title: [Association between vitamin D deficiency and metabolic syndrome].
abstract: Vitamin D has an essential role in calcium metabolism and bone health. Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol is synthesized from 7-dehydrocholesterol or provitamin D3, by sunlight ultraviolet radiation to the skin. 7-dehydrocholesterol is subsequently hydroxylated in the liver and then in the kidney to produce 1,25-(OH)2D3, the active metabolite that binds to specific receptors (VDR) in target tissues, mainly bone and intestine. Other tissues, such as the immune and cardiovascular system, have also VDR. Vitamin D deficiency can induce rickets in children and osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults. A possible inverse association between vitamin D levels and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome has been proposed. Vitamin D deficiency increases the risk of type 1 diabetes, insulin resistance, and hypertension, key components of this syndrome. However, other studies have not confirmed this association. Further clinical and experimental studies are needed to ascertain the role of vitamin D in metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Bioanálisis, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Carabobo, Valencia, Venezuela. marvinquerales@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Marvin Isaac
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Querales
authors.forename: María Elena
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Cruces
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.forename: Lissette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000378:metabolism; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D