A study shows that vitamin D3 can reduce by 50% the chance that a person who has had a heart attack will have another one.
The study involved over 600 people who had recently had a heart attack. Some received standard treatment, while others took vitamin D3 to raise its blood levels above 40 ng/mL.
The body produces vitamin D from sunlight, but around 13% of people in Europe are severely deficient in it.
Participants who took vitamin D3 needed a higher dose (about 5,000 IU per day) to reach the right level. Researchers checked annually to make sure levels remained high.
The results showed that the risk of a second heart attack was halved in those who took vitamin D3, with no negative side effects.
However, experts warn against taking more than 4,000 IU per day, as high doses can damage the kidneys or increase calcium in the blood.
The researchers emphasize that further research is needed to confirm these findings.
