Vitamin D is a steroid hormone stored in the body’s liver and fatty tissues. Best known for its role in maintaining calcium balance and bone health, vitamin D is critical in many physiological processes, such as blood pressure regulation, immune function, and cell growth. A recent study found that people with the lowest vitamin D concentrations are 97 percent more likely to die prematurely.

Researchers measured vitamin D concentrations in more than 19,000 adults with high blood pressure who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They tracked the participants' health and dietary supplement usage for about nine years and assessed their risk of dying prematurely from all causes.

They found that participants with vitamin D concentrations less than 25 nanomoles per liter (nmol/L) were 97 percent more likely to die prematurely, and those with concentrations between 25 and 49.9 nmol/L were 71 percent more likely. However, people with high blood pressure who took supplemental vitamin D were 25 percent less likely to die prematurely, with the greatest benefits observed with higher doses and among those without diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

These findings from this study suggest that vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of premature death in people with high blood pressure. Many medications accelerate vitamin D inactivation, including commonly prescribed blood pressure medications such as nifedipine and spironolactone. Learn more about vitamin D in our comprehensive overview article.