In recent years, there has been an increase in the popularity of the vitamin D, not only because of the role it has on bone metabolism, but also because of other roles as in cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that has two main forms; vitamin D2, also called ergocalciferol, and vitamin D3, also called cholecalciferol.
In humans, the main contribution comes from skin synthesis, and to a lesser extent from food.
Is there insufficient vitamin D?
Vitamin D insufficiency / deficiency is an apparent global epidemic. Thus, it has been reported that 88% of the population have plasma concentrations of 25OHD below 30 ng / ml, 37% have values below 20 ng / ml and up to 7% mean levels below 10 ng / ml.
In Spain, this situation is very similar. In individuals older than 65 years, 25OHD concentrations below 20 ng / ml have been described in 80-100% of people, and in the population younger than 65 years the deficit reaches 40% of the Spanish population.
Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death. Every year, an estimated 17.9 million people worldwide die as a result of complications from heart disease.
Studies show various factors that increase CVD risk such as age, family history, diet, and lifestyle. Even so, it appears that a deficiency of vitamin D could also be a risk factor.
Vitamin D deficiency and CVD
Elina Hypponen, who is the lead author of the study that we are currently going to discuss, commented that there is evidence that vitamin D deficiency can increase blood pressure and CVD risk.
Still, he commented that “increasing vitamin D levels will only be helpful to those participants who need it, and that the additional benefits of raising levels beyond nutritional requirements will be modest, if they exist at all.”
A detailed analysis revealed that people with serum 25 (OH) D at 10 ng / mL had an 11% higher risk of CVD than those with concentrations of 20 ng / mL.
However, there appeared to be a reduction in the likelihood of CVD at higher concentration values. For example, participants with concentrations of 30 ng / mL were 2% less likely to have CVD compared to those at 20 ng / mL.
Nonetheless, more studies are needed to show and conclude this hypothesis.
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Images | iStock
Studies | Varsavsky, M., Moreno, PR, Fernández, AB, Fernández, IL, Gómez, JMQ, Rubio, V. Á., … & Torres, MM (2017). Vitamin D Recommendations for the General Population. Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, 64, 7-14.