Yuan S, Bruzelius M, Damrauer SM, et al. - Various modifiable risk factors for varicose veins were unveiled in this 2‐sample Mendelian randomization study.

• Summary‐level data were collected from the UK Biobank (8,763 cases and 352,431 non-cases) and the FinnGen consortium (13,928 cases and 153,951 non-cases), to evaluate the links of cardiometabolic, lifestyle, and nutritional factors with varicose veins.

• An elevated risk of varicose veins was observed in relation to genetically predicted higher height, body mass index, smoking, and circulating iron levels.

• For height, body mass index, prevalence of smoking initiation, and for iron, the odds ratios (ORs) per 1‐SD increase were 1.34, 1.39, 1.12, and 1.24, respectively.

• A decreased risk of varicose veins was observed in relation to higher genetically predicted systolic blood pressure and circulating calcium and zinc levels, whereas the link for systolic blood pressure vanished post-adjustment for genetically predicted height.

• Per 1‐SD rise in calcium and zinc levels, the estimated OR was 0.75 and 0.97, respectively.