ABSTRACT
This chapter summarizes the existing evidence regarding use of common vitamins and supplements for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease to assist the clinician with assessing appropriateness of supplementation. Multivitamins are the most commonly utilized dietary supplement in the United States, with approximately one-third of adults reporting use in 2011–2012. Vitamins that have been postulated to play a role in the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease include folic acid, niacin, and vitamins C, D, and E. Folic acid is currently Food and Drug Administration approved for the treatment of megaloblastic anemia, and supplementation has been shown to be dramatically beneficial for preventing neural tube defects when administered to pregnant women. Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin that must be obtained from dietary sources. Vitamin D is primarily involved in calcium metabolism and bone homeostasis, but it has been implicated in more wide-ranging effects, including the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis, and therefore hypertension and cardiovascular health.
