ScienceDaily (Feb. 7, 2009) - A new study in the journal Sleep shows that sleep duration is associated with changes in the levels of specific cytokines that are important in regulating inflammation. The results suggest that inflammation may be the pathway linking extreme sleep durations to an increased risk for disease.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for maintaining normal calcium metabolism (1). Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) can be synthesized by humans in the skin upon exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation from sunlight, or it can be obtained from the diet. Plants synthesize ergosterol, which is converted to vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) by ultraviolet light. Vitamin D2 is less active in birds than vitamin D3 and may also be less active in humans (2). When exposure to UVB radiation is insufficient for the synthesis of adequate amounts of vitamin D3 in the skin, adequate intake of vitamin D from the diet is essential for health.
Vitamin D deficiency an important, common, and easily treatable cardiovascular risk factor?\nLee JH, O'Keefe JH, Bell D, Hensrud DD, Holick MF.\nJ Am Coll Cardiol. 2008 Dec 9;52(24):1949-56. Review.\nPMID: 19055985
Independent association of low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin d and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin d levels with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality.\nDobnig H, Pilz S, Scharnagl H, Renner W, Seelhorst U, Wellnitz B, Kinkeldei J, Boehm BO, Weihrauch G, Maerz W.\nArch Intern Med. 2008 Jun 23;168(12):1340-9.\nPMID: 18574092
The vitamin K2 story, though still preliminary, is becoming increasingly interesting from the perspective of CT heart score reduction.
The origin of this concept came from some unexpected observations. One, the observation that osteoporosis (lack of bone calcium that leads to fractures) arises from deficiency of vitamin K2. Two, deficiency of K2 leads to unrestrained calcium deposition in animal models, leading to heart attack in just weeks.
High dietary menaquinone intake is associated with reduced coronary calcification.\nBeulens JW, Bots ML, Atsma F, Bartelink ML, Prokop M, Geleijnse JM, Witteman JC, Grobbee DE, van der Schouw YT.\nAtherosclerosis. 2008 Jul 19. [Epub ahead of print]\nPMID: 18722618 \ndoi:10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2008.07.010 \n
Dietary intake of menaquinone is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease: the Rotterdam Study.\nGeleijnse JM, Vermeer C, Grobbee DE, Schurgers LJ, Knapen MH, van der Meer IM, Hofman A, Witteman JC.\nJ Nutr. 2004 Nov;134(11):3100-5.\nPMID: 15514282
Vitamin K epoxide reductase complex and vascular calcification: is this the important link between vitamin K and the arterial vessel wall?
Spronk HM.
Circulation. 2006 Mar 28;113(12):1550-2. Review.
PMID: 16567578
If you've been following the Track Your Plaque conversation, you know that, contrary to prevailing opinion among many cardiologists, there is an emerging notion that coronary calcification is an active process, a true part of the disease.
Vitamin D3 is an important aspect of this question. So is vitamin K2. Not to be confused with K1 that plays a role in blood coagulation, K2 has an important role in calcium metabolism. Thus, vitmain K2 deficiency is related to osteoporosis and to coronary calcification.
Vitamin K2 is emerging as an exciting player in the control and possible regression of coronary atherosclerotic plaque. Only about 10% of dietary vitamin K intake is in the K2 form, the other 90% being the more common K1.
I imagine most readers of this blog would expect a group of subjects to do better on a Paleolithic diet as compared to a standard American diet, but there are few studies actually making the comparison. One was posted yesterday in the Advance-0nline-Publication section of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition that shows subjects following a Paleolithic diet made major metabolic changes, and made them rapidly
Pomegranate juice: a heart-healthy fruit juice.
Basu A, Penugonda K.
Nutr Rev. 2009 Jan;67(1):49-56.
PMID: 19146506
DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00133.x
Prevention of sudden cardiac death with omega-3 fatty acids in patients with coronary heart disease: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.\nZhao YT, Chen Q, Sun YX, Li XB, Zhang P, Xu Y, Guo JH.\nAnn Med. 2009 Jan 16:1-10. [Epub ahead of print]\nPMID: 19148838
Scientists have long known that a lack of vitamin D can weaken our bones. A new study shows that low levels of this nutrient may also be linked to a higher chance of dying early from heart and circulation problems, as well as other causes.
Mortality in a cohort with high fish consumption.\nTurunen AW, Verkasalo PK, Kiviranta H, Pukkala E, Jula A, Männistö S, Räsänen R, Marniemi J, Vartiainen T.\nInt J Epidemiol. 2008 Oct;37(5):1008-17. Epub 2008 Jun 25.\nPMID: 18579573
AHA Science Advisory: Lyon Diet Heart Study. Benefits of a Mediterranean-style, National Cholesterol Education Program/American Heart Association Step I Dietary Pattern on Cardiovascular Disease.\nKris-Etherton P, Eckel RH, Howard BV, St Jeor S, Bazzarre TL; Nutrition Committee Population Science Committee and Clinical Science Committee of the American Heart Association.\nCirculation. 2001 Apr 3;103(13):1823-5. \nPMID: 11282918