Serum levels of free 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D in vitamin D toxicity.
Pettifor JM, Bikle DD, Cavaleros M, Zachen D, Kamdar MC, Ross FP.
Ann Intern Med. 1995 Apr 1;122(7):511-3.
PMID: 7872586
CONCLUSIONS: Although the patients had normal or near-normal total 1,25-(OH)2D values, most patients had elevated free 1,25-(OH)2D levels. These findings suggest that elevated free 1,25-(OH)2D levels might play a role in the pathogenesis of hypercalcemia in vitamin D toxicity.
A recent Wall Street Journal article "Defending Against Disease -- With Vitamin D New Studies Suggest It Isn't Just Bones That Might Benefit" by the wonderful Melinda Beck highlights benefits of Vitamin D3. In TYP, we've known the benefits for years :) but it's nice to see the rest of the world catching up.
The benefits of Vitamin D3 are potent, powerful immunomodulation -- to the point where autoimmune diseases, viral and bacterial infections and cancer are effectively reduced. What is the value for heart disease and diabetes prevention? In hemodialysis patients, great lessons are can be learned. Nephrologists often describe patients with severe (stage 5) chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients on hemodialysis as having 'hearts of stone, blood vessels of glass.' Unfortunately over 70% of chronic hemodialysis patients have coronary artery disease (and Lp(a)). What medical science shows is that Agatston coronary calcification scores can be dramatically reduced when vitamin D is replenished and calcium is restricted. Sevelamer (Renagel) is a calcium-free, metal-free polymer phosphate binder. In 52-weeks, calcium restriction, a phosphate-binder and vitamin D resulted in one individual in a 21% reduction in Agatston CAC score (from 968 to 756; see Figure 2).
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
Estimation of the dietary requirement for vitamin D in free-living adults >=64 y of age.
Cashman KD, Wallace JM, Horigan G, Hill TR, Barnes MS, Lucey AJ, Bonham MP, Taylor N, Duffy EM, Seamans K, Muldowney S, Fitzgerald AP, Flynn A, Strain JJ, Kiely M.
Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 May;89(5):1366-74. Epub 2009 Mar 18.
PMID: 19297462
doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.27334
Conclusion: To ensure that the vitamin D requirement is met by the vast majority (>97.5%) of adults aged ≥64 y during winter, between 7.9 and 42.8 µg vitamin D/d is required, depending on summer sun exposure and the threshold of adequacy of 25(OH)D. .
The importance of supplementation is the part of the healthy and active life. Hence, you need to understand for consuming it with your diet, so that you can eventually live a better and disease free life.
van der Wielen RP, Lowik MR, van den BH, de Groot LC, Haller J, Moreiras O, van Staveren WA (1995)
Serum vitamin D concentrations among elderly people in Europe.
Lancet 346: 207-210
These findings show that free-living elderly Europeans, regardless of geographical location, are at substantial risk of inadequate vitamin D status during winter and that dietary enrichment or supplementation with vitamin D should be seriously considered during this season.
Does having enough sunlight and vitamin D give us more power to tolerate gluten and not develop damaging self-destructive auto-antibodies? It's unlikely we'll know in any good RCT (randomized controlled trials). No drug company will put up lettuce $$ to determine that good ol' cheap FREE UVB unblocked-sunshine is going to trump their $2-3/day drug (or super-sized vitamin D analogue) in a head-to-head trial. That's just absurd. And they're not stupid... because they pay staticians a lot of lettuce to figure that out for them.
Improved cholecalciferol nutrition in rats is noncalcemic, suppresses parathyroid hormone and increases responsiveness to 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol.
Vieth R, Milojevic S, Peltekova V.
J Nutr. 2000 Mar;130(3):578-84.
PMID: 10702588
We conclude suppression of 1,25(OH)(2)D and PTH, and higher renal VDR mRNA and 24-hydroxylase did not involve higher free 1,25(OH)(2)D concentration or a first pass effect at the gut. Thus, 25(OH)D or a metabolite other than 1,25(OH)(2)D is a physiological, transcriptionally and biochemically active, noncalcemic vitamin D metabolite.
When viewed from a perspective that starts with higher vitamin D nutrition, the results indicate that low vitamin D nutrition may bring about a form of resistance to 1,25(OH)2D. This situation would explain why, in humans, nutritional rickets and osteomalacia are commonly associated with normal or increased levels of 1,25(OH)2D (Chesney et al. 1981Citation , Eastwood et al. 1979Citation , Garabedian et al. 1983Citation ,Rasmussen et al. 1980Citation )-these are not like the low hormone levels associated with any other endocrine-deficiency disorder. A connection between lower vitamin D nutrition and vitamin D resistance helps to explain why the supposedly inactive compound 25(OH)D is more relevant in diagnosing nutritional rickets than is the active hormone 1,25(OH)2D.
If the features of improved vitamin D nutrition shown here were demonstrated for any newly synthesized compound, the compound would be classified as a noncalcemic 1,25(OH)2D analogue (Brown et al. 1989Citation , Finch et al. 1999Citation , Goff et al. 1993Citation , Koshizuka et al. 1999Citation ). Thus, we contend that 25(OH)D or a metabolite of it other than 1,25(OH)2D exists as a physiological and biologically-active noncalcemic vitamin D metabolite whose effects require further examination, particularly in relationship to studies involving the synthetic analogs of 1,25(OH)2D.
Vitamin d and its role in cancer and immunity: a prescription for sunlight.
Mullin GE, Dobs A.
Nutr Clin Pract. 2007 Jun;22(3):305-22. Review.
PMID: 17507731
(free full text PDF available)
"Women from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka with insulin resistance showed marked improvement after taking vitamin D supplements, says a study.
Von Hurst, nutrition lecturer at the Institute of Food, Nutrition and Human Health at Albany, conducted the study for her doctoral thesis.
Insulin resistance is largely symptom-free and sufferers are unaware of their condition. 'Once it has fully developed into type-2 diabetes, it can be treated, but not cured,' says Von Hurst.
Von Hurst says that while diet and exercise play a major part in the onset of type-2 diabetes, her findings reinforce the importance of vitamin D from the sun and supplements to prevent type-2 diabetes. She also found evidence of vitamin D increasing bone strength in older women.
"
Matsuoka, L. Y., Wortsman, J., Hanifan, N. & Holick, M. F. (1988)
Chronic sunscreen use decreases circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D: a preliminary study.
Arch. Dermatol. 124:1802-1804
Vitamin D is associated with improved survival in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients.
Zhou W, Suk R, Liu G, Park S, Neuberg DS, Wain JC, Lynch TJ, Giovannucci E, Christiani DC.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Oct;14(10):2303-9.
PMID: 16214909
In conclusion, the joint effects of surgery season and recent vitamin D intake seem to be associated with the survival of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients.
In summary, for early-stage NSCLC patients, patients who had surgery in summer with "high" recent vitamin D intake have a statistically significantly improved RFS and OS than patients who had surgery in winter with "low" vitamin D intake. These results should be confirmed in a prospective study to assess the serum vitamin D levels at time of surgery. If the results are confirmed, our results, combined with findings in other studies, suggest that dietary vitamin D supplementation may be advisable for early stages of lung cancer patients, particularly during the winter season and in groups that tend to be deficient in vitamin D.
The calcitriol receptor, also known as the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and also known as NR1I1 (nuclear receptor subfamily 1, group I, member 1), is a member of the nuclear receptor family of transcription factors.[1] Upon activation by vitamin D, the VDR forms a heterodimer with the retinoid-X receptor and binds to hormone response elements on DNA resulting in expression or transrepression of specific geneproducts. In humans, the vitamin D receptor is encoded by the VDR gene.[2]
Vitamin D: a D-Lightful health perspective.
Holick MF.
Nutr Rev. 2008 Oct;66(10 Suppl 2):S182-94. Review.
PMID: 18844847
DOI: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00104.x
Sunlight provides most humans with their vitamin D requirement. Adequate vitamin D(3) by synthesis in the skin or from dietary and supplemental sources is essential for bone health throughout life. Vitamin D deficiency is defined as a 25(OH)D concentration 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L), and insufficiency as 21-29 ng/mL. Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency has been linked to a wide variety of chronic diseases including common cancers, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases. Healthcare professionals need to be aware of the vitamin D deficiency pandemic. Guidelines for sensible sun exposure and supplemental vitamin D of 800-1000 IU/day are needed.
Vitamin D is associated with improved survival in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients.
Zhou W, Suk R, Liu G, Park S, Neuberg DS, Wain JC, Lynch TJ, Giovannucci E, Christiani DC.
Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Oct;14(10):2303-9.
PMID: 16214909
In conclusion, the joint effects of surgery season and recent vitamin D intake seem to be associated with the survival of early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients.
Investigating the links between muscle strength, sun exposure, dietary vitamin D intake and the vitamin D status of ambulatory older adults in South East Queensland
Borradale, David (2008)
QUT Thesis]
Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble prohormones, the two major forms of which are vitamin D2 (or ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (or cholecalciferol).[1] The term vitamin D also refers to metabolites and other analogues of these substances. Vitamin D3 is produced in skin exposed to sunlight, specifically ultraviolet B radiation.\nVitamin D plays an important role in the maintenance of organ systems
Hypovitaminosis D in an Italian population of healthy subjects and hospitalized patients.
Romagnoli E, Caravella P, Scarnecchia L, Martinez P, Minisola S.
Br J Nutr. 1999 Feb;81(2):133-7.
PMID: 10450331
The results of the present study emphasize the importance of 25-hydroxyvitamin D measurement, and the need to increase vitamin D intake in Italy; foodstuff fortification and supplement use must be considered in order to prevent negative effects of vitamin D deficiency on skeletal integrity.
All hospitalized patients, both in summer and in winter,
are characterized by the highest prevalence of hypovitaminosis
D, especially the older patients. Medical
inpatients may be at risk for vitamin D deficiency,