The fifth edition of the ARC in Vitamin D, an event organized by Luzán 5, sponsored by Italfarmaco and endorsed by the Spanish Society for Bone Research and Mineral Metabolism (SEIOMM), has brought together more than 300 experts in different health specialties in Madrid. . Enrique Ruíz Escudero, former Minister of Health of the Community of Madrid, opened the session by underlining the relevance of these initiatives for the advancement in the treatment of related diseases and the understanding of the key role that vitamin D plays in health.
Vitamin D is involved in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the intestine and plays an essential role in calcium-phosphorus metabolism. This micronutrient can be obtained in part through the diet because some foods contain it – fatty fish such as salmon or tuna, or egg yolk – but the quantities are limited in them and therefore it can also be obtained through of vitamin D supplements.
The main source of vitamin D is exposure to sunlight, since when our skin is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays it produces this vitamin. However, despite the abundant sunlight that we enjoy in Spain, it is common for up to 75% of the population in Mediterranean areas to have a vitamin D deficiency, as revealed by a study published in Nature carried out in the population of Catalonia. . In other studies, variations in vitamin D levels have also been observed throughout the year, which are affected by the use of sun protection and limited direct exposure to the sun during the hottest hours.
Benefits of vitamin D and calcium supplementation
The deficiency of calcium and vitamin D deteriorates the bones, which become fragile and fracture more easily, leading to osteoporosis – a disease characterized by a decrease in bone mass – and muscle weakness, according to the Health Institutes. of the United States (NIH), and has been associated with an increased risk of other health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, a weakened immune system, and mood disorders, hence the importance of consuming the recommended amounts of vitamin D and calcium through diet or taking supplements when necessary.
“Vitamin D is generally very safe, with a very low risk of poisoning with the recommended doses, particularly in its cholecalciferol form,” said Dr. Óscar Torregrosa, from the bone metabolism service at the General Hospital of Elche. Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial for healthy bone metabolism and minimizing the risk of fractures.
Dr. Torregrosa explained that vitamin D benefits muscle function and contributes to the reduction of falls and fractures, especially in women. He highlighted the STOP-IT study, where patients taking calcium and vitamin D supplements showed a reduced risk of falls compared to those taking a placebo for three years.
In his intervention on the immune system, Dr. Luis Fernando Villa Alcázar, Rheumatology consultant at the MIP Salud Clinic in Madrid, highlighted that recent research that has been presented at the EULAR and IOF Congresses indicates that low levels of vitamin D in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus are associated with increased inflammatory activity, and that other studies suggest that supplementation with cholecalciferol may improve the management of these diseases.
During the conference, the need to co-administer calcium and vitamin D to patients with osteoporosis, such as those with steroid-induced osteoporosis and postmenopausal women, was emphasized. Dr. Gonzalo Allo Miguel, from the 12 de Octubre University Hospital in Madrid, highlighted the findings of a post-hoc analysis that showed the efficacy and safety of 600 mg of calcium and 2,000 IU of cholecalciferol daily to normalize 25(OH)D levels. in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis.
“Vitamin D is generally very safe, with a very low risk of poisoning at recommended doses, particularly in its cholecalciferol form.”
In his presentation on endocrinology and Vitamin D, he showed that “vitamin D deficiency is a frequent finding in patients with various pathologies in the endocrinological field, such as obesity and diabetes, in which case doses must be used. of cholecalciferol greater than usual to achieve normalization of 25(OH)D levels. Regarding cardiovascular risk, vitamin D supplementation is safe and its use could contribute to optimizing the lipid profile of patients.”
For his part, Álvaro Acebron, general director of Italfarmaco in Spain, has stated that “the role of vitamin D in health continues to be a focus of research and generates numerous publications in different therapeutic areas each year. For this reason, at Italfarmaco we promote initiatives such as this new edition of ARC in which top-level experts present and discuss the latest developments in this field. “We want to make our contribution to the continued training of health professionals on such a current topic.”
The day was closed by Dr. Manuel Sosa Henríquez, coordinator of the event and professor of Medicine at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, who stressed that the use of oral glucocorticoids, used in dermatological, pulmonary, rheumatic, and inflammatory diseases , hematological, can produce various side effects, especially when administered for more or less prolonged periods. “One of these side effects is the so-called ‘steroidal osteoporosis’, a pathology that, although it is very common, is not always taken into account; The usefulness of vitamin D is very useful in its prevention and treatment,” he concludes.
