Several interesting articles today. Two concerning athletes. One shows a increase in performance and the other does not. The difference....the ones that where stronger took it as a daily supplement and the other group did not. Take it daily!

And now the news letter.

Asthma and vitamin D: A patient friendly summary
Vitamin D Council
The Vitamin D Council's latest patient friendly health summary reviews the research on vitamin D and asthma. Be sure to share with friends, family, and health care professionals!

Asthma is a lifelong lung disease that makes it difficult for you to breathe sometimes. There are tubes, called airways, which carry air to and from your lungs to your mouth and nose. If you have asthma, these airways can become swollen, clogged with mucus and tightened by surrounding muscles. When your symptoms get worse and more intense, you have what is called an asthma attack. Asthma attacks can sometimes force you to seek emergency care.

Doctors and scientists don’t yet know exactly what causes asthma. They think that a change in our diet, behavior and environment may cause asthma. They are interested in vitamin D because it makes your immune system smarter and may reduce the chances of you getting an asthma attack. They are also researching if it can help make your airways healthier, by reducing inflammation.

Scientists are looking into whether, if you’re pregnant, getting enough vitamin D during your pregnancy can reduce the chances of your child developing asthma. They are also looking at whether, if children get enough vitamin D when they are 0 to 3 years old, it can reduce their chances of getting asthma later in childhood. Continue reading → Vitamin D Council Members Blog RCT: How much vitamin D is needed for optimal bone health?
April 23, 2013 -- Brant Cebulla
While people think “bone health” when they hear “vitamin D,” the relationship between the two is not as clear as you might think. Continue reading → (membership required) Does working the night shift increase your risk of internal cancers?
April 25, 2013 -- Dr William Grant
For over a decade, it has been acknowledged that those who work night shifts have an increased risk of developing internal cancers. Could vitamin D deficiency play a part? Continue reading → (no membership required) Is there a link between vitamin D and female hair loss?
April 29, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Telogen effluvium and female pattern hair loss is hair loss that occurs in up to 30% of young women. Is vitamin D involved? Continue reading → (membership required) Low vitamin D in people with autoimmune arthritis
April 26, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Ankylosing spondylitis is a specific inflammatory arthritis of the vertebral column with involvement of joints and other organs, especially the eyes. Continue reading →  (membership required) Dear Dr Cannell: Vitamin D and pancreatic cancer
April 24, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
A doctor writes to Dr Cannell about research he has read suggesting that higher vitamin D levels increase pancreatic cancer risk. Continue reading → (no membership required)
Vitamin D and autism: A parsimonious theory
April 27, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Dr Cannell discusses a recent study reporting elevated mercury levels in the hair of children with autism. Continue reading → (membership required)

Vitamin D News Room National Osteoporosis Society UK releases clinical guidelines
April 27, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
The National Osteoporosis Society of the UK has released new clinical guidelines to treat vitamin D deficiency in patients. Continue reading →


Vitamin D may help in treating liver fibrosis
April 29, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
A synthetic form of vitamin D may provide a new therapy for liver fibrosis in humans, according to a new study published in the journal Cell. Continue reading →


Conflicting reports on vitamin D and athletic performance
April 26, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
There is an increasing body of evidence suggesting that sufficient vitamin D levels play a role in athletic performance. Continue reading →



Vitamin D for Alzheimer's prevention
April 30, 2013 -- Vitamin D Event
This week's free Grassroots Health webinar features Mathew Mizwicki, PhD, discussing vitamin D's role in the prevention of Alzheimer's disease.

Register here for today's webinar, which starts at 10am PST! Have a vitamin D question? You can submit your questions for Dr Mizwicki when you register.

I have noticed a increase in pain levels in the past few months. I have started adding supplements which reduce inflammation and have few to no known side effects. These have consisted of krill oil one a day and a supplement that contains astaxanthin. Interestingly krill oil contains astaxanthin as a normal part of its ingredients. So I am reducing gradually the extra supplement and keeping the krill oil going. I must admit it does seem to work pretty well. The additional benefit is that krill oil is a smaller pill and does not give the "burps" and fishy taste of fish oil. Fish oil can also contain heavy metals and this is not a problem with krill oil, so I have eliminated fish oil from my supplement group.  A no brainer in my book. At age 73 new pains is not a surprise. I am just very glad I can control the pain and keep myself active with long walks etc. Final sentence....it is all about inflammation....control the inflammation and you control the pain and the disease process, imho.
And now the news letter.
 

Is there a link between vitamin D status and kidney transplant outcome?
April 6, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Renal transplantation is now a common procedure. End-stage renal disease is the reason for kidney transplantation. Causes of that renal disease are untreated hypertension, infections, diabetes mellitus, and other rarer causes. Diabetes accounts for one fourth of transplants. The majority of recipients are on dialysis at the time of surgery.

About one in three donors are living and give one of their kidneys away. A typical recipient will live up to 15 years longer after a kidney transplant than they would have if kept on dialysis alone. Transplant tourism is not uncommon, where recipients go to an undeveloped country to buy a kidney from a poverty stricken donor.

Few people know that kidney function or glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is highly seasonal with wintertime impairment and summertime improvements. Continue reading → (no membership required) New meta-analysis: Vitamin D levels low in people with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's
April 21, 2013 -- Brant Cebulla
Both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s have become of greater interest in public health in recent years. Does vitamin D play a role? Continue reading →
(membership required) Is cell function linked to vitamin D status?
April 20, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
The main function of mitochondia is the production of energy. Our cells use this energy for cell survival and function. How does vitamin D factor in? Continue reading → (membership required) RCT: Vitamin D supplements benefit arterial stiffness?
April 18, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Researchers in Tel Aviv found that just 1000 IU vitamin D every day resulted in beneficial changes in arterial stiffness among diabetic patients. Continue reading →
 (membership required) Vitamin D supplementation in collegiate swimmers and divers
April 19, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Recently researchers at the University of Kentucky randomized 32 athletes to take 4,000 IU/day vitamin D or placebo. Dr Cannell discusses the study results. Continue reading →  (membership required) RCT: High-dose vitamin D3 safe during pregnancy
April 22, 2013 -- Kate Saley
A new randomized controlled trial shows once again, high-dose vitamin D during pregnancy is safe and effective at raising vitamin D blood levels for mother and newborn child. Continue reading → (membership required)
Vitamin D deficiency increases risk of uterine fibroids
April 17, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
A study from the National Institute of Health reports that vitamin D deficient women are more likely to develop uterine fibroids than women with sufficient vitamin D levels. Continue reading →

Researchers report mushrooms can provide as much vitamin D as supplements
April 22, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Researchers report that eating mushrooms with vitamin D2 is as effective at increasing vitamin D levels as taking vitamin D3. Continue reading →

Social Media Updates!
April 23, 2013 -- Vitamin D Council News
If you haven't already noticed, we've updated our social media pages with new graphics to match our snazzy new website!

Take a look at our Facebook and Twitter pages and let us know what you think! If you aren't already following us on our social media pages, join in on the conversation.

Health professionals, if you're not signed up for twitter, contact us!  We've noticed a lack of vitamin D researchers on Twitter, so we invite researchers and health care professionals to join! For information on how to get started, contact Kate at ksaley@vitamindcouncil.org. Vitamin D during Pregnancy
April 23, 2013 -- Vitamin D Event
This week's free Grassroots Health webinar features Carol Wagner, MD, discussing the safety and importance of  vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy.

Register here for today's webinar, which starts at 10am PST! Have a vitamin D question? You can submit your questions for Dr Wagner when you register.                                     

Health condition summary: Depression
Vitamin D Council
Researchers are now discovering that vitamin D may play an important role in mental health and depression. To learn more, check out our updated health summary discussing depression and vitamin D.  Continue reading → (no membership required) Randomized controlled trial: Vitamin D and gene expression
April 6, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
We know that vitamin D controls up to 5% of the human genome. Researchers recently looked at a large number of genes before and after vitamin D supplementation. Continue reading → (no membership required) Vitamin D: Treatment for motor delay in children
April 9, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Researchers recently reported on a case of motor delay in a four-year-old boy in Ghana. After a number of tests the doctors discovered an extreme vitamin D deficiency. Continue reading → (membership required) Vitamin D for lactating mother: How much is enough?
April 10, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
In March of 2013, researchers did a systematic review of the literature on the amount of vitamin D a lactating woman needs to maintain adequate vitamin D levels in infants. Continue reading → (membership required) Can vitamin D improve the severity of congestive heart failure?
April 8, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Researchers recently conducted an open trial in which they gave 100 patients with congestive heart failure 50,000 IU/week of vitamin D3. Dr Cannell explains the results. Continue reading →  (membership required) Impact of heart surgery on vitamin D status of infants and children
April 13, 2013 -- Kate Saley
Most children with congenital heart disease are vitamin D deficient following surgery, new research reports out of the University of Ottawa. Continue reading → (no membership required)
Vitamin D supplementation for children with recurrent ear infections
April 15, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Researchers were curious to see if vitamin D reduced the incidence of ear infections in children with four or more ear infections a year. Continue reading → (membership required)
Did you know: Statins raise vitamin D levels
April 3, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Statins are some of the most widely prescribed drugs in the world. They are used by people with autoimmune disorders, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease. Continue reading → (membership required)
Review confirms vitamin D's involvement in Alzheimer's disease
April 2, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Recently, Doctor researchers at the University of Angers in France reviewed all the studies on vitamin D and Alzheimer’s. Could vitamin D be a big piece to the puzzle? Continue reading → (membership required)
Statins and heart health: Is D the missing link?
April 4, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Doctors at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg in Germany were interested in exactly how vitamin D improves the effectiveness of statins. Continue reading → (membership required)
Where is our vitamin D coming from: Part 1
April 5, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Dr Robert Heaney and colleagues were curious about how much vitamin D people get from different food sources. Dr Cannell reviews the surprising results. Continue reading → (membership required)
Where is our vitamin D coming from: Part 2
April 5, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Do meat eaters, fish eaters, vegetarians and vegans have different vitamin D levels? And are we getting extra vitamin D from a unknown source? Continue reading → (membership required)
Study: Air pollution linked to autism
April 11, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Recently, Dr. Tracy Ann Becerra and colleagues from the Fielding School of Public Health at UCLA reported that air pollution is directly correlated with autism. Continue reading →  (membership required)
Month of birth linked to immune health and multiple sclerosis
April 9, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
A newborn’s immune system development and risk of multiple sclerosis may be influenced by their month of birth. Continue reading →
D deficiency and depression in children with cystic fibrosis
April 8, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency is associated with depression in children with cystic fibrosis, according to research published last month in Psychosomatics. Continue reading →

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month
April 12, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic disorder of the intestines. It can cause abdominal pain, cramping and bloating, diarrhea and constipation. Continue reading →
Vitamin D prevents dialysis complications in diabetes
April 8, 2013 -- Vitamin D News
Vitamin D supplementation decreased the risk of complications in dialysis for patients with type 2 diabetes, researchers report at the National Kidney Foundation meeting this week. Continue reading →
Vitamin D and autism
April 16, 2013 -- Vitamin D Event
This week's free Grassroots Health webinar features VDC's Executive Director, John Cannell, MD, discussing "Vitamin D for the prevention and treatment of autism."

Register here for today's webinar, which starts at 10am PST! Have a vitamin D question? You can submit your questions for Dr Cannell when you register. Help the Council Today Like Tweet Forward to Friend

I just received a e mail from a friend of mine describing how much better she felt since starting a regime of sauer kraut 2 to 4 ounces a day. More energy, less sickness and specifically no urinary tract infections which had been a frequent problem. Oh yes, she has loss three pounds which might not sound like much, but she is a small person. For a person going full out, work, school, family etc that is quite a statement.
How do I tell people this makes a difference that you can feel. So much stuff out there....one comercial after another claiming to do this or that and it made them so much better and if you do it too, you will truly be happy. One commercial right after another. You tend to tune it out...people are always touting this or that and besides if it was so great why doesn't my Doctor or health provider tell me about it.
Good question...why doesn't he tell you about it. Why doesn't he do it himself? Answer because he does not know about it and has not tried it. Or he or she has heard about it and just tunes it out. I can't blame them as we hear so much of that kind of thing. Then there is the hype about this or that diet, this or that vitamin and down the road they say, oops never mind it is not so good after all. What to believe and why should you?
What have you got to lose? What is the down side? I admit you are taking a chance that it might be just a waste of time, but what is the upside. Feel better, live longer, enjoy life more with less stress and all around better health than you have experienced in years and perhaps decades.
Did you know you can buy "cultured" sauer kraut on line? Not the stuff in grocery stores that is basically vinegar and cabbage. It might be a easy way to try it out for awhile before making your own. I am not going to give you a address. Just do a search with your search engine...I do not sell or promote any product by name. I do not make any money on this nor do I want any. My payment is when people do better and I hear about it. I get a lot of that and it is amazingly good feeling to know you have improved some one life.
Last month I had over 2200 hits on this website. I think I am getting the message out and I hope that I have convinced you to try sauer kraut, vitamin D etc. These two products, you FEEL the difference. Stick with it for a couple three weeks trial and you WILL see a great improvement!
I will warn you however, there is a down side. You are going to feel so good that you will tell others about it and they may think you are some kind of health nut!
BB

Clinical trial: Vitamin D in the prostate
March 28, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Professor Reinhold Vieth at the University of Toronto is one of my heroes. It was his 1999 review paper on vitamin D, which I must have read ten times, a paper freely available for all to read, that first convinced me vitamin D would change the face of modern medicine. He outlined the difference between physiological doses (up to 10,000 IU/day) and pharmacological doses (50,000 to 100,000 IU/day), writing that pharmacological doses would have been studied long ago if vitamin D was a drug that could be patented.

So far, only patentable and expensive analogues of activated vitamin D have received the financial support to undergo the sort of rigorous testing needed to be approved as therapeutic agents by the FDA. They have been studied in a variety of illnesses, mostly cancer, but with minimal success. The key issue is how much activated vitamin D one can get into a cancerous tumor, say prostate cancer, by giving an activated vitamin D analogue.

Normally, the amount of activated vitamin D in a tissue like the prostate is largely determined by its regulated production within that tissue. What has been discovered the hard way, has been that the approach of providing the activated vitamin D by mouth so that some of it reaches the prostate, actually ends up overdosing the whole body when all you want to do is affect the prostate. What has never been answered is whether you can increase the amount of activated vitamin D in a tumor, like prostate cancer, simply by providing the body with enough plain vitamin D so that the tissue has enough to take care of its own needs.

The prostate gland is one of the few organs that can both make 25(OH)D and activate it as well. Unlike some other cancers, many prostate cancers retain the ability to activate vitamin D, so theoretically you may be able to get high doses of activated vitamin D inside prostate cancer cells by simply giving plain vitamin D, although this has remained theoretical until Professor Vieth’s latest paper.

This is important in treating cancer because based on what we know from laboratory experiments is that high levels of activated vitamin D inside cancer cells produce anticancer effects. Continue reading → (no membership required) Food allergy, a tale of two studies
April 2, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
The literature on vitamin D and food allergy is conflicting with some studies implying vitamin D protects against food allergy and some studies implying it causes it. Dr Cannell reviews the two most recent studies on vitamin D and food allergy in infants. Continue reading →  (membership required) Multiple sclerosis increases as you move away from equator
March 27, 2013 -- Brant Cebulla
New research from the University of Queensland, Australia, has confirmed once again, the incidence of multiple sclerosis increases the further you move away from the equator. Continue reading → (membership required) Rare, aggressive skin cancer prognosis linked to vitamin D deficiency
March 26, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and highly aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer. Dr M. Samimi and colleagues of Tours France decided to see if vitamin D deficiency was associated with tumor characteristics and prognosis in MCC. Continue reading → (membership required) Marshall University 25th annual Research Day
March 31, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
This past week, Dr Cannell gave a series of lectures and was the keynote speaker at Marshall University School of Medicine’s 25th annual research day. Continue reading →  (no membership required) Do vitamin D levels predict bone mineral density in children?
March 29, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Recently, Doctors at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in China measured vitamin D levels and bone mineral density (BMD) in children using ultrasound. Continue reading → (membership required)

Vitamin D deficiency linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes
March 28, 2013 -- Vitamin D Council News
There is a link between maternal vitamin D deficiency and adverse health outcomes, according to the latest systematic review and meta-analysis published in British Medical Journal. Continue reading → Vitamin D benefits breathing in tuberculosis patients
March 26, 2013 -- Vitamin D Council News
Maintaining sufficient vitamin D levels may help people breath better and may even protect against tuberculosis, according to research accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Continue reading → Vitamin D deficiency common in women with heart condition
March 27, 2013 -- Vitamin D Council News
Women diagnosed with takotsubo cardiomyopathy, a condition that causes sudden temporary weakening of the muscles of the heart, have a high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency, according to research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Continue reading → How does vitamin D stop breast cancer growth?
April 2, 2013 -- Vitamin D Event
This week's free Grassroots Health webinar features JoEllen Welsh, PhD, discussing how "Vitamin D stops breast cancer cell growth."

Register here for today's webinar, which starts at 10am PST! Have a vitamin D question? You can submit your questions for Dr Welsh when you register.