Vitamin D

Vitamin D and aging. Tuohimaa P. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2009 Mar;114(1-2):78-84. Review. PMID: 19444937

Induction of ovarian cancer cell apoptosis by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 through the down-regulation of telomerase. Jiang F, Bao J, Li P, Nicosia SV, Bai W. J Biol Chem. 2004 Dec 17;279(51):53213-21. Epub 2004 Oct 12. PMID: 15485861 doi: 10.1074/jbc.M410395200 Overall, the study suggests that the down-regulation of telomerase activity by 1,25(OH)2VD3 and the resulting cell death are important components of the response of OCa cells to 1,25(OH)2VD3-induced growth suppression. Progressive shortening of telomere associated with cell divisions limits the life span of normal cells and eventually leads to senescence. To become immortal, human cancers including OCa are invariably associated with activation of mechanism that maintains telomere length. Approximately 85-90% of cancers show reactivation of telomerase. The present study shows that telomerase in OCa cells is down-regulated by 1,25(OH)2VD3. Down-regulation of telomerase is due to decreased stability of hTERT mRNA rather than VDRE-mediated transcriptional repression through the putative VDRE present in the regulatory region of the hTERT gene. It is known that the inhibition of telomerase may lead to a phenotypic lag during which cells would continue to divide until the point at which the telomeres became critically short. This phenomenon may explain why the apoptotic induction by 1,25(OH)2VD3 needs the treatment for more than 6 days. As mentioned in the results, no detectable shortening of telomeric repeats was observed in parental OVCAR3 cells after 9 days of treatment with 1,25(OH)2VD3 (Fig. 4D). This is likely due to the fact that the short telomere (about 3 kb) in OVCAR3 cells is very close to the minimal length required for survival and that cells with detectably shorter telomere may have been selected against apoptosis. It has been shown that transformed human cells enter crisis once the terminal restriction fragment of the telomere reaches a length of about 4 kb. This is insufficient to protect chro

A vitamin D nutritional cornucopia: new insights concerning the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status of the US population. Norman AW. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Dec;88(6):1455-6. PMID: 19064502 doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.27049 In summary, the report of Looker et al should be required reading for all nutritionists, clinicians, and vitamin D aficionados who are decision makers with regard to 25(OH)D assays, vitamin D nutritional policy, and the care of patients with vitamin D-related diseases.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status of the US population: 1988-1994 compared with 2000-2004. Looker AC, Pfeiffer CM, Lacher DA, Schleicher RL, Picciano MF, Yetley EA. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Dec;88(6):1519-27. PMID: 19064511 doi:10.3945/ajcn.2008.26182 Conclusions: Overall, mean serum 25(OH)D was lower in 2000-2004 than 1988-1994. Assay changes unrelated to changes in vitamin D status accounted for much of the difference in most population groups. In an adult subgroup, combined changes in BMI, milk intake, and sun protection appeared to contribute to a real decline in vitamin D status. In summary, age-standardized mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations based on observed values were significantly lower in 2000-2004 than in 1988-1994 in all groups examined. Adjustment for assay changes noticeably reduced the difference between surveys. However, mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations remained significantly lower in males (except Mexican Americans) in NHANES 2000-2004 than in NHANES III, even after adjustment for assay differences. This remaining difference likely represents a real decline in vitamin D status. Changes in BMI, milk intake, and sun protection appeared to contribute to this decline in a subgroup of non-Hispanic white adults. The possibility that trends in overweight, sun protection, and milk intake may continue supports the need to continue monitoring the serum 25(OH)D status of the population

The effect of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 on intestinal calcium absorption in Nigerian children with rickets. Thacher TD, Obadofin MO, O'Brien KO, Abrams SA. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Sep;94(9):3314-21. Epub 2009 Jun 30. PMID: 19567516 Conclusions: Despite similar increases in 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D with vitamin D2 or vitamin D3, fractional calcium absorption did not increase, indicating that rickets in Nigerian children is not primarily due to vitamin D-deficient calcium malabsorption

"Olmesartan (trade names Benicar, Olmetec) is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist used to treat high blood pressure. The prodrug olmesartan medoxomil is marketed worldwide by Daiichi Sankyo, Ltd. and in the United States by Daiichi Sankyo, Inc. and in India by Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. under the trade name Olvance. Olmesartan may possess high affinity for the Vitamin D Receptor, based on molecular modeling studies[2], but these results have not been duplicated in clinical trials. Because of the role of the Vitamin D receptor in innate immunity[3], this would indicate that olmesartan has immune modulatory properties. This theory is currently the premise underlying the Marshall Protocol, which uses olmesartan to impose a chemical blockade on 1,25 Vitamin D as part of a treatment of sarcoidosis and other diseases. The Marshall Protocol asserts that, assuming the etiology of these diseases is based on infection by cell-wall-deficient bacteria, restoring proper Vitamin D ratios via olmesartan dosing, combined with pulsed antibiotic dosing, would result in a cure.!

"D-vitamiinin saantisuositus moninkertaistettava Kansainvälinen paine D-vitamiinin saantisuosituksen korottamiseksi kasvaa. Suomessa viranomaissuositus aikuisille on 7,5 mikrogrammaa. Kalifornian yliopiston 18-henkinen tiedemiesryhmä vaatii suosituksen nostamista 2000 kansainväliseen yksikköön eli 50 mikrogrammaan. Suiomessa Pekka Puska haraa vastaan. Tohtori Anthony W. Norman ja hänen tiedemiesryhmänsä kutsuvat maailman muita tutkijoita toimiin ("call to action") aikuisten ihmisten D-vitamiinin saantisuosituksen nostamiseksi 50 mikrogrammaan päivässä. Normanin laatima pääkirjoitus D-vitamiinista julkaistiin joulukuun American Journal of Nutritionissa (linkki lopussa). "Päättäjien on syytä perehtyä tieteellisiin tutkimuksiin, jotka puoltavat suosituksen nostamista", sanoo tiedemiesryhmä. Se suosittelee elintarvikkeiden rikastamista D-vitamiinilla ja D-vitamiinin käyttöä ravintolisänä. Yhdysvalloissa viranomaissuositus on alle 50-vuotiaille aikuisille 5 µg, 51-70 -vuotiaille 10 µg ja yli 70-vuotiaille 15 µg. Suomessa suositus on 7,5 µg alle 60-vuotiaille ja 10 µg sitä vanhemmille. "Amerikkalaiset tiedemiehet allekirjoittivat lausunnon, jonka mukaan aikuisen [amerikkalaisen] ihmisen D3-vitamiinin tarve on 2000 kansainvälistä yksikköä [eli 50 mikrogrammaa] vuorokaudessa", sanoo Norman. "Suositeltu annos on täysin turvallinen", hän korostaa ja viittaa Yhdysvaltain tiedeakatemian (National Academy of Sciences) lausuntoon."

"Tiedämme, että auringon puute aiheuttaa myös D-vitamiinin puutoksen. Englantilainen lääkäri David Grimes väittää Aftonbladetin mukaan, että D-vitamiinin puute voi aiheuttaa myös sydäntauteja. - Sydäntautien riskiä eivät lisää epäterveelliset ruokavaliot tai korkea kolesteroli, vaan asuinpaikka, Grimes sanoo. Grimes on pakertanut 20 vuoden ajan tutkimuksensa parissa. Nyt siitä on tehty kirja. Siinä tohtori Grimes väittää, että mitä korkeampi D-vitamiinipitoisuus veressä on, sitä pienempi on sydäntautien riski."

"Let's shine some sunlight on these knowledge deficiencies: * Serum vitamin D levels have been dropping (as chronic inflammation has been increasing) over the last three decades -- has something changed in our diets? * Vitamin D deficiencies occur globally (not restricted to Northern latitudes or winter) -- related to diet? * Women are more vulnerable, because of cultural modesty in some countries, but males are still D-deficient. * A subset of people exposed to ample sunshine are still D-deficient. * Vitamin D deficient individuals also have elevated TNF. * Vitamin D deficiency and inflammation are risk factors in the same diseases. It seems that the simplest conclusion is that chronic inflammation leads to vitamin D deficiency, even though vitamin D deficiency may also contribute to inflammation."

Is a lower dose of vitamin D supplementation enough to increase 25(OH)D status in a sunny country? Pignotti GA, Genaro PS, Pinheiro MM, Szejnfeld VL, Martini LA. Eur J Nutr. 2009 Nov 28. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19946776 CONCLUSION: The dose given (400 IU/day) was not enough to achieve 25(OH)D concentration, considered optimal for bone health.

"For more than 80 years, scientists have known that vitamin D is important for building bones. And for most of those 80 years, people thought this was the only thing it was good for. In the past decade, however, we've learned two important things about vitamin D: it appears to have many other important health effects, and many Americans don't get enough of it. In 2008, new research pointed to a vitamin D deficiency as a possible contributing factor in heart disease. And the suspected link between vitamin D deficiency and cancer grew even stronger. This surely will spur much new research in 2009. Why is vitamin D deficiency so common? The vitamin is made in our skin when sunlight strikes it. Many Americans-especially those who live in the northern part of the country, are elderly or have dark skin-don't soak up enough sun. And the vitamin isn't found in many foods. The main sources are fatty fish (such as salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines) and milk, cereal and juices that have been fortified with it. Vitamin D deficiency often is unsuspected because it causes no direct symptoms; like high blood pressure, it does its damage silently."

Vitamin D replacement in Asians with diabetes may increase insulin resistance. Taylor AV, Wise PH. Postgrad Med J. 1998 Jun;74(872):365-6. PMID: 9799895 We report three cases of vitamin D replacement in British Asians with vitamin D deficiency and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In all cases, replacement resulted in an increase in insulin resistance and a deterioration of glycaemic control

Association of vitamin D deficiency with cognitive impairment in older women. Cross-sectional study. Annweiler C, Schott AM, Allali G, Bridenbaugh SA, Kressig RW, Allain P, Herrmann FR, Beauchet O. Neurology. 2009 Sep 30. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19794127 doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181beecd3 Conclusions: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D deficiency was associated with cognitive impairment in this cohort of community-dwelling older women.

Vitamin D and depressive symptoms in women during the winter: a pilot study. Shipowick CD, Moore CB, Corbett C, Bindler R. Appl Nurs Res. 2009 Aug;22(3):221-5. PMID: 19616172 doi:10.1016/j.apnr.2007.08.001 ESULTS: Vitamin D supplementation was associated not only with an increase in the serum D levels by an average of 27 ng/ml but also with a decline in the BDI-II scores of an average of 10 points. DISCUSSION: This study suggests that supplemental vitamin D3 reduces depressive symptoms.

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.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with worse cognitive performance and lower bone density in older African Americans. Wilkins CH, Birge SJ, Sheline YI, Morris JC. J Natl Med Assoc. 2009 Apr;101(4):349-54. PMID: 19397226 CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency in older African Americans was associated with worse cognitive performance and lower BMD of the hip

Correlation of symptoms with vitamin D deficiency and symptom response to cholecalciferol treatment: a randomized controlled trial. Arvold DS, Odean MJ, Dornfeld MP, Regal RR, Arvold JG, Karwoski GC, Mast DJ, Sanford PB, Sjoberg RJ. Endocr Pract. 2009 May-Jun;15(3):203-12. PMID: 19364687 Conclusions: Compared with participants in the placebo group, patients in the treatment group showed mild short-term improvement in the overall fibromyalgia impact score, but did not show significant improvement in most musculoskeletal symptoms or in activities of daily living.

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.

Effects of vitamin D supplementation on symptoms of depression in overweight and obese subjects: randomized double blind trial. Jorde R, Sneve M, Figenschau Y, Svartberg J, Waterloo K. J Intern Med. 2008 Dec;264(6):599-609. Epub 2008 Sep 10. PMID: 18793245 Conclusions. It appears to be a relation between serum levels of 25(OH)D and symptoms of depression. Supplementation with high doses of vitamin D seems to ameliorate these symptoms indicating a possible causal relationship.

Vitamin D and mood disorders among women: an integrative review. Murphy PK, Wagner CL. J Midwifery Womens Health. 2008 Sep-Oct;53(5):440-6. Review. PMID: 18761297 Four of six studies reviewed imparted significant results, with all four showing an association between low 25(OH)D levels and higher incidences of four mood disorders: premenstrual syndrome, seasonal affective disorder, non-specified mood disorder, and major depressive disorder. This review indicates a possible biochemical mechanism occurring between vitamin D and mood disorders affecting women, warranting further studies of these variables using rigorous methodologies.