascular and bone health provide support for this hypothesis, along with insight into key metabolic dysfunctions underlying cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Part I of this review summarizes current research linking vitamin D deficiency to cardiovascular disease, the physiological mechanisms underlying vitamin D's cardiovascular effects, and leading vitamin D researchers' recommendations for significantly higher supplemental doses of the pro-hormone. Part II reviews the vitamin K connection to cardiovascular disease; the ways in which vitamin D and vitamin K pair up to prevent inflammation, vascular calcification and osteoporosis; and the necessity of providing vitamin K along with vitamin D to preclude adverse effects associated with hypervitaminosis D, which include vascular and other soft tissue calcification.

Strong correlations have been noted between cardiovascular diseases and low bone density / osteoporosis-connections so strong that the presence of one is considered a likely predictor of the other. This relationship has led to the hypothesis that these conditions share core pathophysiological mechanisms. Recent advances in our understanding of the complimentary roles played by vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 in vascular and bone health provide support for this hypothesis, along with insight into key metabolic dysfunctions underlying cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Part II, The Vitamin K Connection to Cardiovascular Health, reviews the ways in which vitamin K regulates calcium utlization, preventing vascular and soft tissue calcification while complimenting the bone-building actions of vitamin D, and also discusses vitamin K safety and dosage issues, and the necessity of providing vitamin K and vitamin A along with vitamin D to preclude adverse effects associated with hypervitaminosis D.

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Consuming cheese from ewe's milk, rich in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), may reduce markers linked to heart disease, suggest results from a small Italian study. Researchers from the University of Florence report that ewe's milk rich in cis-9, trans-11 CLA produced favourable changes in inflammatory cytokines and platelet aggregation, both of which are associated with atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries due to the build-up of fatty deposits on artery walls. Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of coronary heart disease (CHD), which costs the British public health system more than €5bn per year. "These observations, although preliminary and obtained in a limited study group, seem to be of relevance for the practical implications in terms of nutrition and health of the general population," wrote the researchers in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases.

Fish consumption and risk of major chronic disease in men. Virtanen JK, Mozaffarian D, Chiuve SE, Rimm EB. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Dec;88(6):1618-25. PMID: 19064523 doi:10.3945/ajcn.2007.25816 Conclusions: Modest fish consumption was associated with a lower risk of total cardiovascular disease, consistent with cardiac mortality benefits but not with total cancer or overall major chronic disease; n-6 fatty acid consumption did not influence these relations.

New research reveals that drinking just one cup of regular, black tea per day may help to protect against cardiovascular disease. The research, conducted at the University of L'Aquila in Italy and supported by the Lipton Institute of Tea, is the first study to show that black tea consumption does - depending on dose - improve blood vessel reactivity, reduce both blood pressure and arterial stiffness, indicating a notably better cardiovascular health profile

Vitamin D and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention by Dr. David C. Sane

ScienceDaily (Mar. 11, 2009) - For every gram of salt that Americans reduce in their diets daily, a quarter of a million fewer new heart disease cases and over 200,000 fewer deaths would occur over a decade, researchers said at the American Heart Association's 49th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

A reappraisal of the impact of dairy foods and milk fat on cardiovascular disease risk. German JB, Gibson RA, Krauss RM, Nestel P, Lamarche B, van Staveren WA, Steijns JM, de Groot LC, Lock AL, Destaillats F. Eur J Nutr. 2009 Mar 4. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19259609 DOI: 10.1007/s00394-009-0002-5

Vitamin D and cardiovascular disease risk. Michos ED, Melamed ML. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008 Jan;11(1):7-12. Review. PMID: 18090651

LITTLE FALLS, N.J., May 13 -- Exercise regimens that burn more calories over less-intense periods of exercise can increase weight loss and reduce cardiovascular risk factors better than standard cardiac rehabilitation programs, researchers have found. In a randomized trial, overweight patients who exercised more but with less intensity lost twice as much weight as those on typical cardiac rehab regimens and had greater reductions in markers of metabolic syndrome, according to Philip A. Ades, M.D., of the University of Vermont, and colleagues. "High-calorie-expenditure exercise is superior to standard cardiac rehabilitation exercise in accomplishing weight loss and favorably altering cardiometabolic risk factors, particularly insulin resistance, in overweight patients with coronary heart disease," the researchers reported online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Fatty acid facts, part III: Cardiovascular disease, or, a fish diet is noy fishy. Pauwels EK, Kostkiewicz M. Drug News Perspect. 2008 Dec;21(10):552-61. PMID: 19221636

A prospective study of egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease in men and women. Hu FB, Stampfer MJ, Rimm EB, Manson JE, Ascherio A, Colditz GA, Rosner BA, Spiegelman D, Speizer FE, Sacks FM, Hennekens CH, Willett WC. JAMA. 1999 Apr 21;281(15):1387-94. PMID: 10217054 CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that consumption of up to 1 egg per day is unlikely to have substantial overall impact on the risk of CHD or stroke among healthy men and women. The apparent increased risk of CHD associated with higher egg consumption among diabetic participants warrants further research.

Egg consumption in relation to cardiovascular disease and mortality: the Physicians' Health Study. Djoussé L, Gaziano JM. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Apr;87(4):964-9. PMID: 18400720 Conclusions: Infrequent egg consumption does not seem to influence the risk of CVD in male physicians. In addition, egg consumption was positively related to mortality, more strongly so in diabetic subjects, in the study population.

Vitamin D may not just be good for you, it may help save your life. Recent research from Johns Hopkins University suggests that higher amounts of vitamin D in your diet decreases your likelihood of dying. Studies found that a vitamin D deficiency increases your risk of death by 26 percent, and vitamin D decreases the mortality rate from almost every type of cancer including breast, colon and prostate. Research also suggests that vitamin D helps prevent diabetes, kidney disease and cardiovascular disease.

March 27, 2009 - A significant decrease in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels has led to an increase in vitamin D insufficiency in the US population, especially in racial and ethnic groups, according to results of a population-based study reported in the March 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. "Vitamin D insufficiency has been associated with increases in cardiovascular disease, cancer, and infection," write Adit A. Ginde, MD, from the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, and colleagues. "Vitamin D supplementation appears to mitigate the incidence and adverse outcomes of these diseases and may reduce all-cause mortality." [...] "These findings have important implications for health disparities and public health," the study authors conclude. "Our data provide additional evidence that current recommendations for vitamin D supplementation (200-600 IU/d) are inadequate to achieve optimal serum 25(OH)D levels in most of the US population." They add that large, randomized controlled trials of higher doses of vitamin D supplementation are needed to evaluate their effect on general health and mortality.

A Systemic Review of the Roles of n-3 Fatty Acids in Health and Disease. Riediger ND, Othman RA, Suh M, Moghadasian MH. J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Apr;109(4):668-79. PMID: 19328262 doi:10.1016/j.jada.2008.12.022

Omega-3 fatty acids: a comprehensive review of their role in health and disease. Yashodhara BM, Umakanth S, Pappachan JM, Bhat SK, Kamath R, Choo BH. Postgrad Med J. 2009 Feb;85(1000):84-90. PMID: 19329703 doi:10.1136/pgmj.2008.073338

ScienceDaily (June 9, 2009) - Overweight individuals who ate a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate diet high in plant-based proteins for four weeks lost weight and experienced improvements in blood cholesterol levels and other heart disease risk factors, according to a report in the June 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. A high-carbohydrate, low-fat vegetarian diet also resulted in weight loss but without the additional cardiovascular benefits.

Derived from the bulb or clove of the plant. Garlic is used as a spice and to treat hyperlipidemia, hypertension, atherosclerosis, cancer, and infections. Processing can have a substantial effect on the chemical content in garlic; the volatile oil components are sensitive to heat and certain enzymes are acid-labile. Several oral garlic formulations are available, and clinical studies have addressed a variety of the proposed claims. Placebo-controlled trials on the cholesterol lowering effect of garlic yielded mixed results (16) (17) (18) (21) (22) (26). Studies evaluating the antithrombotic effects repeatedly have shown modest reduction in platelet aggregation, but varying levels of fibrinolytic activity. Research shows mixed effects with regard to reductions in blood glucose, blood pressure, or risk of cardiovascular disease (23). Frequently reported adverse events include bad breath, headache, fatigue, GI upset, diarrhea, sweating, and possible hypoglycemia (9). Because garlic is known to decrease platelet aggregation and potentially elevate the INR, it should not be used with anticoagulants or in patients with platelet dysfunction (15). Garlic appears to induce cytochrome p450 3A4 and may enhance metabolism of many medications (e.g. cyclosporin and saquinavir) (12). An analysis of several case-control studies in Europe suggests an inverse association between garlic consumption and risk of common cancers (25).