Vitamin D

"Last Wednesday night I gave a lecture to my clients on hunter-gatherer diets. The turnout was great and the information was well-received. I had it professionally video-recorded and will probably offer this as a DVD for sale (with the handout included). Watch for it in the future. Part of what I discussed was vitamin D3 supplementation. Since I have been supplementing with 4,000-10,000 Units of D3 per day I have noted enhanced recovery and size response from my training. Apparently, skeletal muscle has both surface receptors and nuclear receptors for D3 that augment calcium flux during contraction (from surface receptors) and have steroid-like effects at the nuclear level WRT protein synthesis. This D3 supplementation is not really "supplementation" but is instead "augmentation" to levels that would be normal if we got normal sun exposure as we did in our evolutionary past. Check out www.vitamindcouncil.org for more information. Also, check out this abstract below for your consideration. Also, check out this article."

Vitamin D supplementation reduces insulin resistance in South Asian women living in New Zealand who are insulin resistant and vitamin D deficient - a randomised, placebo-controlled trial. von Hurst PR, Stonehouse W, Coad J. Br J Nutr. 2009 Sep 28:1-7. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19781131 In conclusion, improving vitamin D status in insulin resistant women resulted in improved IR and sensitivity, but no change in insulin secretion. Optimal vitamin D concentrations for reducing IR were shown to be 80-119 nmol/l, providing further evidence for an increase in the recommended adequate levels. Registered Trial No. ACTRN12607000642482.

"So why is Dr Vieth so frustrated? You might think he'd have cause for celebration. But for him and other vitamin D researchers around the world, the good news comes with a bitter aftertaste. They believe they can prove vitamin D could help millions live longer and be healthier and yet they have not been able to convince their own governments. In the US and Canada, official vitamin D policy is set by the Institute of Medicine. And in the opinion of Vieth, the current recommendations - 200 International Units per day for people under 50, 400 for people aged 51-70, and 600 for those 71 and older - are outrageously low. Bruce Hollis, professor of paediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina, calls 400 IU a day "a joke". That's because the best research suggests that to achieve the higher vitamin D blood levels associated with disease prevention, most adults in the US would need to take 1,000-2,000 IU a day: five to 10 times more than the current official recommendation for adult In 1999, Reinhold Vieth (pictured right) published a review of vitamin D research in response to the IOM conclusions. In it, he argued that there was no evidence that amounts lower than 20,000 IU a day could be toxic. "Throughout my preparation of this review, I was amazed at the lack of evidence supporting statements about the toxicity of moderate doses of vitamin D," Vieth wrote. Studies have since shown 10,000 IU a day of vitamin D to be safe. While any substance will become toxic in excess, vitamin D researchers today accept that the current vitamin D recommendations could be more than quadrupled with no fear of toxicity.!

Athletic performance and vitamin D. Cannell JJ, Hollis BW, Sorenson MB, Taft TN, Anderson JJ. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009 May;41(5):1102-10. Review. PMID: 19346976 doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181930c2b Conclusions: Vitamin D may improve athletic performance in vitamin D-deficient athletes. Peak athletic performance may occur when 25(OH)D levels approach those obtained by natural, full-body, summer sun exposure, which is at least 50 ng·mL-1. Such 25(OH)D levels may also protect the athlete from several acute and chronic medical conditions.

"Women with fertility problems may benefit from taking vitamin D supplements, research has found. A study has found a link between low levels of Vitamin D and problems with ovulation. The research may offer a simple, cheap and safe option for women to try before resorting to drugs."

"D-vitamiini ja verenpainetauti liittyvät toisiinsa, osoitti suuri amerikkalainen sairaanhoitajien terveysseuranta. Nyt Connecticutin yliopiston professorit William White ja Pooja Luthra aloittavat uuden 3-vuotisen tutkimuksen selvittääkseen D-vitamiinin puutteen merkityksestä verenpainetaudin synnyssä ja hoidossa. "Potilaat eivät useinkaan ymmärrä, että heillä on puutetta D-vitamiinista tai he eivät osaa yhdistää D-vitamiinia muuhun kuin luuston sairauksiin", sanoo sisätautiopin professori William B. White. "

"Under year round UV exposure conditions (low latitudes, broken line, "High UV") there is no association between 25(OH)D and either prostate or pancreatic cancer. At high latitudes (Solid line, "Low UV") there is a positive association between blood levels of 25(OH)D and these cancers. The average year round levels of 25(OH)D actually tend to be higher in northern latitudes, higher than those where there is year-round solar UVB. Vieth explains that we know almost nothing about the enzymes controlling tissue 1,25(OH)2D levels and much of his discussion is extrapolated from renal enzyme activity."

How to optimize vitamin D supplementation to prevent cancer, based on cellular adaptation and hydroxylase enzymology. Vieth R. Anticancer Res. 2009 Sep;29(9):3675-84. Review. PMID: 19667164

ScienceDaily (Dec. 5, 2009) - A new study has found that the amount of vitamin D in patients being treated for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was strongly associated with cancer progression and overall survival. The results will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in New Orleans. Also, several recent reports have concluded that vitamin D deficiency is associated with poor outcomes in other cancers, including breast, colon and head and neck cancer. This is the first study to look at lymphoma outcome

Benefit-risk assessment of vitamin D supplementation. Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Shao A, Dawson-Hughes B, Hathcock J, Giovannucci E, Willett WC. Osteoporos Int. 2009 Dec 3. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19957164 Conclusion Our analysis suggests that mean serum 25(OH)D levels of about 75 to 110 nmol/l provide optimal benefits for all investigated endpoints without increasing health risks. These levels can be best obtained with oral doses in the range of 1,800 to 4,000 IU vitamin D per day; further work is needed, including subject and environment factors, to better define the doses that will achieve optimal blood levels in the large majority of the population.

"THURSDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- New research points to the possibility of a genetic link between vitamin D and heart disease. People with high blood pressure who had a gene variant that reduces vitamin D activation in the body were found to be twice as likely as those without the variant to have congestive heart failure, the study found. The finding may lead to a way to identify people at increased risk for heart disease, according to Robert U. Simpson, an assistant professor of pharmacology at the University of Michigan Medical School and his research colleagues. They analyzed the genetic profiles of 617 people. One-third had hypertension, one-third had hypertension and congestive heart failure, and the remaining third served as healthy controls. The researchers found that a variant in the CYP27B1 gene was associated with congestive heart failure in people with hypertension. The study is in the November issue of Pharmacogenomics."

"Pohjolan kitsas aurinko tarjoaa D-vitamiinia seuraavan kerran maaliskuussa. Talvella luustovitamiinit pitää tankata ruoasta tai purkista. Kala on D-vitamiininlähteistä parhaita. D on se aurinkovitamiini, jota jokainen muistaa lapsena napsineensa - onnekkaimmat Vitol-helmien tai peräti suklaan muodossa, karskimpien perheiden kasvatit kalanmaksaöljynä. Ilman D-vitamiinia ihmisen elimistö ei kykene käyttämään hyväkseen ruoasta tulevaa kalsiumia, ja se näkyy luustossa. Riisitauti on puutostautien klassikko, jota tavataan meillä yhä. Joka vuosi siihen sairastuu muutama pikkulapsi, jolle ei ole annettu D-vitamiinilisää. D-vitamiinin puute pehmentää aikuistenkin luustoa, mutta silloin taudin nimi on osteomalasia. D:n puutteen katsotaan olevan myös yksi osteoporoosin riskitekijöistä. - D-vitamiinin vajaus ei tunnu olossa eikä näy päälle, ennen kuin luut tosiaan alkavat pehmentyä. Omaa vitamiinitilannettaan kannattaa miettiä, jos ei syö lainkaan kalaa ja käyttää vain vähän D-vitaminoituja maitovalmisteita, toteaa dosentti Christel Lamberg-Allardt Helsingin yliopistosta."

Low vitamin D status, high bone turnover, and bone fractures in centenarians. Passeri G, Pini G, Troiano L, Vescovini R, Sansoni P, Passeri M, Gueresi P, Delsignore R, Pedrazzoni M, Franceschi C. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Nov;88(11):5109-15. PMID: 14602735 We conclude that the extreme decades of life are characterized by a pathophysiological sequence of events linking vitamin D deficiency, low serum calcium, and secondary hyperparathyroidism with an increase in bone resorption and severe osteopenia. These data offer a rationale for the possible prevention of elevated bone turnover, bone loss, and consequently the reduction of osteoporotic fractures and fracture-induced disability in the oldest olds through the supplementation with calcium and vitamin D.

Vitamin D, nutritional deficiency, and the medical paradigm. Heaney RP. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003 Nov;88(11):5107-8. Review. No abstract available. PMID: 14602734

Diagnosis and treatment of vitamin D deficiency. Cannell JJ, Hollis BW, Zasloff M, Heaney RP. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2008 Jan;9(1):107-18. PMID: 18076342 The recent discovery - in a randomised, controlled trial - that daily ingestion of 1100 IU of colecalciferol (vitamin D) over a 4-year period dramatically reduced the incidence of non-skin cancers makes it difficult to overstate the potential medical, social and economic implications of treating vitamin D deficiency. Not only are such deficiencies common, probably the rule, vitamin D deficiency stands implicated in a host of diseases other than cancer. The metabolic product of vitamin D is a potent, pleiotropic, repair and maintenance, secosteroid hormone that targets > 200 human genes in a wide variety of tissues, meaning it has as many mechanisms of action as genes it targets. A common misconception is that government agencies designed present intake recommendations to prevent or treat vitamin D deficiency. They did not. Instead, they are guidelines to prevent particular metabolic bone diseases. Official recommendations were never designed and are not effective in preventing or treating vitamin D deficiency and in no way limit the freedom of the physician - or responsibility - to do so. At this time, assessing serum 25-hydroxy-vitamin D is the only way to make the diagnosis and to assure that treatment is adequate and safe. The authors believe that treatment should be sufficient to maintain levels found in humans living naturally in a sun-rich environment, that is, > 40 ng/ml, year around. Three treatment modalities exist: sunlight, artificial ultraviolet B radiation or supplementation. All treatment modalities have their potential risks and benefits. Benefits of all treatment modalities outweigh potential risks and greatly outweigh the risk of no treatment. As a prolonged 'vitamin D winter', centred on the winter solstice, occurs at many temperate latitudes, ≤ 5000 IU (125 μg) of vitamin D/d

"Pohjoisen ihmisen iho muuttui valkoiseksi, jotta voisimme hyödyntää niukan auringon. Pohjoisella pallonpuoliskolla on kuitenkin sairauksia, jotka voivat johtua D-vitamiinin puutteesta Hermostovaikutuksia Myös kaikilla niin sanotuilla autoimmuunisairauksilla uskotaan olevan yhteys D-vitamiinin kanssa. Niissähän elimistön immunologia häiriintyy ja elimistö hyökkää omia kudoksiaan vastaan. Allergiat ja astma lienevät näistä tunnetuimpia ja yhä lisääntyviä. D-vitamiini lamaa tulehdusta aiheuttavia sytokiineja ja vahvistaa tulehdusta vastustavia sytokiineja. Reuma on yksi tällä hetkellä vilkkaasti tutkituista "pohjoisista" taudeista ja jotkut reumalääkärit ovat ehdottaneet D-vitamiinisuositusten roimaa korotusta. Nivelrikon kipuihinkin D-vitamiinin arvellaan auttavan. - Ei ole ihme, että keskushermosto on D-vitamiinin tärkeä kohde-elin. Keskushermosto on kehittynyt samasta alusta kuin iho, sanoo Pentti Tuohimaa. MS-taudissa on selvää näyttöä, että D-vitamiinin vajaus voi olla riski. Sairautta ei esiinny päiväntasaajalla, eikä sitä esiinny korkeilla Alpeilla, vaikka samassa väestössä laaksoissa sairautta löytyy. Australialaisen tutkimuksen mukaan MS-taudin esiintyvyys on kääntäen verrannollinen lapsuudessa etenkin talviaikaan saadun auringon määrään. Sen suurin esiintyvyys maailmassa on tällä hetkellä Pohjanmaalla. D-vitamiinihoidoilla on saatu kohtauksia vähenemään. Pahimmillaan tauti johtaa halvaantumiseen."

Concentrations of vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in raw and cooked New Zealand beef and lamb. Roger Purchas, Maggie Zoua, Philip Pearcea and Felicity Jackson- Journal of Food Composition and Analysis Volume 20, Issue 2, March 2007, Pages 90-98 For lamb, the highest levels of vitamin D3 were in the shoulder chop both before and after cooking, while levels were lowest in the rack muscle. Similar cut differences were shown for 25OHD3 concentrations. For beef there were no significant differences between the cuts for vitamin D3, but concentrations of 25OHD3 were lower in the striploin before and after cooking, Vitamin D3 levels tended to be higher in beef cuts than in lamb cuts, but the opposite held for 25OHD3. Concentrations of vitamin D3 were similar to those in other reports, but the 25OHD3 levels were at the high end of reported ranges. With 25OHD3 being more potent than vitamin D3, it is concluded that meat can make a useful contribution of this vitamin to the human diet.

Vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in raw and cooked pork cuts. Ina Clausen, Jette Jakobsen, Torben Leth and Lars Ovesen. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis Volume 16, Issue 5, October 2003, Pages 575-585 doi:10.1016/S0889-1575(03)00064-4 Meat 25OHD3 contributes significantly to vitamin D activity. Food databases should include concentrations of both vitamin D and 25OHD.

Vitamin D supplementation during the first year of life and risk of schizophrenia: a Finnish birth cohort study. McGrath J, Saari K, Hakko H, Jokelainen J, Jones P, Järvelin MR, Chant D, Isohanni M. Schizophr Res. 2004 Apr 1;67(2-3):237-45. PMID: 14984883 Conclusion: Vitamin D supplementation during the first year of life is associated with a reduced risk of schizophrenia in males. Preventing hypovitaminosis D during early life may reduce the incidence of schizophrenia.

"Äidin D-vitamiinin puute raskauden aikana heikentää lapsen luontaisen immuunivasteen kehittymistä ja voi altistaa syntyvän lapsen muun muassa autoimmuunitaudeille, kuten ykköstyypin diabetekselle. Raskaana olevien ja hedelmällisessä iässä olevien naisten tulisikin kiinnittää erityistä huomiota D-vitamiinin riittävään saantiin, suomalaisasiantuntijat muistuttavat. Valtion ravitsemusneuvottelukunnan D-vitamiinityöryhmän puheenjohtaja ja ravitsemustieteiden dosentti Christel Lamberg-Allardt Helsingin yliopistosta sanoo, että D-vitamiinilla näyttää olevan vaikutusta sekä aikuisiässä hankitun että synnynnäisen immuunivasteen muodostumiseen. - Tutkimusten valossa kaikkien hedelmällisessä iässä olevien naisten olisi hyvä kiinnittää erityistä huomiota riittävään D-vitamiinin saantiin jo raskautta suunniteltaessa, jotta äidin elimistön D-vitamiinipitoisuus olisi riittävä sikiön immuunivasteen kehittymiselle, Lamberg-Allardt toteaa. "