The Author The author of this site is the British writer, John Davidson. Please note that the author is neither a doctor, nor a qualified health practitioner. Every cancer patient should always consult his or her medical practitioner with regard to the use of complementary remedies or treatments, and nothing on this site should be construed in any way as medical or therapeutic advice. It is simply the result of one person's search for solutions. Please read our disclaimer. About This Site Internet searches trawl up vast amounts of information about cancer, from a broad spectrum of viewpoints. The information and internet links on this site are for those seeking to augment the treatment offered by their hospital oncology (cancer) unit. Of course, a great many other internet sites concerning cancer can be found by keying the requisite search words into any of the major search engines. The content of this site was initially prepared, at the request of medical and nursing staff and others, some weeks after I had had an emergency operation for the removal of a colon cancer, and while undergoing chemotherapy in case any cancer cells had gone AWOL. There had been some escape of cancer cells into associated lymph nodes (3 out of 17, including the most distal), but no other tumours had been picked up by a CT scan. When I returned home from hospital in September 2005, with the help of friends, I started doing some research on cancer. I was amazed to discover that despite the billions of pounds/euros/dollars etc. spent on cancer research, and the many advances in understanding the numerous variants of the disease, the standard treatment for my stage of colon cancer is still a drug (fluorouracil, also called 5FU) that has been in use for more than forty years, has uncomfortable side effects, and which only increases the chances of survival after five years by 5 to 10%.

25-Hydroxyvitamin D(3) is an agonistic vitamin D receptor ligand. Lou YR, Molnár F, Peräkylä M, Qiao S, Kalueff AV, St-Arnaud R, Carlberg C, Tuohimaa P. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2009 Nov 26. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19944755 doi:10.1016/j.jsbmb.2009.11.011 In conclusion, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 is an agonistic vitamin D receptor ligand with gene regulatory and anti-proliferative properties.

"04.01.2010 15:00 D-vitamiini ja kalisum vähentävät lonkkamurtumapotilaiden kuolleisuutta, osoittaa tuore suomalaistutkimus. Lonkkamurtuma on vaikein osteoporoosin eli luukadon heikentämän luun murtuma, ja siihen liittyy huomattava ylikuolleisuus ja toimintakyvyn heikkeneminen. Drugs Aging -lehdessä (2009;26:409-421) hiljattain julkaistun suomalaistutkimuksen mukaan kalsiumin ja D-vitamiinin samanaikaisella käytöllä lonkkamurtumapotilaiden kuolleisuutta voitaisiin kuitenkin vähentää. Dosentti Peter Lüthje työryhmineen tutki Päijät-Hämeen keskussairaalan ja Kuusankosken aluesairaalan vastuualueella vuosina 2003-2004 hoidettujen lonkkamurtumapotilaiden elimistön D-vitamiinipitoisuuksia ja D-vitamiinin käytön yhteyttä murtuman jälkeiseen selviytymiseen. Tutkimusaineisto koostui 221 lonkkamurtumapotilaasta. Naisten keski-ikä oli 81 vuotta ja miesten 73 vuotta. Potilaiden selviytymistä seurattiin murtuman jälkeen 37-52 kuukautta. 28 kuukauden seurannan kohdalla 221 tutkimukseen kuuluvasta potilaasta elossa oli 137 potilasta (62 %). Tilastoanalyysissa tärkeimmäksi lonkkamurtumasta selviytymistä selittäväksi tekijäksi osoittautui D-vitamiinin ja kalsiumin käyttö (kalsium- ja D-vitamiinilääkitys). Toiseksi tärkein selittävä tekijä oli osteoporoosilääkitys"

"Thursday, 17 December 2009 This blog is in response to Dr Briffa's post here. as I keep having problems commenting on his blogs. While 44ng/ml is sufficient to not only maximize uptake of calcium (>32ng/ml) and ensure maximum bone mineral density (>42ng/ml), pregnant and nursing mothers should be aware that in order to maximize the amount of vitamin D3 in human breast milk 6400iu/daily was found to be necessary to raise (>58ng/ml) at latitude 32. This is detailed in the Taylor, Wagner and Hollis paper. Vitamin D supplementation during lactation to support infant and mother. Although 4000iu/daily met the mothers daily needs in full it left babies being born with lower 25(OH)D status than required for optimum calcium absorption They also found DAILY use of supplements was required by pregnant and nursing mothers to ensure an even daily Vitamin D3 supply to the foetus & baby. It makes virtually no measurable difference for everyone else if you supplement daily or weekly. While Dr Briffa will not be lactating he may be interested seeing in the Grassrootshealth chart showing disease incidence by 25(OH)D status. this may encourage him to go just another 10ng/ml higher and a bit nearer to the natural level at which human breast milk flows replete with D3."

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.

After much consideration into this blog's new name in the light of my new direction, the decision has been made. "Free the Animal" Why? First, if you read that post linked above, you know that my health and fitness approach is perfectly in harmony with my philosophical approach; and hence, my approach to politics and all that. In other words, a big part of the reason I have discovered something that truly works; and moreover, is the simplest, most natural, downright fun way of living: that gets you lean and fit; gets you feeling and sleeping great; and gets you looking years and years younger is precisely because I don't believe in the gods of heaven or earth, we evolved over millions of years and are conditioned by survival pressures that in no way include all vegetable diets, gorging on bottled water all day, eating ground grass seeds (grains and derivatives) running on a treadmill or elliptical, or involving ourselves in social schemes and cons that leave us powerless, with no influence, and at the mercy of the crowd and collective (the cannibal pot). Some have a lot of the pieces and do good work. I have all of the major pieces, though acquiring all of the specifics is a lifelong and never-ending journey of discovery. I will focus on essentials and specifics that really matter to me and others living a normal life in pursuit of survival, prosperity and happiness. I will point to other sources that provide more depth in specific areas that are of interest to only some

"For what reason I don't know, but this January 2009 editorial by William Faloon of the Life Extension Foundation is making the rounds. Perhaps it just came available on the web. It's a good read, particularly in light of the billions and trillions of dollars the thieves & thugs in DC are about to flush down the crapper on your behalf. Some notable excerpts. A large number of new vitamin D studies have appeared in the scientific literature since I wrote my plea to the federal government. These studies don't just confirm what we knew 16 months ago-they show that optimizing vitamin D intake will save even more lives than what we projected. For instance, a study published in June 2008 showed that men with low vitamin D levels suffer 2.42 times more heart attacks. Now look what this means in actual body counts. Each year, about 157,000 Americans die from coronary artery disease-related heart attacks. Based on this most recent study, if every American optimized their vitamin D status, the number of deaths prevented from this kind of heart attack would be 92,500. To put the number of lives saved in context, tens of millions of dollars are being spent to advertise that Lipitor® reduces heart attacks by 37%. This is certainly a decent number, but not when compared with how many lives could be saved by vitamin D. According to the latest study, men with the higher vitamin D levels had a 142% reduction in heart attacks."

"Tällä sivulla mainitut lääkkeet voivat estää auringon valon UVB-säteitä muodostamasta ihossa D-vitamiinia ja D-vitamiinin imeytymistä ravinnosta ja ravintolisistä. Lääkkeiden käyttäjän D-vitamiinin pitoisuus seerumissa (S-D-25) voi olla pienempi kuin mikä on terveyden kannalta ihanteellista (75-250 nmol/l). Suomalaisten S-D-25 on muutoinkin keskimäärin vain noin 40 nmol/l, elleivät he käytä D-vitamiinilisiä. Lääkkeen säännöllinen käyttö voi siten vaatia tavallistakin suurempaa D-vitamiinin saantia ravintolisän muodossa. Orlistaatti (kauppanimiä Alli ja Xenical, laihdutuslääkkeitä, estävät rasvojen ja rasvaliukoisten vitamiinien imeytymistä suolesta vereen), barbituraatit (unilääkkeet), karbamatsepiini (epilepsialääke), kolestyramiini, simetidiini (Tagamet), kolestipoli, kortikosteroidit (kortisonit), famotidiini (käytetään liikahappoisuuteen), fosfenytoiini (epilepsialääke), isoniatsidi (tuberkuloosilääke, nitsatidiini (mahahaavalääke), fenobarbitaali (epilepsia- ja unilääke), fenytoiini (epilepsialääke), ranitidiini (mahahaavalääke), rifampiini eli fluvastatiini ja valproaatti (epilepsialääke)."

Meta-analysis of longitudinal studies: Serum vitamin D and prostate cancer risk. Yin L, Raum E, Haug U, Arndt V, Brenner H. Cancer Epidemiol. 2009 Dec;33(6):435-45. Epub 2009 Nov 25. PMID: 19939760 doi:10.1016/j.canep.2009.10.014 CONCLUSIONS: According to available evidence from longitudinal studies, serum 25(OH)D is not associated with PC incidence.

Table of Contents Ch. I Is calcidiol an active hormone? 1 Ch. II Vitamin D as a neurosteroid hormone : from neurobiological effects to behavior 29 Ch. III Inhibitors of vitamin D hydroxylases : mechanistic tools and therapeutic aspects 67 Ch. IV Vitamin D analogues as anti-cancer therapies 145 Ch. V Paricalcitol : a vitamin D2 analog with anticancer effects with low calcemic activity 169 Ch. VI Vitamin D use among older adults in U.S. : results form national surveys 1997 to 2002 181 Ch VII Vitamin D deficiency in migrants 199 Vitamin D is a fat-soluble steroid hormone precursor that contributes to the maintenance of normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the bloodstream. Strictly speaking, it is not a vitamin since human skin can manufacture it, but it is referred to as one for historical reasons. It is often known as calciferol. The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. It promotes bone mineralisation in concert with a number of other vitamins, minerals and hormones. Without vitamin D, bones can become thin, brittle, soft or misshapen. Vitamin D prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults -- skeletal diseases that result in defects that weaken bones. This book gathers international research on the leading-edge of the scientific front.

"American Journal of Clinical Nutrition lehden (AJCN) tammikuun 2007 numerossa julkaistussa laajassa kokoomatutkimuksessa kritisoidaan voimakkaasti nykyisiä alhaisia D-vitamiinin saantisuosituksia (1). Lehden tutkimuksessa päivittäinen turvallinen annostus terveille ihmisille nostetaan aivan uudelle tasolle. Tällä hetkellä yleisesti hyväksyttynä turvallisena ylärajana pidetään 50 mikrogrammaa päivässä, tämän seurauksena Suomessakin nostettiin vuonna 2006 päivittäinen saantisuositus 7 mikrogrammasta 10 mikrogrammaan. Tiedeyhteisö on jo pitkään kritisoinut liian alhaisia D-vitamiinisuosituksia. Useimmat D-vitamiini-asiantuntijat ovat sitä mieltä, että 25(OH)D:n veripitoisuus tulisi olla vähintään 80 nmol/l, jotta D-vitamiinista saavutettaisiin optimaalinen hyöty. Viitearvoalue 25(OH)D:lle on Suomessa määritetty 10 - 105 nmol/l (tavoitetaso 40-80 nmol/l). Jotta 97.5 % väestöstä pääsisi 80 nmol/l tasolle tulisi D3-vitamiinin saanti olla vähintään 75 ug (3000 ky)/pv (2)."

Päivän ohjelman vieras, emeritusprofessori Pentti Tuohimaa on tukinut Tampereen yliopistossa D-vitamiinia. Merkittävää on ollut huomata, että kalsidioli, joka on yksi D-vitamiinin muoto, on hormonaalisesti aktiivinen. Se taas merkitsee sitä, että d-vitamiini vaikuttaa ihmisen terveyteen paljon laajemmin, kuin mitä on tähän asti luultu. - D-vitamiinin puutos saattaa lisätä riskiä kaikkiin vanhenemiseen liittyviin kroonisiin sairauksiin, Pentti Tuohimaa sanoi päivän ohjelmassa. Toisaalta myös liian suuret D-vitamiinipitoisuudet lisäävät sairastuvuutta. - D-vitamiinin vaikutus tautiriskeihin on U-kirjaimen muotoinen eli sekä hyvin matalilla että hyvin korkeilla D-vitamiinipitoisuuksilla sairastumisriski lisääntyy, Tuohimaa selitti. - Englantilaisen tutkimuksen mukaan lapsena koetut palamiset auringossa vähentävät riskiä sairastua eturauhassyöpään.

"Älä unohda D-vitamiinia Kalsiumin merkitys luuston hyvinvoinnin kannalta on pureutunut ihmisten mieliin tukevasti, mutta D-vitamiinin tärkeys luustolle on jostain syystä jäänyt vähemmälle huomiolle. Se on luiden haurastumisen ehkäisyn kannalta kuitenkin yhtä ratkaisevan tärkeässä asemassa kuin kalsiumkin. Ihminen saa D-vitamiinia erityisesti auringonvalosta, joka tekee suomalaisista pohjoisen pallonpuoliskon valottomuuden "uhreja". - Suomalaiset eivät saa riittävästi auringonvaloa, minkä takia kärsimme D-vitamiinin puutteesta oikeastaan ympäri vuoden, Tuppurainen kertoo. D-vitamiinin saaminen tulisikin turvata toisin keinoin, esimerkiksi ruokavalion avulla: luustolle korvaamattoman arvokasta vitamiinia saa etenkin kalasta."

"D-vitamiinilla lisää ikävuosia Studio55 saa tänään vieraakseen emeritusprofessori Pentti Tuohimaan, joka saapuu ohjelmaan puhumaan D-vitamiinista. Tuohimaa arvelee, että D-vitamiinin terveydelliset vaikutukset olisi syytä arvioida uudelleen. Siitä voi olla hyötyä jopa kausi-influenssan torjunnassa, mutta suurimmat kansainterveydelliset vaikutukset saataisiin kroonisten vanhuuteen liittyvien sairauksien ehkäisyssä. Nettisivuilla käsitellään laajemmin terveys-aihetta ja puhutaan muun muassa luustosta"

"Retinol-induced Intestinal Tumorigenesis in Min/+ Mice and Importance of Vitamin D Status. Hetland RB, Alexander J, Berg JP, Svendsen C, Paulsen JE. Anticancer Res. 2009 Nov;29(11):4353-60. PMID: 20032378 The effects of life-long dietary exposure, starting in utero, to high retinol, low vitamin D, or high retinol in combination with low vitamin D on intestinal tumorigenesis in Min/+ mice were investigated. In males, high retinol alone significantly increased the number (2.6-fold) and size (1.3-fold) of small intestinal tumours; in females no significant increase in tumour number or size was seen. In both genders, low vitamin D intake alone did not affect intestinal tumorigenesis. In males, intake of the combined high retinol/low vitamin D diet did not further increase the effects caused by high retinol alone. In females, however, the high retinol/low vitamin D-induced increase in tumour number (3.1-fold) and tumour size (1.5-fold) exceeded that of high retinol alone. In conclusion, a high dietary intake of retinol stimulated intestinal tumorigenesis in Min/+ mice. Furthermore, the results indicate a combined effect of high retinol and low vitamin D on tumorigenesis in females"

"Cancer mortality rates and multiple sclerosis prevalence rates for U.S. states compared to UVB doses for July"

Reducing the Burden of Disease Through Adequate Intake of Vitamin D3. A presentation at University of California, San Diego, April 9, 2008 by William B. Grant, Ph.D

"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."

"Vitamiinilisissä kannattaa suosia D3-vitamiinia On ilmeistä, että suomalaiset eivät saa ruoasta ja auringonvalosta riittävästi D-vitamiinia, niinpä onkin turvauduttava D-vitamiinilisiin. Kannattaa huomioida, että D-vitamiineissa on eroja. D2-valmisteet ovat tehottomampia kuin D3-valmisteet. D-vitamiinitason nostaminen kannattaa. Useissa tutkimuksissa on osoitettu, että jo pelkällä D-vitamiinilla pystytään vähentämään murtumia, kun potilaan D-vitamiinitaso saadaan yli 75 nmol/l. Tärkeä syy D-vitamiinin käyttöön on myös se, että D-vitamiinilla voidaan vähentää kaatumisia. D-vitamiinin on todettu parantavan ikäihmisillä lihasvoimaa ja tasapainoa ja sitä kautta vaikuttavan kaatumisriskiä pienentävästi. Erityishuomiota vaativat myös potilaat, joilta on poistettu mahalaukku tai joilla on imeytymishäiriöitä aiheuttava suolistosairaus. Heillä, kuten myös kirroosi- ja keliakiapotilailla, vaste ravinnosta saatuun D-vitamiiniin on muita huonompi. D-vitamiinilisän annosta voidaan joutua heidän kohdallaan nostamaan huomattavasti."