Vitamin D Council September 25th, 2012 This newsletter is in part made possible by the support of our sponsors

Fosamax Jaw Part 1: D reduces inflammation and pain after osteoporosis treatment
September 24, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
This is part one of a three part blog series discussing bone cell death of the jaw following osteoporosis treatments. Look for parts two and three later this week.

Fosamax jaw (osteonecrosis of the jaw) is the death of bone cells in the upper and/or lower jaw and is a feared but rare complication of drugs called bisphosphonates. Examples include alendronate (Fosamax), pamidronate (Aredia), zoledronate (Zometa), risedronate (Actonel), ibandronate (Boniva), and Zoledronic acid or zoledronate (Zometa, Zomera, Aclasta and Reclast). Physicians use these drugs for multiple reasons, usually to prevent osteoporosis as well as to prevent complications in patients with cancers. Administration of one of them, Zoledronic acid, is by intravenous infusion.

Side effects of bisphosphonates include inflammation such as pain, fatigue, muscle aches, fever, and/or swelling in the feet or legs. Flu-like symptoms are common after the intravenous one (Zoledronic acid). These are inflammatory side effects and they suggest uncontrolled inflammation is the root cause of the side effects of bisphosphonates, perhaps even the cause of osteonecrosis of the jaw.

The management of osteonecrosis of the jaw is a dilemma. No effective treatment exists, although stopping the drug (if clinically possible) may stabilize the disorder and reduce symptoms. Continue reading → (no membership required)

RCT: Treating vitamin D deficiency in HIV positive youth
September 20, 2012 -- Rebecca Oshiro
A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism investigated the efficacy of monthly vitamin D supplementation to treat vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in HIV positive young adults. Continue reading → (membership required)
  Vitamin D and sun exposure: Eczema update
September 22, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco reviewed all the evidence examining vitamin D status and severity of atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. Continue reading → (membership required)


A closer look: D3 has no effect on cardiovascular risk factors
September 19, 2012 -- Jim Larsen
Researchers from the University of Aberdeen recently reported that vitamin D has no effect on conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Jim Larsen explains the media-hyped study. Continue reading → (no membership required)

Meta-analysis: Vitamin D levels and risk of heart disease, early death
September 18, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
Recently, researchers from the Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark studied more than 10,000 men and women, following the patients for 29 years to see who developed heart disease, a heart attack or died. Continue reading → (membership required)


RCT: Vitamin D supplementation and TB in Mongolian children
September 21, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
In a double blind randomized controlled trial, researchers at Harvard gave Mongolian schoolchildren 800 IU of vitamin D/day for six months and tested for tuberculosis. Dr Cannell discusses the results. Continue reading → (membership required)

Vitamin D: Possible cure for baldness?
September 19, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
Researchers investigating what causes hair follicles to go dormant are helping lead us toward a potential cure for baldness. Continue reading → (news)


Gestational exposure to air pollution linked to vitamin D deficiency in newborns
September 20, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
Research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reports that gestational exposure to air pollution, especially in the third trimester, may contribute to lower vitamin D levels in infants. Continue reading → (news)

September is national prostate cancer awareness month
September 18, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month is a time for men and health care providers to increase awareness about the disease and discuss prostate cancer screening options. Continue reading → (news)


Vitamin D deficiency may increase risk of heart disease
September 24, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
Research published in the journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology reports that vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and early death. Continue reading → (news)

Donate your old tablets to VDC!
September 25, 2012
Do you have an old tablet around the house that you aren't using? Donate it to the Council! We are looking for tablets with internet access that we will use at the upcoming American Public Health Association conference next month. We'll have a booth set up to talk with health professionals, layman, and other conference attendees about the vitamin D deficiency pandemic. We'll use the tablets to feature our updated website design and useful health information.

If you would like to donate your old tablet or have questions, contact our Community Coordinator Kate Saley for details: ksaley@vitamindcouncil.org.

VDC Indiegogo campaign
September 25, 2012
Check in to see how the VDC indiegogo campaign is going! Click here to see recent updates and contributor comments about the campaign.

What is inflammation. Inflammation is swelling of tissue. What does it mean? It means you weigh more, tissue is swollen,  fluid hasaccumulated, it may hurt ( swelling causes pressure and pain) and it may effect your longevity. How do you measure that..Well there is a test called a C Reactive Protein test. It measures total body inflammation. A high number is not good and a low number is better. It is non specific...what is swollen and why is not known, though educated guesses can be made. They are guesses though.
Inflammation can be a good thing. Let us say you have a infection in your hand. At the site of the infection fluid accumulates and it looks red. This is a attempt to dilute out the bad bacteria and toxins the bacteria are giving off. By diluting out the infection (causing  inflammation and swelling) the body is better able to fight that infection. Sort of a divide and concur campaign.
The problem becomes when the inflammation is not successful in fighting the infection and/or becomes a chronic condition and becomes a very life threatening situation. Inflammation does not have to be the result of infection. ( Did I mention that vitamin D increases peptides that fight infection)? Oh, yes I should also say that vitamin D decrease inflammation and therefore swelling and pain! More on that later.
The problem becomes when inflammation is chronic and not a infection ( all the time) and there is swelling of tissue and pain. Think old age and sore joints and heart attacks. I should mention also the more the inflammation the more cancer. It is a problem that is very serious and not to be taken lightly. Inflammation tends to occur with all illness and it tends to be more evident as we age. Heck every machine wears out and our joints do too, not to mention heart and other systems as we age. Sort of like a old car. The maintenance has to be much more intensive to maintain function. As joints wear out they get inflamed and it hurts. Not to surprising when you consider the natural lubricant between joints is cartilage. Cartilage wears out and you have bone on bone. The more bone on bone, the more the pain and inflammation. And yes if you decrease inflammation bone on bone can be mostly pain free. That defines arthritis.
So what is maintenance. Well now this becomes very very interesting. Eat right ( we really are what we eat)! Ok. What else? How about vitamin D. It decreases infection ( recall the peptide thing) and swelling. You you even feel better because it effects the mood too!
I should talk a little about heart attacks and inflammation. What causes a heart attack. Most will say Cholesterol. Maybe, if you have blood that looks like that stuff your mechanic greases your car with, that can be a problem. That would be called very high triglycerides. Just about everyone does not fall into this group. You maybe a exception. Just be aware that Statins are helpful to about 15% of people and those people are helped because the statins reduce...inflammation. I think I just said that Vitamin D does that....Oh, and one more thing the statins have a complication rate of about 15%. One of those complications is loss of your kidneys. Ask you pharmacist if you don't believe me...Now vitamin D does the same thing....think I will would take vitamin D instead. My decision!
I should talk about heart attacks. There are two types. Some will disagree on what I say, but it is mostly a free country, so they can. So heart attacks. Two types. Ok, we have the Billy Clinton heart attack..did he really have one. Well due to taking the warnings of heart attack seriously he avoided one, though he was on the verge of one. The arteries in his heart ( and every where else in his body too) started to plug up because calcium and fat accumulates in the arteries of the heart. It slowly plugged the flow of blood to the heart. Sort of a starvation diet and it hurts especially when you move about. So they replaced the almost plugged arteries with others that where mostly disease free. This tends to be a total body disease. Brain, legs etc are effected. So that is one way.
A recent study says that calcium deposits in the heart, detected on x rays, is a a better predictor of heart attack than cholesterol. Should mention at this point that there is a vitamin that tells the calcium to go to the bones and not the arteries and heart. A good thing. It is called vitamin k2. There other types of k....not to worry about those. There is even a study in 2007 that says calcium is removed from the arteries by k2. So take k2....everyone....except those on anti coagulants.
Second type of heart attack. Well the calcium and fat builds up in the coronaries and there is a very significant inflammation and swelling there. In fact the tissue in the arteries are so swollen they are mushy and soft. (X rays of the heart may look fine). So this glob of stuff breaks off and floats down stream into the heart and you have a heart attack. If it plugs a lot, you die. If it plugs less you don't, but you end up with scar tissue in the heart which is not as good as heart muscle in its ability to move blood through your body. About one third die from this massive coronary! What does a anti inflammatory substance like vitamin D do. It takes down swelling and there fore makes that spot more firm and less likely to break off. It stabilizes the clot as they say in the medical literature. 
So for me this becomes pretty simple. Stop inflammation of the chronic type and you will have less pain and live longer. In the process you will reduce the likely hood of heart attack and cancer. Yes chronic inflammation is associated with a increase in cancer. Check it out...Just google it. Actually I use ixquick for a search engine. They do not record where you go and what you look at on the internet.
Ok so you take vitamin D. Is it  for me to say the amount is important that you take? I think so. I aim for a level between 70 and 100 ng/ml as that higher number reduces inflammation more than a lower number. Don't go over 100ng/ml. In fact if I have a level under 77ng I start to use a cane. Then I am 72 years old. Guess I will keep my level above that. No one knows how much is the right amount without a test, but there are good guide lines and the gold standard is the 25(oh)D test. Adjust accordingly.  One more thing. Americans are low on magnesium. Low magnesium increases the likely hood of irregular heart and death. Vitamin D depleats magnesium so make sure you get some and take it everyday. I recommend Magnesium malate. Magnesium oxide is a good laxative and not to be used, imho.
Sounds kind of over powering all this information. What is the bottom line. What is it all about. Why am I having a significant portion of this inflammation? Here it is... the answer. Immune function. That's it! So here goes. We are subject to our environment. No sun exposure...very little vitamin D and our immune system starts wondering who we are and if it should attack your ( my ) body because it is confused. Vitamin D improves immune function and its IQ. So it does not attack the body as much and inflammation is reduced. Ok, that makes sense. What else.
Well 85% of the immune function is located in our guts. Certain bacteria are bad, increasing inflammation, and certain bacteria are good and those decrease inflammation. No sane person would hurt themselves if they knew they where doing it and the immune system is the same. I call this stupid gut syndrome. So, what messes up the immune function in the gut. Bad bacteria which comes from bad food. Bad food is lots of sugar and even more important corn sugar or fructose. Both of these sweeteners cause inflammation. The blood sugar and insulin levels go way up then the blood sugar level drops and the insulin is still there at a high level. That causes inflammation big time. I am talking heart attack, arthritis, infections and the list goes on and on. If you immune function is whacky you should not be surprise when you get sick.
Then there is the manufactured foods. Those foods promote bad bacteria. You have heard of probiotics. That is what I am talking about and a yogurt a day will not do it. Fermented foods have good bacteria. I am talking about fermented foods like yogurt and sauerkraut. The bad thing is these commercial products are not a good source of fermented foods and good bacteria. Some are made with bacteria that is good and then sterilized so it will have a good shelf life. Others are not sterilized but sugar is added. Not good.
So what happens if you eat the proper foods and get enough sun or vitamin D everyday. (Sunshine once a month or one large dose of vitamin D a month will not do it. (Vitamin D should be taken every day just as our ancestors where exposed to sunshine everyday without the "benefit" of clothes). Ferment some sauerkraut or other foods. It is not rocket science and any one can do it just by working in your kitchen fifteen or twenty minutes a week. Lots of information on this on the internet. Just ixquick it. Then you will notice some thing really interesting. Stress is less, you are happier, you sleep better and everything about your life is better and that is all because you are better and your immune function made it all so.......One of the Doctor's on line newsletters has a lot of information on it. E mail me and I will inform you who. I try to avoid anything that suggest I am endorsing a particular product or company when blogging.
Be well and prosper.
Bruce Bennett CRNA, retired.

There are two types of people. Those who know about vitamin D and those who don't. Which is your health provider?

Vitamin D Council September 18th, 2012 This newsletter is in part made possible by the support of our sponsors

Vitamin D: Beyond Bone Conference
September 21, 2012
The Vitamin D: Beyond Bone Conference held in New York is right around the corner! This 1-day conference on September 21, 2012 will explore recent epidemiological data and the molecular mechanisms of action known to underlie the effects of vitamin D on pregnancy, lactation, and immune, metabolic, muscle, and cardiovascular function. Participants will also explore public health strategies that support the health and well-being of infants, adults, and the aging population.

Click here for more conference information.

Vitamin D: Breast cancer treatment effect?
September 16, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
In a remarkable paper from Stanford University, Dr Swami and company, working under senior author Professor David Feldman, discovered that vitamin D has a treatment effect in mice that have surgically implanted inflammatory breast tumors. Continue reading → (membership required)
  Is there a link between vitamin D status and chronic kidney disease in children?
September 13, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
Dr Amit Patange and colleagues of the Children’s Hospital of Michigan found that vitamin D status is linked to heart size and aortic stiffness in children with chronic kidney disease. Continue reading → (membership required)


RCT: Effects of vitamin D on muscle strength
September 11, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
A recent randomized controlled trial examining the effects of vitamin D on muscle strength in young women showed no effect. These results stand in contrast to the group’s first trial. Continue reading → (membership required)

Tea and coffee consumption linked to vitamin D status?
September 12, 2012 -- Rebecca Oshiro
An observational study published in Nutrition Journal examined for the first time if tea and coffee consumption is associated with blood levels of vitamin D. Continue reading → (no membership required)



Associtation between D intake and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis: A meta-analysis
September 15, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
In a meta-analysis, Dr Gwan Gyu Song and colleagues of the Korea University College of Medicine, found three studies totaling 215,000 patients that observed vitamin D intake and the onset of rheumatoid arthritis. The results are encouraging. Continue reading → (no membership required)

Vitamin D deficiency and depression among pregnant women
September 12, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
Researchers report a significant association between vitamin D status and antenatal depression in African American women. Continue reading → (news)



Vitamin D critical during pregnancy
September 17, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
A study published in the journal Pediatrics suggests that vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy could hinder infants' brain and motor development. Continue reading → (news)

Vitamin D level linked to pneumonia prognosis?
September 14, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
Dr Hilde Remmelts and colleagues of St. Antonius Hospital in the Netherlands recently found that vitamin d deficiency may be associated with an increased risk of ICU admission and increased 30-day mortality among patients with pneumonia. Continue reading → (membership required)


Calgary - Vitamin D for Disease Prevention Session
September 19, 2012
The Calgary Vitamin D for Disease Prevention Session is a free event designed to help educate healthcare professionals and the general public to create awareness about Vitamin D and its many benefits related to health and wellness. The event features top Vitamin D researcher, Dr. Robert Heaney, Professor of Medicine, Creighton University and Carol Baggerly, executive director of Grassroots Health. The event is on September 19, 2012 in Calargy at 7:30 PM. To learn more click here.

"Help the Vitamin D Council" campaign
Our campaign on Indiegogo is still going strong! Take a look at our campaign page to see comments, updated video's, and pictures of us sporting our new Vitamin D Council T-shirts!

Vitamin D Council September 11th, 2012 This newsletter is in part made possible by the support of our sponsors


The role of vitamin D in prevention of ovarian cancer
September 5, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
Ovarian cancer is the second most common cancer in women and fifth ranked cause of cancer deaths in the USA and Europe. The five-year survival is about 45%, mostly due to difficulty making an early diagnosis. Continue reading → (membership required)
  RCT: Impact of D on inflammation in adults with cystic fibrosis
September 7, 2012 -- Rebecca Oshiro
A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition investigated the role of vitamin D supplementation in adults with cystic fibrosis hospitalized for lung infections. Continue reading → (membership required)


RCT: Vitamin D supplementation in patients with MS
September 8, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
Dr. Soilu-Hänninen and colleagues from the University of Turku in Finland recently conducted a double blind, placebo-controlled trial of vitamin D in 66 MS patients, to see if it helped as an add-on therapy with interferon. Continue reading → (membership required)

Can D increase antioxidants in the liver?
September 6, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
A study out this year by Dr. Zine Kechrid and colleagues showed that vitamin D supplementation in rats dramatically increased the amount of glutathione – an antioxidant – in the liver. Continue reading → (no membership required)


Vitamin D status predicts new brain lesion activity in MS
September 6, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
Researchers at University of California, San Francisco set out to determine if there is a link between vitamin D status and developing new lesions in patients with relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). Continue reading → (news)

FDA amends regulations to allow bakers to increase vitamin D in bread
September 6, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
The Food and Drug Administration amended its regulations regarding how much vitamin D2 can be added to bread.Continue reading → (news)



Order a VDC T-shirt!
September 11, 2012
The new Vitamin D Council T-shirts have arrived! We've been sporting them around town and want you to do the same! To view pictures of the shirts, take a look at our indiegogo photo gallery or our facebook album. To order a T-shirt email Kate at ksaley@vitamindcouncil.org.

Vitamin D Council September 5th, 2012 This newsletter is in part made possible by the support of our sponsors

With 30 days left for the "Help the Vitamin D Council" campaign, you have donated and raised $22,960 to support our organization!
September 5, 2012
We want to thank you for your support! Over 150 people have helped to make this happen so far, including some very generous individuals.

But we’re not quite finished yet! The Council has set a new target to raise $30,000. That’s only a little over $7,000, and 140 new or renewing members. Can we get there?

With every donation of $50 or more, we set you up with a year-long membership to the Council. Members receive:

• Access to every article from the Council's blog
• Participate in discussions with vitamin D experts
• Become a better steward on the importance of vitamin D and sun exposure. Every new member further expands the vitamin D community and further brings awareness on vitamin D to the world.

If you haven’t seen our appeal video yet, be sure to check it out.



A sincere thank you from the Vitamin D Council!

Vitamin D levels and liver disease: Type I vs type II diabetes
August 30, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
Dr. Benjamin Nwosu and colleagues compared young teenagers with type I diabetes, with children suffering from the obesity-driven type II diabetes, measuring 25(OH)D, liver function, and diabetic severity. Dr Cannell discusses the results. Continue reading → (membership required)

Vitamin D, vitamin A, and lung cancer in the USA
August 31, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
Dr Ting-Yuan Cheng and Marian Neuhouser of the University of Washington looked at the interaction of vitamin D with vitamin A in lung cancer patients. Take a look to see what the authors observed among patients with high concentrations of vitamin A. Continue reading → (no membership required)

Association between air pollution and infant vitamin D levels?
September 1, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
A collaborative French study led by Dr. Nour Baiz recently looked at infant (cord blood) vitamin D levels and wanted to see if there was an association with the air pollution indices of where the mothers lived during their pregnancy. Continue reading → (membership required)

Vitamin D levels throughout pregnancy: Part 2
August 28, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
Part two of this three part blog series covers how vitamin D status changes before, during, and after pregnancy in natural, equatorial living populations. Continue reading → (membership required)



Fish consumption and vitamin D status in native populations: Part 3
August 29, 2012 -- John Cannell, MD
In the final part of the three blog series, Dr Cannell discusses how warm water surface lake fish consumption affects vitamin D status in certain native populations. Continue reading → (membership required)

A closer look: Cytokines, vitamin D, and autism
September 3, 2012 -- Dr William Grant
Dr Grant investigates how autism, vitamin D and cytokines – proteins released by cells in the body that carry signals to other cells – are interconnected. Continue reading → (no membership required)



Vitamin D aids speedy tuberculosis recovery
September 4, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
British researchers have found that high dose vitamin D can accelerate the recovery of patients with tuberculosis, in combination with standard antibiotic treatment. Continue reading → (news)

Vitamin D trial may provide relief for psoriasis sufferers
August 28, 2012 -- Vitamin D News
Researchers at the Vitamin D Research Centre at Massey University in New Zealand want to determine whether vitamin D is an effective treatment for psoriasis. Continue reading → (news)