VITAMIN D CURBS INFLAMMATION IN HEART FAILURE.

Vitamin D may lower inflammation in congestive heart failure (CHF) by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokines while encouraging anti-inflammatory cytokines, according to new research from the University of Bonn and the German Medical Association. The scientists evaluated the effect of vitamin D supplementation on the survival rate and different biochemical variables in 123 patients with CHF, randomly assigning them to receive either 50 mcg/d vitamin D3 plus 500 mg/d calcium or a placebo plus 500 mg/d calcium. After nine months, the vitamin D group had higher levels of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 compared to baseline. The pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) increased in the placebo group, but remained constant in the vitamin D group. The researchers concluded vitamin D3 reduces the inflammatory milieu in CHF patients and might serve as a new anti-inflammatory agent for the future treatment of the disease. (Natural Products Insider, 4/14/2006)