Madison Burgess
There could be more to that Vitamin D you take in the morning than meets the eye, according to a new study.
As we're in the depths of autumn and heading into winter in the UK, it only means one thing - everyone is getting ill again.
That's right, you may have noticed that more people are cancelling plans and calling in sick to work as they've been struck by the sniffles, with the dreaded cold and flu as the culprit.
A number of factors come into play in why we get sicker at this time of year, including the cold weather, more time indoors and a lack of sunlight.
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This means more and more people are turning to vitamins with the desperate hope to keep themselves in good health and to avoid another day under the duvet.
But as we say, a new scientific study has suggested that one vitamin might do more than help you feel a bit less sluggish.
Researchers found that by tailoring the intake of vitamin D in patients diagnosed with heart disease, this can dramatically cut the risk of heart attacks.
The study, which was presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2025, found that adults with heart disease who were prescribed vitamin D in doses tailored to reach blood levels considered optimal for heart health had a reduced risk of heart attack by more than half (52%) compared to those who did not receive monitoring of vitamin D levels.
To break it down, previous studies found low vitamin D levels are linked to worse heart health, so it's known that vitamin D is good for your heart.
But this new research suggests that it's even more beneficial if the amount heart patients take is tailored to them by a health professional rather than a randomised dose
One of the study's authors, epidemiologist Heidi T May from Intermountain Health, told the Independent: "Our results suggest that targeting vitamin D supplementation based on blood levels can significantly diminish the risk of subsequent heart attacks.
"This approach demands a personalised, vigilant clinical protocol that diverges from the traditional fixed-dose model."
Researchers have recommended a strict monitoring protocol which adjusts vitamin D supplementation every three months.
The latest clinical trial assessed 630 adults who had been diagnosed with acute heart disease at Intermountain Medical Center in Utah for a six-year period, with an average follow-up of just over four years.
Over 85 percent of participants initially had suboptimal vitamin D levels.
Scientists then sorted the patients into two randomised groups - one group did not receive management of their vitamin D levels, and the treatment group received tailored vitamin D supplementation, with doses adjusted every three months until their vitamin D blood levels were above 40 ng/mL.
Once the vitamin D level was above 40 ng/mL, these levels were checked annually and doses adjusted if levels dropped below that target.
Scientists found that the treatment group experienced a 52 percent reduction in the risk of recurrent heart attacks.
It's important to note that researchers found that tailored vitamin D doses did not significantly reduce the primary outcome of death, heart failure hospitalisation or stroke; however, the supplementation appeared to be beneficial in preventing heart attack specifically.
The study's findings are also yet to be corroborated by larger, peer-reviewed trials.