Vitamin D insufficiency associated with reduced exercise capacity in CHD patients, suggests research

A new study published in the journal of Cardiology in the Young showed that although vitamin D deficiency is frequent and associated with decreased exercise capacity in coronary heart disease (CHD), vitamin D levels were comparable across CHD patients and controls.

Even while improvements in medicine and surgery have significantly increased survival rates, people with congestive heart failure still confront obstacles including less physical fitness, a lower quality of life, and a worse prognosis than their healthy peers. In this demographic, heart failure continues to be the leading cause of morbidity and death.

Vitamin D has immune-modulatory qualities and is important for cardiovascular health in addition to being essential for bone health, calcium balance, and skeletal mineralization. The structural remodeling of cardiac muscle and vascular tissue is facilitated by the activated form of vitamin D, also known as 1,25(OH)2 vitamin D, which is crucial for preserving cardiovascular health.

Although vitamin D insufficiency is common, it is essential for healthy arteries, good organ function, and athletic capacity. CHD patients frequently have a decreased ability for activity. Thus, this study compared the blood 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels of people with CHD to those of controls who did not have the condition and to look into any relationships with exercise capacity and peripheral microvascular function.

A total of 55 adult CHD patients ( with median age of 31 years) and 55 age- and gender-matched controls without heart disease were compared for serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels. The study also looked at correlations between CHD and exercise capacity, peripheral microvascular function, muscle strength, and biventricular function. As a result, patients received cardiopulmonary exercise tests, muscular strength assessments, transthoracic echocardiography, and fingertip arterial tonometry.

The findings showed that 91% of controls and 93% of CHD patients had 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels less than 30 ng/ml, with both groups expressing different values based on the study season. There was no discernible difference of 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels between the patients and controls.

Even after controlling for season, there was a significant correlation between vitamin D levels and percent-predicted peak oxygen consumption in CHD patients, but not with body mass index, age, peripheral microvascular function, blood pressure, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, N-terminal-pro hormone B-type natriuretic peptide, cholesterol levels, ventricular function, or muscle strength.

Overall, adults with CHD frequently have vitamin D deficiency, which is associated with exercise intolerance. Adults with CHD and controls without heart disease did not substantially vary in their serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.

Reference:

Vanreusel, I., Hens, W., Van Craenenbroeck, E. M., Paelinck, B. P., Segers, V. F. M., & Van Berendoncks, A. (2025). Vitamin D levels correlate with exercise capacity in adults with CHD. Cardiology in the Young, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1047951125000526