Vigorous exercise boosts vitamin D while lowering heart risk

USA Today reports:

Vigorous exercise significantly improves several risk factors for heart disease, including boosting vitamin D levels, a new study shows.

That's one of the surprising findings by Harvard scientists, who were trying to identify the reasons exercise lowers the risk of heart attacks.

People who do vigorous physical activity — such as running, jogging, playing basketball or soccer — for three or more hours a week reduce their risk of a heart attack by 22%, the study found. Among the reasons: They have higher levels of good cholesterol and vitamin D as well as better levels of other factors involved in heart disease.

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