OPINIÓN EXPERTA
Alimentación saludable y sostenibilidad medioambiental
1 marzo 2013
Angie Clonan, División de Ciencias de la Nutrición, Facultad de Biociencias, Universidad de Nottingham, Reino Unido
1 julio 2013
According to a new US study low blood vitamin K1 concentrations may increase the progression of arterial calcification in people with high blood pressure who take anti-hypertensive medications.
In the observational study, blood vitamin K1 concentrations from 296 participants with extreme coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression and from 561 healthy controls were measured (1). The participants had different ethnicities (non-Hispanic white, African American, Hispanic and Chinese American). The study results showed that, in general, people with extreme CAC progression were 34% more likely to have low vitamin K1 levels compared with people without extreme CAC progression, which was not statistically significant. However, a significant association between low vitamin K1 levels and increased arterial calcification was observed in participants taking anti-hypertension medication.
The researchers commented that these results may have big implications for public health as 20% of the adults in the US are treated for hypertension, and about half of all US adults may have a low vitamin K status. Intervention trials are needed to determine whether improving serum vitamin K1 reduces CAC progression, especially in hypertensives. Coronary artery calcification is a common manifestation of cardiovascular disease. CAC progression has been shown to better predict future fatal and nonfatal cardiac events (2). A preventive role for vitamin K against CAC progression has been proposed on the basis of its role in activating the matrix gla protein (MGP), which is a calcification inhibitor in vascular tissue (3). In addition to MGP, other vitamin K–dependent proteins in cardiovascular tissue, such as the gla-rich protein, may also influence atherosclerosis progression (4).
1 marzo 2013
Angie Clonan, División de Ciencias de la Nutrición, Facultad de Biociencias, Universidad de Nottingham, Reino Unido
Según una nueva revisión de publicaciones, los suplementos con antioxidantes como betacaroteno, vitamina A y vitamina E no muestran efectos significativos en la prevención de la mortalidad, sino que podrían incrementarla hasta un 3%. Los expertos critican que el análisis incluyó ensayos en los que se utilizaron altas dosis de micronutrientes para prevenir o incluso tratar enfermedades crónicas y por lo tanto distorsiona el propósito original de su uso.
31 julio 2013
Según una nueva investigación realizada en los Países Bajos, la deficiencia de vitamina D podría aumentar las probabilidades de las personas de 55 años o más de tener dificultades al realizar actividades diarias.