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Association between depressive symptoms and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in middle-aged and elderly Chinese. Pan A, Lu L, Franco OH, Yu Z, Li H, Lin X. J Affect Disord. 2009 Feb 25. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19249103 doi:10.1016/j.jad.2009.02.002    

Severus WE. Effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on depression. Herz. 2006 Dec;31 Suppl 3:69-74. Review. PMID: 17575808 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

Calcium and vitamin D intakes may be positively associated with brain lesions in depressed and nondepressed elders. Payne ME, Anderson JJ, Steffens DC. Nutr Res. 2008 May;28(5):285-92. PMID: 19083421 doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2008.02.013 In conclusion, calcium and vitamin D consumption were associated with brain lesions in elderly subjects even after controlling for potentially explanatory variables. These associations may be due to vascular calcification or other mechanism. The possibility of adverse effects of high intakes of calcium and vitamin D needs to be further explored in longitudinal studies of elderly subjects.

High omega-6 and low omega-3 fatty acids are associated with depressive symptoms and neuroticism. Conklin SM, Manuck SB, Yao JK, Flory JD, Hibbeln JR, Muldoon MF. Psychosom Med. 2007 Dec;69(9):932-4. Epub 2007 Nov 8.PMID: 17991818 CONCLUSIONS: In conjunction with other reports, these findings suggest that the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are related to negative affect at both the symptom and trait levels.

This is a very long newsletter. I will answer questions about oil versus water-soluble Vitamin D, depression, mental clarity, malignant melanoma, Crohn's disease, an imagist poet, multiple sclerosis, sun-exposure, high-intensity red light and collagen repair in the skin, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, influenza, the 1918 influenza pandemic, statins, the new Food and Nutrition Board, thyroid disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, athletes, the upcoming 14th Vitamin D Workshop, prostate cancer, the wrong blood test, pregnancy, autism, Alzheimer's disease, soap and sebum, asthma, sleep, the co-factors vitamin D needs to work (all contained in spinach), and-my favorite-UVC light and Vitamin D

Amsterdam, The Netherlands, May 26, 2009 - There are several risk factors for the development of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Based on an increasing number of studies linking these risk factors with Vitamin D deficiency, an article in the current issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (May 2009) by William B. Grant, PhD of the Sunlight, Nutrition, and Health Research Center (SUNARC) suggests that further investigation of possible direct or indirect linkages between Vitamin D and these dementias is needed. Low serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] have been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, depression, dental caries, osteoporosis, and periodontal disease, all of which are either considered risk factors for dementia or have preceded incidence of dementia. In 2008, a number of studies reported that those with higher serum 25(OH)D levels had greatly reduced risk of incidence or death from cardiovascular diseases

"Proanthocyanidin (PA or PAC), also known as procyanidin, oligomeric proanthocyanidin (OPC), leukocyanidin, leucoanthocyanin and condensed tannins, is a class of flavanols. Proanthocyanidins are essentially polymer chains of flavonoids such as catechins.[1] One was discovered in 1936 by Professor Jacques Masquelier and called Vitamin P, although this name did not gain official category status and has since fallen out of usage. It was Masquelier who first developed techniques for the extraction of proanthocyanidins from certain plant species. Proanthocyanidins have been sold as nutritional and therapeutic supplements in Europe since the 1980s, but their introduction to the United States market has been relatively recent. In the human body, they might act as antioxidants (free radical scavengers).[citation needed] OPCs may help protect against the effects of internal and environmental stresses such as cigarette smoking and pollution, as well as supporting normal body metabolic processes. The effects may include depressing blood fat, emolliating blood vessels, lowering blood pressure, preventing blood vessel scleroses, dropping blood viscidity and preventing thrombus formation [18]. Additionally, studies have shown that OPCs may prevent cardiovascular diseases by counteracting the negative effects of high cholesterol on the heart and blood vessels. Pycnogenol® is the name of such an OPCs commercial formulation. OPCs are available from fresh grapes, grape juice, and red wine. Although in milligrams per ounce red wine may contain more OPCs than red grape juice, red grape juice contains more OPCs per average serving size. An 8 ounce serving of grape juice averages 124 milligrams OPCs, while a 5 ounce serving of red wine averages 91 milligrams.[19][20] Many other foods and beverages also contain high amounts of OPCs, but very few come close to the levels found in red grape seeds and skins (which readily disperse into grape juice when crushed)

"I like palmitic acid. It causes insulin resistance. Thank goodness. Ted sent me this link. It's depressing. I'm going to discuss a thought drug. I'm going to call it Palmitofake, and it can be developed by Pfizer, no, Fort Dodge. I particularly dislike FD for anaesthesia related reasons. So what does Palmitofake do? BTW, if you didn't need any other hint you can tell this drug is going to bomb as there is neither an x, y or z in its name. Trust FD to screw up (in my mind). Palmitofake is a fluoride substituted analogue of palmitic acid which irreversibly binds to the acyl-CoA interaction site of JNK1 and so inhibits the pathway by which palmitic acid keeps GLUT4 transporters off of the cell surface membrane, whole body-wide. The logic to this is that the lipotoxin, palmitic acid (nature's second biggest mistake, the biggest was obviously cholesterol) can no longer keep glucose out of cells and metabolism can run, unimpaired by fat, for ever on glucose. Woo hoo bring on the glucose."

The vitamin D craze has been building over the last few years, with low levels of the supplement being the blamed as a source of many of our ills. Depression? D can ease it. Chronic pain? Take D. It is said to prevent kidney disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, colon and breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, or even the common cold. Recently, a study linked low vitamin D levels to the rise in Caesarean births.

Benefits of Vitamin D Supplementation Joel M. Kauffman, Ph.D. Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Volume 14 Number 2 - Summer 2009 Clinical trials show that vitamin D supplementation at higher levels than previously recommended is beneficial for many conditions. It decreases the frequency of falls and fractures, helps prevent cardiovascular disease, and reduces symptoms of colds or influenza. Benefits are also seen in diabetes mellitus, multiple sclerosis, Crohn disease, pain, depression, and possibly autism. Sunlight does not cause an overdose of vitamin D production, and toxicity from supplementation is rare. Dose recommendations are increasing, but appear to be lagging the favorable trial results. A number of common drugs deplete vitamin D levels, and others may limit its biosynthesis from sunlight. People with adequate levels from sun exposure will not benefit from supplementation. While dietary intake is helpful, supplementation is better able to raise serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D , the major circulating metabolite, to the level now thought adequate, 30-50 ng/mL. Where there is inadequate daily sun exposure, oral doses of 1,000-2,000 IU/d are now considered routine, with much higher doses (up to 50,000 IU) for rapid repletion now considered safe.

Berberine: a plant alkaloid with therapeutic potential for central nervous system disorders. Kulkami SK et al. Phytotherapy Research, Published Online: 8 Dec 2009 This review attempts to discuss the pharmacological basis of the use of berberine in various central nervous system and related disorders. Its protective effect in Alzheimer's, cerebral ischemia, mental depression, schizophrenia and anxiety are highlighted. However, more detailed clinical trials along with a safety assessment of berberine are warranted for positioning the alkaloid in the treatment of neurological disorders.

Vitamin D and mood disorders among women: an integrative review. Murphy PK, Wagner CL. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2008 Sep-Oct;53(5):440-6. Review. PMID: 18761297 Four of six studies reviewed imparted significant results, with all four showing an association between low 25(OH)D levels and higher incidences of four mood disorders: premenstrual syndrome, seasonal affective disorder, non-specified mood disorder, and major depressive disorder. This review indicates a possible biochemical mechanism occurring between vitamin D and mood disorders affecting women, warranting further studies of these variables using rigorous methodologies.

The Harvard Alumni Association in partnership with the Harvard Medical School presented this two-day Alumni College seminar highlighting the latest research on cancer, nutrition and dieting, exercise, and stress management.

The Harvard Alumni Association in partnership with the Harvard Medical School presented this two-day Alumni College seminar highlighting the latest research on cancer, nutrition and dieting, exercise, and stress management.

In general it is best to avoid any drugs in pregnancy unless you are taking them for an existing condition (epilepsy, diabetes, asthma, depression, etc), in which case you should discuss your treatment with your specialist before getting pregnant.

"Is there a whole food more effective than: * Coenzyme Q10 for supporting heart function? * Echinacea in enhancing immunity? * Oat bran in lowering cholesterol? * St. John's Wort for treating depression? * Lutien for preserving vision? * Milk Thistle in regenerating the liver? * Insulin for controlling diabetes? * Is there a food that has been shown to combat cancer in multiple clinical studies? Hundreds of studies conclude that a little known fruit from Northern China may, in fact do all of the above. The Goji Berry has been found to be the most nutritionally dense food on earth!"

In an article published online on January 4, 2010 in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Robert Krikorian of the University of Cincinnati, along with his colleagues from the US and Canadian Departments of Agriculture, report that consuming blueberry juice was associated with improvements in learning and memory in individuals with age-related memory decline. The trial enrolled five men and four women over the age of 70 who reported forgetfulness and memory lapses characteristic of early memory decline. Participants were given the equivalent of 2 to 2 ½ cups of a commercially available blueberry juice daily for 12 weeks. Cognitive assessments were conducted at the beginning of the study and during the final week of the trial. At the study's conclusion, learning and recall were improved, and depressive symptoms and glucose levels tended to be reduced. When subjects who received blueberry juice were compared with a demographically matched sample who received a placebo beverage in a companion trial, test scores for learning ability were significantly better.