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Lack of Vitamin D Can Lead to Improper Kidney Functioning

A lack of vitamin D can be very harmful to the body, especially the kidneys. This vitamin has the important function of absorbing the calcium present in the blood, keeping it in adequate amounts for the regulation of bone metabolism. In addition, vitamin D acts on the immune system, protecting organs such as the heart and brain, in addition to supporting blood flow, cleaning the body of toxins.

A study carried out by the Medical Research Laboratory (LIM12) of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo (FMUSP) revealed that a lack of vitamin D can impair the proper functioning of the kidneys and compromise the recovery of organ damage, in addition to causing problems like lack of calcium absorption - which makes bones brittle.

According to the biologist and scientific researcher at LIM, Rildo Aparecido Volpini, one of the main causes of acute kidney injury in human beings is injury due to an ischemic event, which occurs when the blood flow to the kidney is obstructed for a period and then restored. During the ischemic process, lack of oxygen leads to cell degeneration and death. The aim of the study was then to discover how the lack of vitamin D influences the regenerative process.

The experiment was based on animals that were fed a diet free of vitamin D and indicated that the deficiency of the nutrient decreases renal function, modifies the local expression of proteins and increases the formation of fibrosis after induced injury.

While the control group had between 15 and 16 nanograms (ng) of vitamin D per milliliter (ml) of blood, the rats fed the vitamin D-free diet had around 4 ng/ml on the 30th day of consumption.

According to the study, a lack of vitamin D alone impairs kidney function, but the reason is not known for sure. Volpini believes it is likely due to alterations in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), which is a set of peptides, enzymes and receptors involved in blood pressure control, and vitamin D deficiency contributes to an inappropriate RAAS activation , functioning as a mechanism for the progression of chronic kidney disease.

An increase in urine protein (proteinuria) was also observed in animals fed free of vitamin D in relation to the control group. The presence of proteinuria is an indication of kidney damage, as it means that the glomerular filter is not working properly or that the renal tubules are not able to reabsorb the filtered proteins. Normally, the filtering and reabsorption process should not let these important molecules escape into the body.

During the recovery process, not all the reconstructed tissue is functional - those that have only a filling function are called fibrosis. The study showed that animals lacking vitamin D showed greater formation of fibrosis, confirming that the lack of the nutrient impaired tissue regeneration.

Therefore, it was possible to conclude that the lack of vitamin D is harmful to the kidneys, both for the functioning and for the regeneration of the organ. It is very important to pay attention to the levels of vitamin D in the body, to avoid any future problems. Sunlight is the greatest source of vitamin D. Exposing yourself to the sun, with caution, for 15 minutes a day is already enough, in addition to consuming foods that contain this nutrient.