Posts Tagged ‘vitamin D’
Wednesday, October 12th, 2011
A new study from Germany to be published in the scientific journal Diabetes Care concluded that the Vitamin D status of individuals is inversely related to type 2 diabetes risk and the association may be partially related to sub-clinical inflammation. Thus, those with a good level of vitamin D have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those with lower levels. The researchers used a cohort design in which 416 cases of type 2 diabetes and 1,267 controls without the disease were selected from a population of 7,936 middle-aged people in a population based group in the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA) study. The study evaluated chronic disease especially cardiovascular disease and diabetes by assessing the influence of environmental factors, behavior and genes on human health. Some factors studied iwere lifestyle factors including smoking, diet, and exercise, environmental factors included air pollution and noise, and genetics.
Researchers found a significant inverse association between serum 25-OHD and the incidence of type 2 diabetes after adjusting for diabetes risk factors and season. More research is planned.
Tags: research, Type 2 diabetes, vitamin D
Posted in diabetes, research, Vitamin and Minerals | No Comments »
Sunday, September 18th, 2011
Yesterday on the Holistic Health Show Dr Carl O Helvie, Host, Holistic Health Show interviewed Dr Michael T Smith (above left) and Ron Brown.
Dr Smith is a naturopathic physician who specializes in homeopathy and nutrition for conditions including diabetes. He practices at the Carolinas Natural Health Center in Matthews, North Carolina. More information was presented earlier on this site or can be found at: www.CarolinasNaturalHealth.Com
Ron Brown is a retired hotel night auditor who cared for his wife when she was diagnosed with diabetes. More information was presented earlier on this site and can be found at: www.webeardiabetes.com
Enjoy the interview below:
Tags: alpholic acid, blood sugar support, diabetes, diabetic reversal, Dr Carl O Helvie, Dr Michael T. Smith, exercise, fish oil, Juice Plus, Naturopathic Physician, neuropathy, normalize blood sugar, PLORB diet, poor compliance, Pritikin diet, Ron Brown, sick care, supplements, vitamin D
Posted in diabetes, natural products, naturopathic medicine, Podcast | 1 Comment »
Friday, August 26th, 2011
A new study reported online in the Archives of Dermatology concluded that as individual’s vitamin D level increases their risk for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) also seems to increase but factors such as untraviolet (UV) radiation exposure may complicate this relationship. The study was carried out among 3,223 white subjects in a health maintenance organization (HMO) with a high probability of developing NMSC, Between January 1997 and December 2001, subjects were assessed for levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (an indication of vitamin D levels), and parathyroid hormones, creatinine and calcium levels. Over 2/3 of the participants (n=2,257) seemed to have insufficient levels of vitamin D and the diagnoses of NMSC were made in 240 individuals including 49 with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 163 individuals with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and 28 individuals with both (all forms of NMSC). Individuals who were not deficient in vitamin D seemed to have an increase risk of developing NMSC and although this relationship was positive it was not statistically significant for tumors developing on body parts routinely exposed to UV radiation suh as arms and legs. More research is needed in this area of study.
Tags: NMSC, research, skin cancer, UV radiation, vitamin D
Posted in Cancer, research | No Comments »
Friday, March 25th, 2011
Recent research in Clinical Cancer Research reports finding an enzyme that plays a role in vitamin D metabolism and can predict lung cancer survival. Comparing the enzyme in subjects with lung adenocarcinoma with those with normal lungs the levels of the enzyme, CYP24A1, was as much as 50 times higher in the lung cancer patients. In addition, the higher the levels of the enzyme, the more likely the tumors were aggressive.
In their sample, about one third of the lung cancer patients had high levels of the enzyme and after 5 years this group had about half the survival rate as the subjects with low levels of the enzyme.
They found that the enzyme, CYP24A1. interacts with calcitrol, the active form of vitamin D, by breaking down calcitrol that has an active role in cancer protection when the enzyme is kept in check, but when levels of the enzyme climbs, it hinders the positive anticancer effect of vitamin D.
Because half of all lung cancers recur following surgery researchers are interested in finding ways to prevent or delay this recurrence. Finding drugs to block the action of the enzyme might allow the positive anticancer effect of the vitamin D to prevent recurrence.
More information is available at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110301111656.htm
Tags: anti-cancer effect, enzyme, lung cancer, research, vitamin D
Posted in Cancer, lung cancer, research | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 9th, 2011
Research published in the Journal Anticancer Research on February 21 concluded that markedly increasing the intake of vitamin D is necessary to reach blood levels that will prevent or cut the incidence of breast cancer and other major diseases. Although the levels identified from the research (4,000-8,000 IU daily) is considerably higher than those traditionally recommended by physicians they are within a range considered safe for daily use by the National Academy of Science Institute of Medicine in a December, 2010 report.
This research was based upon a survey of several thousand volunteers who were taking between 1000 and 10,000 IU of vitamin D daily. Blood samples were studied to determine the circulating level of 25-vitamin D that is the form in which most vitamin D circulates in the blood.
The researchers found that ” the daily intake of vitamin D by adults in the range of 4,000-8,000 IU are needed to maintain blood levels of vitamin D metabolites in the range needed to reduce by about half the risk of several diseases-breast cancer, colon cancer, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes.” However, according to a recent National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey only about 10% of the United States population have levels in this range and those are mostly people who work outside.
More information can be found at:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/02/110222140546.htm
Tags: breast cancer, Cancer, research, vitamin D
Posted in Cancer, research, Vitamin and Minerals | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 25th, 2010
In a report published early online that will appear in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation researchers concluded that vitamin D may be an effective treatment for preventing or treating allergy to a common mold, Aspergillus Fumigatus, that can complicate asthma. Although this fungus is one of the most prevalent it usually is not associated with diseases but in asthmatics and patients with Cystic Fibrosis it may cause significant symptoms. Focusing on patients with Cystic Fibrosis who more often develop severe allergic reactions Studying two groups of patients with cystic fibrosis they found that when colonized with A. Fumigatus only one had the severe allergic response. The difference was in the level of vitamin D in the blood. By adding vitamin D they were able to substantially reduce the production of proteins driving an allergic response and also increased the protein that promoted tolerance. A clinical trial is planned to see if vitamin D can be used to treat or prevent the allergic complications of asthma and Cystic Fibrosis.
Tags: asthma, Cystic Fibrosis, research, vitamin D
Posted in asthma, research | 2 Comments »
Sunday, July 25th, 2010
Dr Carl O Helvie, host, interviewed Dr Dobri Kiprov and Dr Ann Lovick on the Holistic Health Show yesterday. Both talked about natural solutions for seasonal allergies.
Dr Kiprov a physician and pioneer in the field of immunology is chief of immunology at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. He is world renown for his work. More information is available on an earlier blog and at: www.lifestyleinmotion.com and www.dobrikiprov.com
Dr Lovick is a naturopathic physician who is on the staff of Integrative Health Care in Scottsdale, Arizona and has been a lifelong sufferer of allergies. More information is available on an earlier blog and also at: Http://integrativehealthcare.com/drlovick.htm
The interview follows:
Tags: allegra, allergins, allergy food testing, antibodies, antihistamines, apple extract, apples, aspartame, aspertaine, avoid sugar, benedryl, claritin, climate change, congestion, Dr Ann Lovick, Dr Carl O Helvie, Dr Dobri Kiprov, drinking water, egg reaction, endorphins, exercise, fish oil, flowers, food quality, genetic, genetically modified foods, grass, H1blocker, hydration, ige reaction, immunology, inflammation, iodine, itchy eyes, L-Glutamine, leaky gut, leutin, lifestyle, local honey, neurotoxin, nutrition, organic food, parsley, pollution, prevention, rosemary, runny nose, seasonal allergies, slippery elm, thyme, thyroid, vitamin D, weeds
Posted in asthma, herbs, integrative medicine, Podcast, seasonal allergies | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010
A current study carried out at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota concluded that those with inadequate levels of vitamin D used higher amounts of pain medication. In the study researchers retrospectively studied 267 chronic pain patients who were admitted to the Pain Rehabilitation Center between February and December 2006.The vitamin D level of the subjects was measured at the time of admission and compared with other indicators such as the amount and duration of narcotic pain medication usage; self-reported levels of pain, emotional distress, physical functioning and health perception; and demographic data such as gender, age, diagnosis and body mass index. Results showed that patients with inadequate levels of vitamin D were taking much higher doses of pain medication that was nearly twice as much as those with adequate levels of vitamin D. In addition, this group self reported worst physical functioning, and worse overall health perception. The researchers concluded that further research should document the effects of correcting deficient levels among these individuals.
Tags: chronic pain, Mayo Clinic, research, vitamin D
Posted in back and neck pain, research, Vitamin and Minerals | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
A new study in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives reported more rheumatoid arthritis in women in northern latitudes such as Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine and concluded that this may be a result of less sunshine in these areas which leads to a vitamin D deficiency. The researchers looked at data from the Nurses Health Study and collected residential addresses, health outcomes, and behavioral risk factors for subjects between 1988 and 2002. In the sample 461 women had rheumatoid arthritis compared to 9,220 who did not. In addition to finding more RA in the northern latitudes there was more in those who had lived there longer suggesting that long term exposure to less sunshine may be more important than recent exposure.
Although further research on the relationship of vitamin D deficiency and rheumatoid arthritis is needed, the researchers said the geographic association has also been observed for other autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and Crohn’s disease.
Tags: rheumatoid arthritis, sunshine, vitamin D
Posted in research, rheumatoid arthritis | 4 Comments »
Friday, January 1st, 2010
The University of Iowa and the Mayo Clinic reported at the December annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology that they found an association between higher levels of Vitamin D and greater survival of individuals being treated for lymphoma. In the study funded by the National Cancer Institute the researchers measured the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in the sample of 374 patients newly diagnoses with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. They found that half had deficient serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of less than 25 nanograms per milliliter. This group also had twice the rate of dying during the study period and 1 1/2 times the adjusted rate of disease progression than those with optimum levels of Vitamin D. This was the first study to look at lymphoma outcomes and vitamin D. The researchers concluded that although the results look promising for the use of Vitamin D supplements or periodic time in the sun in the treatment of lymphoma, these results need to be validated by other research studies.
Tags: lymphoma, research, vitamin D
Posted in Cancer, research, supplements, Uncategorized | No Comments »
