Lipid-Soluble Vitamins: Their Roles in Cardiovascular Health and Diseases

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Beyond the traditional risk factors of aging, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and obesity, evidence is accumulating that deficiencies in, or excess of vitamins can also exacerbate/increase the risk of CVD. Vitamins are small organic molecules that function as catalysts, co-factors, and regulators for a myriad of biological reactions in humans, including metabolism, immune defense, and cardiovascular functions. These micronutrients are synthesized by plants and are found in animals, but they are not synthesized de novo in humans. As such, humans obtain these micronutrients from the foods they eat, and from commercially available vitamin nutrition supplements. The thirteen known vitamins are subdivided into two groups based on whether they are soluble in water or soluble in lipids (fats). In this chapter we will focus on the lipid-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, K. We will show their chemical structures, foods that contain high levels of them or their precursors, how they are absorbed, the biochemical reactions they are required for and their roles in cardiovascular health and diseases.