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Vitamin D and skin physiology: a D-lightful story. Holick MF, Chen TC, Lu Z, Sauter E. J Bone Miner Res. 2007 Dec;22 Suppl 2:V28-33. PMID: 18290718 doi: 10.1359/jbmr.07s211 Very few foods naturally contain vitamin D, and those that do have a very variable vitamin D content. Recently it was observed that wild caught salmon had between 75% and 90% more vitamin D(3) compared with farmed salmon. The associations regarding increased risk of common deadly cancers, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and cardiovascular disease with living at higher latitudes and being prone to vitamin D deficiency should alert all health care professionals about the importance of vitamin D for overall health and well being. Humans have depended on sunlight for their vitamin D requirement. The impact of season, time of day, and latitude on vitamin D synthesis is well documented.(2,3) We now report that altitude also has a dramatic influence on vitamin D3 production and that living at altitudes above 3500 m permits previtamin D3 production at a time when very little is produced at latitudes below 3400 m. It was surprising that, at 27° N in Agra (169 M), little previtamin D3 production was observed. However, there was significant air pollution that caused a haze over the city. It is likely the ozone and other UVB-absorbing pollutants in the air prevented the solar UVB photons from reaching the earth's surface to produce previtamin D3.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration and subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes. Mattila C, Knekt P, Männistö S, Rissanen H, Laaksonen MA, Montonen J, Reunanen A. Diabetes Care. 2007 Oct;30(10):2569-70. Epub 2007 Jul 12. PMID: 17626891 doi: 10.2337/dc07-0292 We found a significant inverse association between serum 25OHD and risk of type 2 diabetes in the simple model. However, the association was attenuated in the multivariate analysis, adjusting for potential risk factors of type 2 diabetes. To our knowledge, this is the first cohort study investigating the association between serum 25OHD and incidence of type 2 diabetes. Our results are in line with those from the Nurses' Health Study (5), where an inverse association was observed for the intake of vitamin D supplements. We could not differentiate whether the results depended on the effect of vitamin D deficiency on β-cell function or on insulin resistance. In summary, the results are in line with the hypothesis that a high serum 25OHD concentration may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Further research is needed to confirm the association and to distinguish between the independent role of vitamin D and the role of healthy dietary and lifestyle patterns in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of winter-time depression experienced by people those who live in northern latitudes such as those of New York, Seattle, all of Canada, and Northern Europe. I believe it is primarily a disorder of sunlight/vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D, when administered in late winter, produces a positive effect on mood in only five days.[1] One theory for this is that vitamin D stimulates the brain to produce more serotonin. In a wintertime experiment, serum vitamin D levels doubled in six months through supplementation and dramatically increased scores on a wellbeing assessment.[2] Two groups were given either 1,000 IU or 4,000 IU of vitamin D daily. And although both groups improved, the higher dose produced better results.

The Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) is preparing a vitamin D policy paper it hopes can influence European national associations considering vitamin D medical recommendations. PA International Foundation is hosting an event on the topic in Bruges, Belgium, on October 6, its 14th workshop to be held on the matter. The CPME draft paper will be presented at the convention attended by doctors, scientists, patient groups, media representatives and politicians.

I'm always on the lookout for foods rich in vitamin K2 MK-4, because it's so important and so rare in the modern food system. I heard some internet rumors that marrow might be rich in fat-soluble vitamins. Google let me down, so I decided to look through the rat studies on K2 MK-4 in which they looked at its tissue distribution. I found one that looked at the K2 MK-4 content in different tissues of rats fed vitamin K1. Marrow was rich in K2, along with testes. It contains 10-20 times more MK-4 than liver by weight, and more than any of the other organs they tested (serum, liver, spleen, kidney, heart, testes, marrow, brain) except testes. They didn't include values for salivary gland and pancreas, the two richest sources.

San Diego, CA (PRWEB) May 25, 2009 -- Coming on the heels of the publishing in the Annals of Epidemiology of a new study led by Dr. Cedric Garland, on the preventive measures of vitamin D, GrassrootsHealth D*action Project is calling on physicians, health clinics and groups throughout the country to recognize the need for determining vitamin D levels and to ensure the public have their blood levels of vitamin D tested. According to research from the newly published study by Cedric F. Garland, Dr. P.H., FACE, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine and Moores Cancer Center of the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), "It is projected that raising the minimum year-around serum 25(OH)D level to 40-60 ng/ml (100-150 nmol/L) would prevent approximately 58,000 new cases of breast cancer and 49,000 new cases of colorectal cancer each year, and three quarters of deaths from these diseases, in the US and Canada."

Despite inadequacies in information concerning the minimum prophylactic requirement of vitamin D for all age groups beyond infancy, there is no doubt that a total intake of 400 I.U. per day is adequate to prevent vitamin D deficiency in substantially all normal children from birth through adolescence. Evidence derived from the study of idiopathic hypercalcemia suggests that certain infants excessively sensitive to the toxic action of vitamin D may, on rare occasions, be adversely affected by daily intakes of 3,000 to 4,000 I.U. and sometimes considerably less. Because of the prevalent practice of food fortification in the United States and Canada, there is now a definite possibility that the individual, even the young infant, may ingest considerably more than the recommended vitamin D allowance, and intakes of 2,000 to 3,500 I.U. per day are possible, particularly beyond infancy. Although there has been no specific evidence that intakes of this order produce deleterious effects beyond infancy, it is pointed out that the long-term consequences of this new nutritional situation on older children or adults are entirely unknown.

The importance of calcium, potassium, and acid-base homeostasis in bone health and osteoporosis prevention. Tylavsky FA, Spence LA, Harkness L. J Nutr. 2008 Jan;138(1):164S-165S. PMID: 18156418 In concert with the acid-base literature, protein intake is considered to be a net acid-producing substance and thus a net negative risk factor for bone dissolution. However, substantial literature supports the beneficial effects on skeletal metabolism when higher protein levels are consumed in concert with adequate calcium, potassium, and other minerals, regardless of the source of protein (24-26). The Dietary Approaches to Stopping Hypertension (DASH) diet (27) is a calcium-rich diet that emphasizes fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. This diet underscores the importance of consuming a complement of foods from meats, grains, dairy, fruits, and vegetables as prudent for promoting optimal bone health. In the following articles, Rafferty and Lanham-New carefully review the evidence on the interaction of specific diet components that impact bone health and conclude that a balanced diet with recommended servings of dairy products and a variety of fruits and vegetables is prudent for optimal bone health. Additionally, they comment on future research directions for consideration by the scientific community.

Oral probiotic control skin inflammation by acting on both effector and regulatory T cells. Hacini-Rachinel F, Gheit H, Le Luduec JB, Dif F, Nancey S, Kaiserlian D. PLoS ONE. 2009;4(3):e4903. Epub 2009 Mar 20. PMID: 19300508 doi:10.1371/journal.pONE.0004903

We have compiled an Herb and Supplement Encyclopedia that you can search through to learn more about natural remedies. This herbal and supplement encyclopedia was written in an effort to provide accurate and up to date information on herbs that are commonly used in herbal preparations within Canada and the United States. Covering both their traditional usage and the latest scientific findings, each herbal monograph lists the 'traditional' usages in point form and also outlines the most well founded indications and relevant research in a short overview paragraph. The information on indications and suggested amount for each herb is largely based on the German Pharmacopoeia and other authoritative sources. We have also listed the traditional use of these herbs by First Nations healers wherever possible, out of respect and great appreciation for their healing wisdom and insight, often born out by science.

ZaidLearn is back from another non-blogging vacation (Who cares!)! Excellent point! Anyway, before I get back to my wacky 5-part learning series (in 2 weeks time!), I need to settle something urgently, and that is to compile and organize all my University learning related OpenCourseWare (OCW) and Open Educational Resources (OER) links that are scattered here and there, into one smashing post. In short, this post is about smashing all free University learning related OCW and OER resources and collections discovered into an all-in-one (sounds like shampoo!) quick-to-access/find juicy compilation. Hopefully, it will satisfy my thirst for quick access to free University learning related content. Interestingly, this post will be a dynamic one, meaning that I will continue to update (and revamp!) it as I discover, or others share ideas and recommend new oceans of free knowledge.

Welcome to The Nutrition Source, a Web site maintained by the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. In the What Should You Eat section, you'll find eight key tips for eating right, plus our bottom line recommendations on carbohydrates, protein, fats, fiber, vegetables and fruits, calcium and milk, alcohol, and vitamins. You can also learn more about a food pyramid that's actually based on the latest science: the Healthy Eating Pyramid, created by the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health. A lot of confusing information about nutrition gets batted about in the media and on the Web. The Nutrition Source will cut through all that confusion, providing clear tips for healthy eating and dispelling a few nutrition myths along the way

"The common culprit is soy, a plant that contains chemicals with estrogen-like and anti-estrogenic properties - making it a nutritional minefield for breast cancer survivors. While Western diets are relatively low in soy - compared with the typical diet in Asia, where people eat soy daily - the percentage of Americans consuming soy at least once a week has increased from 15% in 1997 to 28% in 2003. In the meantime, studies on the effect of soy on breast cancer recurrence and mortality have been conflicting, with some showing that it can reduce risk, while others show an elevated rate of recurrent disease among high soy consumers. Now the largest study to date of soy's effect on breast cancer suggests that eating soy, even in large amounts, may not be harmful after all, and may even reduce recurrence and death from the disease. But while the findings are intriguing, not all doctors are ready to tout the benefits of tofu

"A friend has emailed me the full text of Pawel Grieb's paper documenting a number of physiological parameters of medium to long term Optimal Diet (OD) eaters in Poland, as pointed out by Flo and Stan. There are a few points worth making. The biggest mistake, BTW, is that the authors claim (correctly) that the OD diet aims for >70% fat with (incorrectly) "no restriction on the type of fat (saturated or unsaturated) or cholesterol level". I think they meant that the OD does not ban saturated fats. This is of course true but the impression given is that the OD allows "healthy" fats, which are, of course, inedible. So the heavy emphasis on saturated fats is missed by the paper. A pity, anyone might be left thinking corn oil is a human food... The first positive aspect is that this is a multi author study, eleven authors from several medical centres/unversities. So it's not a one man band case report. I like that. The second is that it is remarkably positive about the findings throughout. Even the elevated LDL cholesterol levels are not taken as extreme and are not trumpeted from the rooftops as the portent of imminent cardiovascular doom. So refreshing!"

"High blood levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite, may guard against Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests. "Hopefully, in 10 or 15 years this may be one of many agents that we use to reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease," said senior study author Dr. Sudha Seshadri, an associate professor of neurology at Boston University School of Medicine. "Or it may be one of many markers that we measure in combination to predict risk." But many more studies of different population groups are needed to determine whether leptin can play such a pivotal role in predicting the risk of Alzheimer's, Seshadri said. The research, which was reported in the Dec. 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, was done because "there has been some data relating body weight to the risk of Alzheimer's disease," Seshadri said. "When we looked at animal studies, we found some data to indicate that leptin not only produces a feeling of satiety but also has a beneficial effect on the hippocampus. It was important to see if that was true in humans." The hippocampus is a portion of the brain that plays a role in important aspects of memory."

Subfractionation of Lipoproteins 101 Let's review some subfractionation techniques. On the market 3 main methods exist. They all work. Dr. Davis highly prefers NMR for its subtleties, scope, and particle counts. Superko and Krauss are affiliated with Berkeley HeartLab which uses GGE (BHL). Density gradient ultracentrifugation is very popular among our members (VAP-II and VAP). Recently, Krauss appears to be introducing a new technology based on ion-mobility. Basically, the denser the particle, the faster and more mobile the particle moves through a gel (GGE). The denser the particle, the smaller the diameter (Angstroms or nanometers) as determined via electromagnetic resonance (NMR) or absorbance via density ultracentrifugation (VAP, which are indirectly compared to known sizes).

"This non-commercial website features my writings on nutritional topics: natural health, health freedom, dietary supplements/vitamins/herbs, organic & biotech food, poor studies, misleading press, etc. Not intended as nutritional counseling, prescription or treatment of disease. Older articles may contain outdated info. Links to Amazon or Google ads are independent of my content. Copyright 2006-2008 by Neil E. Levin, except as noted. Neil E. Levin, CCN, DANLA is a nationally board-certified clinical nutritionist with a Diplomate in Advanced Nutritional Laboratory Assessment. He is a professional member of the International & American Associations of Clinical Nutritionists. Neil is a nutrition educator and a dietary supplement formulator. Neil is a member of the Scientific Council of the national Clinical Nutrition Certification Board and is on the board of directors of the Mid-American Health Organization (MAHO), the Midwest regional affiliate of the National Products Association (NPA). In July, 2008, Neil was named an NPA Industry Champion, "an award given to people who have made notable individual contributions to industry above and beyond what is expected to achieve commercial success". Neil is the immediate past president of the not-for-profit Nutrition for Optimal Health Association, Inc. (www.nutrition4health.org) and is Program Chair of the American Nutrition Association. Neil has frequently published in magazines, newspapers and scientific journals and has been on numerous radio and television news programs."

Acute Ingestion of Long-Chain (n-3) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Decreases Fibrinolysis in Men with Metabolic Syndrome. Montegaard C, Tulk HM, Lauritzen L, Tholstrup T, Robinson LE. J Nutr. 2009 Nov 4. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19889809 doi:10.3945/jn.109.111427 Individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) often have elevated plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), contributing to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. PAI-1 and t-PA may be affected by chronic (n-3) long-chain PUFA [(n-3)LCPUFA] supplementation; however, the acute impact of fat ingestion on these risk factors has not been established. Our objective was to investigate the acute effect of (n-3)LCPUFA on plasma PAI-1, t-PA, and platelet aggregation. We conducted a randomized crossover study in which men (n = 8, ≥45 y) with MetS consumed water or a high-saturated fat beverage (1 g fat/kg body weight) with either a high or low content of (n-3)LCPUFA. Blood samples were collected over 8 h to measure triacylglycerol (TAG), PAI-1, t-PA, and platelet aggregation. Both fat loads resulted in a significant increase in whole blood TAG concentration, plasma PAI-1 and t-PA concentrations, and PAI-1 activity, as well as a significant decrease in t-PA activity during the postprandial period. Interestingly, PAI-1 concentration and activity increased more following the high (n-3)LCPUFA compared with the low (n-3)LCPUFA beverage (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the high (n-3)LCPUFA beverage resulted in a lower t-PA activity (P < 0.05), whereas the effects of the 2 fat loads on the plasma t-PA concentration and platelet aggregation did not differ. Overall, acute intake of a high (n-3)LCPUFA beverage shifted the balance between plasma PAI-1 and t-PA, which might indicate a lower capacity for fibrinolysis

"(NaturalNews) A research team from the University of Washington (UW) recently published a study in Physiology & Behavior revealing that moderate consumption of fructose- and high fructose corn syrup-sweetened beverages leads to significant alterations of lipid metabolization in the liver. Conducted on rats, the study also noted marked increases in both cholesterol and triglyceride levels in rats that fed on fructose-sweetened beverages. Fructose is a monosaccharide sugar that is found in various fruits. It is a simple sugar that is often promoted as being a healthy "fruit" sugar, however the reality is that fructose is just one component of the complex sugar composition that occurs naturally in fruit. Most granulated fructose available today, called crystalline fructose, is derived from fructose-enriched corn syrup. Similarly, high fructose corn syrup is a fructose-enriched form of highly-processed corn syrup that is commonly found in soda, ketchup, candy, dressings, and many other processed foods. The biggest concern about fructose is the fact that, unlike sucrose, it passes undigested through the small intestine where it enters the portal vein and heads directly to the liver. "

"(NaturalNews) New research published in The Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) has found that the "Western" diet, typically high in sugar and fat, may be responsible for activating genes that signal the body to become fatter. According to scientists, the body's response to high amounts of energy-dense food is to activate the kappa opioid receptor which triggers increased fat storage. Researchers arrived at this conclusion by conducting an experiment on two groups of mice. One group had its kappa opioid receptors genetically deactivated while the other remained intact. Both groups were fed diets high in fat and sugar for 16 weeks. At the end of 16 weeks, the group with the deactivated receptor remained lean while the control group gained significant weight. Besides limiting their bodies' ability to store energy-dense food in their fat stores, the mice whose receptors had been deactivated were noted to also have a limited ability to assimilate and store nutrients from the foods they ingested. Traci Ann Czyzyk-Morgan, One of the study's researchers, indicated that the findings prove the hypothesis long held by many in the scientific community that the kappa opioid receptor may be responsible for causing widespread obesity in Western countries. She and others continue to encourage people to avoid diets high in fat and sugar. "