The prevalence of hypovitaminosis D has risen in developed countries over the past few years in association with lifestyle changes and an increase in unhealthy habits. Vitamin D deficiency has been implicated in various diseases, including metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is clinically defined by a set of metabolic and vascular disorders. The objective of this study was to review scientific evidence on the relationship between MetS and vitamin D deficiency to support the development of prevention strategies and health education programs. An inverse relationship has been reported between plasma vitamin D concentrations and the features that define MetS, i.e., elevated serum concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides, glycosylated hemoglobin, and a high body mass index. Numerous studies have described the benefits of vitamin D supplementation to improve outcomes in individuals with MetS. Interventions to maintain optimal vitamin D concentrations are proposed as a preventive strategy against MetS.

The treatment of tissue damage produced by physical, chemical, or mechanical agents involves considerable direct and indirect costs to health care systems. Wound healing involves a series of molecular and cellular events aimed at repairing the defect in tissue integrity. These events can be favored by various natural agents, including the polyphenols in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). The objective of this study was to review data on the potential effects of different phenolic compounds that can also be found in EVOO on wound healing and closure. Results of in vitro and animal studies demonstrate that polyphenols from different plant species, also present in EVOO, participate in different aspects of wound healing, accelerating this process through their anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties and their stimulation of angiogenic activities required for granulation tissue formation and wound re-epithelialization. These results indicate the potential usefulness of EVOO phenolic compounds for wound treatment, either alone or in combination with other therapies. Human studies are warranted to verify this proposition.

In this study, we aimed to clarify the effects of phenolic compounds and extracts from different extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) varieties obtained from fruits of different ripening stages on osteoblast cells (MG-63) proliferation. Cell proliferation was increased by hydroxytyrosol, luteolin, apigenin, p-coumaric, caffeic, and ferulic acids by approximately 11–16%, as compared with controls that were treated with one vehicle alone, while (+)-pinoresinol, oleuropein, sinapic, vanillic acid and derivative (vanillin) did not affect cell proliferation. All phenolic extracts stimulated MG-63 cell growth, and they induced higher cell proliferation rates than individual compounds. The most effective EVOO phenolic extracts were those obtained from the Picual variety, as they significantly increased cell proliferation by 18–22%. Conversely, Arbequina phenolic extracts increased cell proliferation by 9–13%. A decline in osteoblast proliferation was observed in oils obtained from olive fruits collected at the end of the harvest period, as their total phenolic content decreases at this late stage. Further research on the signaling pathways of olive oil phenolic compounds involved in the processes and their metabolism should be carried out to develop new interventions and adjuvant therapies using EVOO for bone health (i.e.osteoporosis) in adulthood and the elderly.

Platelet-rich growth factor (PRGF) is a natural source of growth factors (GF), while hyaluronic acid (HA) is a biopolymer present in the extracellular matrix of skin, cartilage, bone, and brain, among other tissues. Both are involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying wound healing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy (as measured by ulcer area) and safety (as measured by signs of infection) of PRGF and PRGF plus HA in the treatment of pressure ulcers (PUs). Patients ( N = 100) with 124 Stage II–III PUs were randomized to a control group ( n = 25 PUs) for standard care or to case groups for treatment with one ( n = 34 PUs) or two ( n = 25 PUs) doses of PRGF from their own peripheral blood, or two doses of PRGF plus HA ( n = 40 PUs). All ulcers were followed up every 3 days for a 36-day period. At 36 days, a significant reduction in ulcer area ( p ≤ .001) was observed in all treatment groups, with a mean reduction of more than 48.0% versus baseline. The greatest mean reduction (80.4% vs. baseline) was obtained with the PRGF plus HA regimen. Complete wound healing was observed in 32.0% of PUs treated with two doses of PRGF ( p ≤ .002) and in 37.5% of those treated with two doses of PRGF plus HA ( p ≤ .004). There were no signs of infection in any PUs during the 36-day follow-up period. The degree of wound healing was inversely correlated with the consumption of drugs such as statins and with the peripheral blood platelet levels of patients at baseline.