Want To Protect Your Heart As You Age? Research Says Don't Skip Your Vitamin D Supplement

There are plenty of things we can do to protect our hearts as we age, from working out regularly to managing stress—but what about the best nutrients to supplement for your heart health?

For this study, researchers conducted the largest trial of its kind to date, in order to better understand the connection between heart health and vitamin D.

To do so, they had older adult participants (60 to 84 years old) supplement vitamin D once a month for a duration of up to five years. Over 20,000 people took part, with roughly half of them taking a 60,000 IU vitamin D supplement monthly and the other half taking a placebo.

From there, the researchers kept track of any major cardiovascular events among the participants, such as heart attacks or strokes, in order to assess how the vitamin D might impact the likelihood of such events.

According to the study authors, their findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation may very well reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events like heart attacks.

Of course, there are plenty of supplements to choose from on the market today, so you'll want to go for a quality, research-backed vitamin D supplement with the recommended daily value or more, plus targeted ingredients for absorption. (Here's a roundup of our top picks if you're curious.)

In addition to supplementing vitamin D, there are other simple lifestyle factors you can incorporate into your routine to mind your heart health. Rules of thumb like working out regularly, managing your cholesterol and blood pressure, and eating a balanced diet.

Vitamin D has a plethora of health benefits, so it's so important to make sure you're getting enough of it, especially as you age.