Vitamin D deficiency a problem for women

Researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health found that women who had a vitamin D deficiency were three times more likely to develop hypertension when they hit middle-age.

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According to Reuters, 559 women were studied beginning in 1992. They ranged in age from 24 to 44 at the time the study first began. Those with low vitamin D levels were more likely to have hypertension when they were examined 15 years later, in 2007.

Still, experts say more research needs to be done to figure out whether actually increasing vitamin D intake can help prevent high blood pressure.

The most efficient way to boost vitamin D levels is through sunlight exposure. Vitamin D can also be found in fatty fish, milk and fortified milk products.

According to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, high blood pressure increases the risk for heart disease and stroke, both of which are leading causes of death in the United States.

On average, the CDC says about one in three American adults have hypertension. High blood pressure affects about 2 in 5 African Americans, 1 in 5 Latinos and Native Americans, and 1 in 6 Asians.

Link:  Read the full study on vitamin D deficiency

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