Heart Attack Risk Halved in Survivors Taking Tailored Vitamin D Doses, Researchers Say

Epoch Times ^ | 11/17/2025 | Jack Phillips

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Researchers found that adult heart attack survivors who took specific vitamin D doses reduced their risk of developing another heart attack by more than half, compared with people who did not take the vitamin D dose.

Research done by Utah-based Intermountain Health found that there was a 52 percent lower risk of suffering another heart attack in people who already survived one and who received “personalized dosing of vitamin D supplements” to reach vitamin D levels of 40 nanograms per milliliter for around four years, said a news release from the American Heart Association (AHA).

That was compared to those who did not receive management of their vitamin D levels, the AHA said.

Over 85 percent of the people who enrolled in the study had vitamin D levels below that threshold, while nearly 52 percent in the study group had to take more than 5,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day to reach the blood target levels, the Nov. 9 release said. The 5,000 IU dose is around six times the 800 IU that is recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) per day.

“Previous clinical trial research on vitamin D tested the potential impact of the same vitamin D dose for all participants without checking their blood levels first,” Heidi T. May of Intermountain Health said in an AHA statement.

The researchers also checked the study participants’ vitamin D levels when they started the study, followed up, adjusting the dose as needed to reach a range of between 40 and 80 nanograms per milliliter, the statement said.

The authors of the paper suggested that their findings could allow health care providers to focus more on blood testing for people who had experienced heart attacks and to provide tailored doses for them.

While the AHA did not say what form of vitamin D was administered in the study, a separate news release issued by Intermountain Health said that the researchers used vitamin D3, the most common form used in dietary supplements.

In the statement, May said the researchers “observed no adverse outcomes when giving patients higher doses of vitamin D3 supplementation, and to significantly reduce the risk of another heart attack, which are exciting results.”

The study was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2025 in New Orleans earlier this month. It enrolled 630 adults with acute coronary syndrome who were treated at the Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City from April 2017 to May 2023 and who had an average follow-up of 4.2 years for their condition.

The AHA said that around 107 major cardiac events, such as a heart attack, stroke, heart failure that required hospitalization, or death, occurred in the study period.

The paper released this month adds to a growing body of research around vitamin D supplementation and heart disease. Last year, a study found that taking vitamin D supplements doesn’t reduce the risk of cardiac arrest in older adults, while one published in the British Medical Journal showed there was an association between the supplements and major cardiac events among people over the age of 60.

Aside from supplements, foods that are considered rich in vitamin D include egg yolks, fatty fish, fish liver oil, and cheese, while some foods like cereal, orange juice, milk, and others are fortified with the vitamin. Vitamin D is also activated in the body when the skin is exposed to sunlight.

May added that her organization is encouraging those who have heart disease to speak to health care providers about targeted vitamin D dosing.

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TOPICS: Health/Medicine; Science; Society
KEYWORDS: cardiac; heart; heartattack; vitamind

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[thinden]

bttt

[aquila48]

Bookmark

[metmom]

It’s a far cry from the hysterical 400 IU /day guidelines many years ago.

They had everyone convinced they’d die from Vitamin D overdose if anyone went over that.

[CaptainK]

I’ve been taking Dr Mercola’s 5,000 IU of Vitamin D3 and 180 mcg of Vitamin K2 for years and my D level is within range.

[Az Joe]

Good on ya.

I’m doin near the same daily. Have been for several years now. Age 71. On my male side I’ve outlived my grandfather, dad, older brother, and all but 1 uncle. Dad and older brother died of heart problems; the others may have too.

D3
5000 IU

K2
100mcg

[CaptainK]

I’m in your age range, my cholesterol is extremely high due to hereditary. I can’t tolerate statins so hopefully the D will be enough to keep me healthy, heart wise.

[freds6girlies]

bookmark

[Georgia Girl 2]

We take 4,000 iu of D3 with K2 everyday along with the rest of the supplements in the Zelensky protocol. It keeps you healthy.

[systemjim]

Many years ago I learned of the benefits of vitamin D. I began taking supplements and have been taking 10,000 per day for many years—no toxicity, no problem.

I am 83, still healthy and walk five miles per day six days per week. And, I still feel great.

I have a wonderful friend who, long ago, became convinced that taking too much vitamin D3 will result in toxicity. She would NEVER supplement Vitamin D for fear that it would kill her. I have tried to talk to her about it, but she simply refuses to listen.

Recently her doctor discovered that her bone density is deteriorating and finally recommended Vitamin D3 supplements along with Vitamin K (note: a very low dose).

She recently began following her doctor’s orders and began supplementing. But, just this past week she once again expressed to me the fear that she might suffer toxicity from too much Vitamin D!

Sigh.

[JohnnyP]

Thanks for reminding me. I have been out of Koncentrated K, so I reordered.

[Az Joe]

Good luck