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Vitamin D may delay progression of clinical diabetes
November 29, 2011 -- Dr John Cannell

Diabetes mellitus type 2, or adult-onset diabetes, is epidemic, according to the CDC. It is a disease of high blood sugar with insulin resistance or insulin deficiency. Insulin resistance is what it sounds like. The cells are resistant to the action of insulin, and insulin resistance often leads to adult diabetes. However, adult diabetes is no longer a useful term. Since the sun-scare, adult-onset diabetes is often diagnosed in children. Frequently, but not always, it is a disease of the obese. Exercise and diet helps.

In 2003, about 130 million people in the world had type 2 diabetes. In the United States, 8% of the population has type 2 diabetes. The disease doubled between 1990 and 2005, along with sun-scare, soda, and obesity.

How many times have you heard that we need randomized controlled trials before we start taking vitamin D? Well, they are coming fast and furious. This August , researchers at Tufts University released a double blind randomized controlled trial that showed  2,000 IU/day of vitamin D3 had a major effect on insulin resistance.

Mitri J, Dawson-Hughes B, Hu FB, Pittas AG. Effects of vitamin D and calcium supplementation on pancreatic β cell function, insulin sensitivity, and glycemia in adults at high risk of diabetes: the Calcium and Vitamin D for Diabetes Mellitus (CaDDM) randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 94(2):486-94

I liked what the authors said, “These results suggested that vitamin D may have a role in delaying the progression to clinical diabetes in adults at high risk of type 2 diabetes. Our results may also be relevant to type 1 diabetes …”

Unfortunately, the beta cells in the pancreas are eventually all destroyed in type 1 diabetes. However, the genetic code for those beta cells remains in the body; maybe someone will learn how to turn those genes back on? Furthermore, many cases of type  1 diabetes still have some functioning beta cells; this study shows vitamin D reduces insulin resistance, perhaps helping you keep what beta cells you have left.

2,000 IU/day for 4 months only increased 25(OH)D levels from  24 to 30 ng/ml.  Why such a small increase in 25(OH)D? The average subject weighed 223 pounds, that’s why.

This is good proof that the FNB was wrong when they said 20 ng/ml is as good as it gets. Remember the recent Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) said that levels of 20 ng/ml are just fine, do not expect any improvements with levels higher than 20 ng/ml. Keep in mind the NIH, especially the Office of Dietary Supplements, are against, not for, dietary supplements. They are especially sensitive to anyone implying the FNB study they helped fund is working against what they set to accomplish: to better the health and lives of individuals.

The authors failed to write even a sentence about dose, and I assume it is because Tufts University wants some more NIH grants. If going from 24 to 30 ng/ml showed such an improvement in insulin sensitivity, the obvious question is what would going from 24 to 40 ng/ml do? I don’t think the authors wanted to embarrass the FNB anymore than their findings already did.

Vitamin D deficiency in trasverse myelitis patients
November 25, 2011 -- Dr John Cannell

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University announced on 11/14/2011 that transverse myelitis patients have low vitamin D levels, and they suspect that low vitamin D levels allow the inflammation in the disease to occur... continue reading
Thoughts on atrial fibrillation study
November 18, 2011 -- Brant Cebulla

Staff member Brant Cebulla offers a little perspective on recent data that associates atrial fibrillation with 25(OH)D levels over 100 ng/ml... continue reading

Fraser Health implements vitamin D regimen divergent of IOM’s recommendations
November 11, 2011 -- Dr John Cannell

Dr. Cannell calls out Dr. Gallo of the IOM and applauds Fraser Health, who recently announced the implementation of 20,000 IU/week supplementation for all of their nursing home residents... continue reading
The problem with our health care system
November 18, 2011 -- Dr John Cannell

Dr. Cannell likens the United States’ health care system to a baker deciding how much bread the consumer needs... continue reading
Open study shows positive clinical results with vitamin D for patients with SLE
November 21, 2011 -- Dr John Cannell

Open study shows that vitamin D is beneficial, normalizing T regulatory cells and showing positive clinical results for patients with SLE... continue reading
Subsequent primary cancers after melanoma diagnosis support that low vitamin D level is a risk factor for melanoma
November 15, 2011 -- Dr William Grant

A recent set of papers on melanoma in the United States in the November 2011 supplement of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology provided insight into melanoma, vitamin D, UVB exposure and internal cancers... continue reading
Meta-analysis looks at efficacy of D2 vs D3
November 16, 2011 -- Dr John Cannell

Prescription vitamin D (D2) less effective than over-the-counter vitamin D (D3) according to a meta-analysis... continue reading
Higher solar UVB during first trimester of pregnancy associated with better fetal development
November 10, 2011 -- Dr William Grant

A study in Greece found that babies born in winter and autumn had higher birth weight, longer gestational age, and two years longer life expectancy than those born in spring or summer... continue reading

I was listening to two medical Doctors talk about sun exposure this morning on national TV and there ignorance on this subject was paramount in their discussion. They said," any sun exposure is bad". They did not say sun exposure is controversial, but excepted the premiss that all exposure was bad. This despite lots of studies that say other wise. If they had said over exposure or reddening of the skin will cause problems I would be willing to go along with that. After all how many things in life are bad for you in inappropriate doses. Lots!
But think about this. Our ancestors in Africa walked around in the sun with out clothes on all day long and never got burned. Certainly not the case with us, but they were set up to thrive in that environment which was constant and year around. Their vitamin D level was optimized and they never got burned. That is exactly what I am saying here. Optimize and never get burned, realizing because of migration of people out of Africa and wearing of clothes it is very easy to get burned in the summer and set your self up for problems down the road with skin cancer. It is the burning in early life, especially, that sets you up for skin cancer. Also realize that vitamin D is protective against cancer and that burn probably occurred when your vitamin d level was likely to be low.
Also, and I have heard this over and over, it is harder to get burned in the sun if you vitamin d level is optimized, even for a red head.

Some things you may not know about vitamin D and a very good link to explain it all. I have consistently recommended 1k per 25lbs body weight. For example, a 200 lb person would take 8 k a day and check in three months. Mercola recommends 70 to 100 ng/ml to treat cancer and heart disease and lower amounts if you do not. I am going to add one more thing to the list for the higher amounts of vitamin D. Pain. There is very significant profound pain relief to be found in the higher amounts of vitamin D.
As always check in three months and once a year. Only by testing does one know where you are. One more caveat. He suggest you get your vitamin D from the sun if at all possible as it is a preferred method of making vitamin d. I agree, but again I have a couple of caveats. If you are 60 years old or older it takes at least 3 times the amount of exposure to get the same amount of vitamin D that you did at age 30. However, you will still burn as easily. So supplementation must be done if you are to get a significant rise in blood levels. Burning of the skin is always to be avoided. I might add also that this website sells sun lamps. Need I say more.
copy and paste
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/11/06/vitamin-d-for-depression.aspx

One study suggest that those who hallucinate are 400 % less likely to hallucinate if there vitamin d levels where normal. Now what do they mean by normal? 20 ng? 30 ng? I don't know but suspect that is the case. So what would happen if there vitamin D levels where brought up to what I consider to be optimal. I don't know, but think of how this could change the practice of psychiatry. How many of us have a family member or friend who is no longer a functioning member of society because of mental problems such as schizophrenia? I do not know how much longer this link will be up so check it out before it disappears. I am sure I will be seeing more on this subject in the future and I will post when I do.
As always copy and paste

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/11/02/low-levels-vitamin-d-linked-to-teen-delusions-hallucinations/