Vitamin D: High levels in blood are crucial for optimal health
Vitamin D has many roles. It can help with the uptake of nutrients and has a role in the regulation of the immune response. Big question is how do you determine the optimal level of vitamin D required and what is the ideal way to do this?
BY CARLOS A. LOZANO POVEDA, MANAGER, SPECIALTY VITAMINS/HY-D LATAM, ANH, MARCO AURÉLIO DE O. CESCO, SPECIALTY BUSINESS – VITAMINS SPECIALIST LATAM, ANH AND DIANA SUCKEVERIS, SUPERVISOR N&H SOLUTIONS ARGENTINA
W
ith the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, people concerned with their health started to investigate a huge number of precautionary immune enhancing remedies. One of the
most popular being vitamin D nutrition. Particularly making sure that the blood levels of patients reach the optimal level that is required for them to fight the disease. There is a mag- nitude of research work on this topic and subsequently a magnitude of opinions as to the right blood levels required to reach an optimal immune status. In addition, the vehicle to reach these levels are also debated. Should it be using the en- dogenous vitamin D from the sun, good vitamin D nutrition, supplementation with vitamin D3 Hydroxy vitamin D3
or supplementation of 25 ?
How to measure vitamin D levels In the animal nutrition industry, we see similar trends. However, with the high demands for this industry to be efficient, profitable and meet genetic standards, the requirement is to measure accurately the vitamin D status and relate the status to animal performance.
In animal production, it is essential to have metrics that allow us to evaluate production parameters and follow the progres- sion of the results to achieve the maximum genetic potential, better zootechnical performance as well as to obtain a greater financial return. It is fundamental to precisely evaluate if an ac- tion, product, or technology generates the expected results and effectively supports the decision-making process; as Lord Kevin mentions, “what can´t be measured, can´t be improved”. The role of vitamin D in the calcium and phosphorus metabolism, the physiological processes and the requirements for poultry are well documented. Additionally, its role in the regulation of the immune response muscle formation and meat yield are widely described in recent literature. This article will discuss, how are we determining the vitamin D levels? What really is the ideal way to do so?
What is the optimal level? The optimal level of inclusion of vitamin D3
has been a sub-
ject of research for many decades. The first recommendations were based on studies conducted using purified or semi-purified diets under controlled experimental conditions. However, those recommendations have resulted lower than those required un- der commercial production conditions or under pathogen chal- lenges that generally increase nutrient requirements. Due to the genetic selection the modern broiler has a growth rate up to 400% more in comparison to birds of the 1950s and its feed efficiency has improved in about 2.55% per year. For these genetic advances to be fully expressed, an optimal nutrient supplementation is needed. For these reasons, vitamin D3
recommendations available to-
day show values up to 25 times greater than those published by the NRC in 1994 for broilers (200 UI/kg). At commercial level, the Vitamin D3
inclusion varies between 3,000 or 5,000
UI/kg of feed. Normally, poultry companies determine the level to be used based on those available recommendations, their own production conditions, expected performance, final product, and maximum ROI.
The DBS technique is easy to use, only a drop of blood is needed. 12 ▶ MYCOTOXINS | NOVEMBER 2021
How vitamin D works Vitamin D₃ is a fat-soluble vitamin, that needs to go through an enzymatic digestive process (lipase) and micelles formation in the intestine to be absorbed by the enterocytes. When going through the liver, it is hydroxylated and a first metabolite is produced: 25-OH-D3
, which is the most
PHOTO: DSM
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