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Vitamin D, nervous system and aging. P. Tuohimaa, T. Keisala, A. Minasyan, J. Cachat and A. Kalueff. . Psychoneuroendocrinology, Volume 34, Supplement 1, December 2009, Pages S278-S286 NEUROACTIVE STEROIDS: EFFECTS AND MECHANISMS OF ACTION doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.07.003 This is a mini-review of vitamin D3, its active metabolites and their functioning in the central nervous system (CNS), especially in relation to nervous system pathologies and aging. The vitamin D3 endocrine system consists of 3 active calcipherol hormones: calcidiol (25OHD3), 1α-calcitriol (1α,25(OH)2D3) and 24-calcitriol (24,25(OH)2D3). The impact of the calcipherol hormone system on aging, health and disease is discussed. Low serum calcidiol concentrations are associated with an increased risk of several chronic diseases including osteoporosis, cancer, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, hypertension, atherosclerosis and muscle weakness all of which can be considered aging-related diseases. The relationship of many of these diseases and aging-related changes in physiology show a U-shaped response curve to serum calcidiol concentrations. Clinical data suggest that vitamin D3 insufficiency is associated with an increased risk of several CNS diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, seasonal affective disorder and schizophrenia. In line with this, recent animal and human studies suggest that vitamin D insufficiency is associated with abnormal development and functioning of the CNS. Overall, imbalances in the calcipherol system appear to cause abnormal function, including premature aging, of the CNS.

Plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin d is associated with markers of the insulin resistant phenotype in nondiabetic adults. Liu E, Meigs JB, Pittas AG, McKeown NM, Economos CD, Booth SL, Jacques PF. J Nutr. 2009 Feb;139(2):329-34. Epub 2008 Dec 23. PMID: 19106328 doi:10.3945/jn.108.093831 After adjusting for age and sex, plasma 25(OH)D was positively associated with ISI(0,120), plasma adiponectin, and HDL cholesterol and inversely associated with plasma triacylglycerol, but these associations were no longer significant after further adjustment for BMI, waist circumference, and current smoking status. 25(OH)D and 2-h post-OGTT glucose were not associated. Among adults without diabetes, vitamin D status was inversely associated with surrogate fasting measures of insulin resistance. These results suggest that vitamin D status may be an important determinant for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Vitamin D, aging, and cancer. Tuohimaa P. Nutr Rev. 2008 Oct;66(10 Suppl 2):S147-52. Review. PMID: 18844842 DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00095.x Deficiency of the prohormone calcidiol (25OH vitamin D3) seems to be associated with several aging-related chronic diseases including cancer. Our results suggest that calcidiol is mainly responsible for differentiation homeostasis, whereas calcitriol might be more involved in calcium homeostasis. Therefore, an imbalance of calcidiol rather than calcitriol is a risk factor for cancer and chronic diseases. Calcidiol insufficiency, as well as insufficient solar exposure, is associated with increased risk of several solid cancers. Both a vitamin D3 deficiency and a high concentration of calcidiol may increase cancer risk. Similarly, aging phenomena show a U-shaped association with vitamin D bioactivity. Therefore, the chronic diseases and cancers related to aging might be prevented by an optimal concentration of serum calcidiol, which remains to be determined.

25(OH)D Serum levels decline with age earlier in women than in men and less efficiently prevent compensatory hyperparathyroidism in older adults. Maggio D, Cherubini A, Lauretani F, Russo RC, Bartali B, Pierandrei M, Ruggiero C, Macchiarulo MC, Giorgino R, Minisola S, Ferrucci L. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2005 Nov;60(11):1414-9. PMID: 16339327 Conclusions. These findings suggest that the age-associated fall of serum 25(OH)D starts earlier in women than in men and that higher levels of 25(OH)D are required in older compared to younger persons to avoid the age-associated compensatory hyperparathyroidism.

Age, stress, and poor nutrition can sap our immune system of its effectiveness. Influenza provides one example. During young adulthood, when the body can mount a robust immune response to this common virus, influenza is rarely fatal. Among the elderly, however, the virus is associated with significant rates of death and hospitalization (Nichol KL 2005). The impact of aging on the immune system is profound. As people age, a number of critical immune system components are reduced or slowed, including cellular response, response to vaccines, and antibody production. At the same time, susceptibilities to infection and cancer are increased. Some of this increased susceptibility to disease is linked to chronic inflammation, which is associated with many disorders of aging (Ershler WB et al 2000; Hamerman D 1999; Taaffe DR et al 2000).

Written by, Samuel K. Burlum, Investigative Reporter and author of The Green Lane, a syndicated column Published on 4/30/16, a SamBurlum.com Exclusive Source: As we take a look at the poor water quality issues that have hit major metro centers such as Flint, Michigan and Newark, New Jersey, we examine the source of these issues and what some are doing to rush in protecting the most important natural resource vital to the existence of the human race. As our world's population grows and our available sources of clean drinkable freshwater dwindle, the race to find ways to preserve and protect our current water supplies have rapidly increased; while other alternatives on how to clean up used and polluted water supplies are explored. Schools of thought and tech companies are eager to find ways to filter recycled water for reuse; fresh water supplies continue to be maxed out. According to the U.S. Geological Survey; only 2.5% of the Earth's water supply is fresh water. The main sources of available drinkable freshwater supply mainly come from glaciers and ice caps; ground ice and permafrost, and lakes and ground water. It is so surprising that with this natural resource being so scarce, we as a society don't do more to preserve and protect it. And so as a society, we continue to sabotage ourselves by contributing to actions and behaviors that increase pollution of our rivers and lakes. Only about half of the world's population has access to clean drinking water, leaving the other 3 billion people to fight for a source of quality water. In addition to that, according to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); 783 Million people have no access to any clean water sources. They must rely on "dirty" water or no water at all. This seems like a problem that would only plague impoverished countries, countries without infrastructure and societies without developed economies; however that stereo-typical outlook has been crushed by

Written by, Samuel K. Burlum, Investigative Reporter and author of The Green Lane, a syndicated column Published on 4/30/16, a SamBurlum.com Exclusive Source: As we take a look at the poor water quality issues that have hit major metro centers such as Flint, Michigan and Newark, New Jersey, we examine the source of these issues and what some are doing to rush in protecting the most important natural resource vital to the existence of the human race. As our world's population grows and our available sources of clean drinkable freshwater dwindle, the race to find ways to preserve and protect our current water supplies have rapidly increased; while other alternatives on how to clean up used and polluted water supplies are explored. Schools of thought and tech companies are eager to find ways to filter recycled water for reuse; fresh water supplies continue to be maxed out. According to the U.S. Geological Survey; only 2.5% of the Earth's water supply is fresh water. The main sources of available drinkable freshwater supply mainly come from glaciers and ice caps; ground ice and permafrost, and lakes and ground water. It is so surprising that with this natural resource being so scarce, we as a society don't do more to preserve and protect it. And so as a society, we continue to sabotage ourselves by contributing to actions and behaviors that increase pollution of our rivers and lakes. Only about half of the world's population has access to clean drinking water, leaving the other 3 billion people to fight for a source of quality water. In addition to that, according to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); 783 Million people have no access to any clean water sources. They must rely on "dirty" water or no water at all. This seems like a problem that would only plague impoverished countries, countries without infrastructure and societies without developed economies; however that stereo-typical outlook has been crushed by th

"From 1955 to 1990, all infants in East Germany received 600,000 IU of Vitamin D every three months for a total of 3,600,000 IU at age 18 months. With the 400 IU/day recommendation of the American Pediatric Association in mind, I ran across this amazing paper while surfing Medline for Vitamin D. According to this paper, all infants in the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) received dangerously high doses of Vitamin D every three months in their doctors office. The policy was in place for 35 years. The first 600,000 IU dose was given at three months and then every three months until the child was 18 months of age. This works out to an average of 6,000 IU per day (actually, for several technical reasons it is not equivalent) for 18 months. The authors collected blood before the dose and then 2 weeks after the quarterly dose to obtain 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)D, and calcium levels on a total of 43 infants. Before the first dose, at 3 months of age, the average infant was extremely deficient (median 25(OH)D of 7 ng/ml). Two weeks after the first dose the average 25(OH)D level was 120 ng/ml, the second dose 170 ng/ml, the third dose, 180 ng/ml, the fourth dose, 144 ng/ml, the fifth dose, 110 ng/ml and after the sixth and final dose, 3.6 million total units, at age 18 months, the children had mean levels of 100 ng/ml. That is, by the 15 and 18 month doses, the children were beginning to effectively handle these massive doses. The highest level recorded in any of the 43 infants was 408 ng/ml at age 9 months, two weeks after the third 600,000 IU dose. Thirty-four percent of the infants had at least one episode of hypercalcemia but only 3 had an elevated serum 1,25(OH)D. The authors reported that all the infants appeared healthy, even the infant with a level of 408 ng/ml, that is, no clinical toxicity was noted in any of these infants."

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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 Nov;118(1-3):240-3. Epub 2009 Feb 27. PMID: 19249103 doi:10.1016/j.jad.2009.02.002 Conclusions Depressive symptoms are not associated with 25(OH)D concentrations in middle-aged and elderly Chinese. Further prospective studies are required to determine whether they are correlated.

Prospective study of serum 25(OH)-vitamin D concentration and risk of oesophageal and gastric cancers. Chen W, Dawsey SM, Qiao YL, Mark SD, Dong ZW, Taylor PR, Zhao P, Abnet CC. Br J Cancer. 2007 Jul 2;97(1):123-8. Epub 2007 Jun 5. PMID: 17551495 We prospectively examined the relation between pretrial serum vitamin D status and risk of oesophageal and gastric cancers among subjects who developed cancer over 5.25 years of follow-up, including 545 oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCC), 353 gastric cardia adenocarcinomas, 81 gastric noncardia adenocarcinomas, and an age- and sex-stratified random sample of 1105 subjects. We found no associations for gastric cardia or noncardia adenocarcinoma. Among subjects with low vitamin D status, higher serum 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with significantly increased risk of ESCC in men, but not in women. Further refinements of the analysis did not suggest any factors, which could explain this unexpected result. In conclusion, we found a direct association between higher serum 25(OH)D concentration and increased risk of ESCC in men but not women in a large population-based prospective cohort study from rural China. We found no association with risk of gastric cardia or noncardia adenocarcinoma in either sex. Greater than 50% of our cohort had an inadequate serum 25(OH)D concentration, yet higher concentrations were associated with increased risk of ESCC compared to lower concentrations.

Optimal vitamin D status attenuates the age-associated increase in systolic blood pressure in white Americans: results from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Judd SE, Nanes MS, Ziegler TR, Wilson PW, Tangpricha V. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Jan;87(1):136-41. PMID: 18175747 Conclusions: SBP is inversely associated with serum vitamin D concentrations in nonhypertensive white persons in the United States. This observation provides a rationale for studies on the potential effects of vitamin D supplementation as a method to reduce SBP in persons at risk of hypertension.

Single food focus dietary guidance: lessons learned from an economic analysis of egg consumption. Schmier JK, Barraj LM, Tran NL. Cost Eff Resour Alloc. 2009 Apr 14;7:7. PMID: 19366457 Methods A risk apportionment model estimated the increased risk for coronary heart disease (CHD) attributable to egg cholesterol content, the decreased risk for other conditions (age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract, neural tube defects, and sarcopenia) associated with egg consumption, and a literature search identified the cost of illness of each condition. The base 795 case scenario calculated the costs or savings of each condition attributable to egg cholesterol or nutrient content. Results Given the costs associated with CHD and the benefits associated with the other conditions, the most likely scenario associated with eating an egg a day is savings of $2.82 billion annually with uncertainty ranging from a net cost of $756 million to net savings up to $8.50 billion. Conclusion This study evaluating the economic impact of egg consumption suggests that public health campaigns promoting limiting egg consumption as a means to reduce CHD risk would not be cost-effective from a societal perspective when other benefits are considered. Public health intervention that focuses on a single dietary constituent, and foods that are high in that constituent, may lead to unintended consequences of removing other beneficial constituents and the net effect may not be in its totality a desirable public health outcome. As newer data become available, the model should be updated.

Taking a combination of vitamins B6 and B12 and folic acid appears to decrease the risk of age-related macular degeneration in women, according to a report in the February 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in older Americans, according to background information in the article. Treatment options exist for those with severe cases of the disease, but the only known prevention method is to avoid smoking. Recent studies have drawn a connection between AMD and blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid. High levels of homocysteine are associated with dysfunction of the blood vessel lining, whereas treatment with vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folic acid appears to reduce homocysteine levels and may reverse this blood vessel dysfunction.

Age-related changes in the 25-hydroxyvitamin D versus parathyroid hormone relationship suggest a different reason why older adults require more vitamin D. Vieth R, Ladak Y, Walfish PG. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Jan;88(1):185-91. PMID: 12519850 This study shows that all age groups exhibit a high prevalence of 25(OH)D insufficiency and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Older adults are just as efficient in maintaining 25(OH)D, but they need more vitamin D to produce the higher 25(OH)D concentrations required to overcome the hyperparathyroidism associated with their diminishing renal function

Cigarette smoking, fish consumption, omega-3 fatty acid intake, and associations with age-related macular degeneration: the US Twin Study of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Seddon JM, George S, Rosner B. Arch Ophthalmol. 2006 Jul;124(7):995-1001. PMID: 16832023 Conclusions This study of twins provides further evidence that cigarette smoking increases risk while fish consumption and omega-3 fatty acid intake reduce risk of AMD

High tofu intake is associated with worse memory in elderly Indonesian men and women. Hogervorst E, Sadjimim T, Yesufu A, Kreager P, Rahardjo TB. Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2008;26(1):50-7. Epub 2008 Jun 27. PMID: 18583909 DOI: 10.1159/000141484 CONCLUSION: The results for tofu consumption as a risk factor for low memory function may tie in with the Honolulu Asia Aging Study data. It is unclear whether these negative associations could be attributed to potential toxins or to its phytoestrogen levels. Estrogen (through which receptors phytoestrogens can exert effects) was found to increase dementia risk in women over 65 years of age. Tempe contains high levels of phytoestrogens, but (due to fermentation) also exhibits high folate levels which may exert protective effects. Future studies should validate these findings and investigate potential mechanisms.

Association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and cognitive performance in middle-aged and older European men. Lee DM, Tajar A, Ulubaev A, Pendleton N, O'Neill TW, O'Connor DB, Bartfai G, Boonen S, Bouillon R, Casanueva FF, Finn JD, Forti G, Giwercman A, Han TS, Huhtaniemi IT, Kula K, Lean ME, Punab M, Silman AJ, Vanderschueren D, Wu FC; EMAS study group. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2009 Jul;80(7):722-9. Epub 2009 May 21. PMID: 19460797 doi:10.1136/jnnp.2008.165720 Conclusion: In this study, lower 25(OH)D levels were associated with poorer performance on the DSST. Further research is warranted to determine whether vitamin D sufficiency might have a role in preserving cognitive function in older adults.

The association of solar ultraviolet B (UVB) with reducing risk of cancer: multifactorial ecologic analysis of geographic variation in age-adjusted cancer mortality rates. Grant WB, Garland CF. Anticancer Res. 2006 Jul-Aug;26(4A):2687-99. PMID: 16886679 CONCLUSION: These results provide additional support for the hypothesis that solar UVB, through photosynthesis of vitamin D, is inversely-associated with cancer mortality rates, and that various other cancer risk-modifying factors do not detract from this link. It is thought that sun avoidance practices after 1980, along with improved cancer treatment, led to reduced associations in the latter period. The results regarding solar UVB should be studied further with additional observational and intervention studies of vitamin D indices and cancer incidence, mortality and survival rates.

"DALLAS, Jan. 8 - The same vitamin D deficiency that can result in weak bones now has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, Framingham Heart Study researchers report in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. "Vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, above and beyond established cardiovascular risk factors," said Thomas J. Wang, M.D., assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Mass. "The higher risk associated with vitamin D deficiency was particularly evident among individuals with high blood pressure." In a study of 1,739 offspring from Framingham Heart Study participants (average age 59, all Caucasian), researchers found that those with blood levels of vitamin D below15 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL) had twice the risk of a cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, heart failure or stroke in the next five years compared to those with higher levels of vitamin D."

"High serum selenium associated with elevated LDL and total cholesterol By Helen Albert 21 January 2010 Atherosclerosis 2009; Advance online publication MedWire News: High levels of serum selenium are associated with elevated total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, report US researchers. The results add weight to those of a previous UK study, reported by MedWire News, that reported an association between high plasma selenium and an adverse lipid profile. Eliseo Guallar (Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland) and colleagues carried out a cross-sectional analysis of 1159 individuals aged 56.8 years on average who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2004."