Researchers from Taiwan have discovered that a deficiency of vitamin D in the body is associated with a significant increase in the risk of heart failure in people with obstructive sleep apnea.
The researchers reached this conclusion after analyzing data from 73,000 patients from the international TriNetX database for the period 2010-2022. They compared sleep apnea patients with severe vitamin D deficiency (less than 20 ng/ml) with people with normal vitamin D levels. After comparing the results and linking them to several factors such as age, gender, and co-morbidity, the researchers found that those with a deficiency in this vitamin had a 45% higher risk of developing heart failure.
Scientists have also found that those with vitamin D deficiency have higher mortality rates from various pathological causes, higher rates of secondary pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary embolism, and that the higher the levels of this vitamin in the body (20-29.9 ng/ml), the lower the health risks, especially in people with obesity-related diseases.
Scientists stressed the need to monitor vitamin D levels in the body to prevent heart failure, especially in people with sleep-disordered breathing.
Health experts point out that vitamin D is important for many chemical reactions in the body, and its deficiency affects the functioning of the nervous system and often causes anxiety and tension. Its deficiency may also cause cases of chronic fatigue.
