Todays news letter. They are seeing a correlation between low vitamin D levels and esophageal cancer. In this country, it tends to be predominantly a disease of Aftrican Americans. They do run a much lower average vitamin D level than Caucasians. Also, it is reported, they found a correlation of lower Blood pressure readings in those African Americans who have higher vitamin D levels. Good news for the hypertensive black man. Apparently they have done a study in Germany that says optimization of the vitamin D levels in Asthmatics reduces the severity the problem. I have seen evidence of this for years with co workers who have Asthma and did optimized their vitamin D. So not surprised by this at all. Several had no problem, after optimization, and others where able to use less medicine to control asthma. All improved, in my experience and continue to do so as long as they keep their level up. I do get to see a quite a few people who have followed the optimized route with vitamin D since 2004.
One more thing. I read years ago there was a lot of esophageal cancer in China. There is was correlated with the ingestion of cured nitrate meat. Something that should only be ingested rarely and certainly not daily, imho.
Finally a expo is occurring in California on vitamin D. Anyone in the area can take advantage of it. Also there was a webinar today and it should be available on video at the website listed. Grass Roots Health is a valuable resource for those are interested in even more information. They sponsored the webinar and are very active with seminars and blood testing. Now for the news letter.
Sun exposure and esophageal cancer: Does vitamin D help?
March 16, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Esophageal cancer is a relatively rare form of cancer, but some areas of the world have a markedly higher incidence than others: such as Belgium, China, Iran, Iceland, India, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The American Cancer Society estimates that just over 15 thousand cases of esophageal cancer are diagnosed in the United States every year.
In the United States, squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus usually affects African Americans. The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has been rising relatively rapidly over the last four decades. Humans cannot be evolving quickly enough for genetics to explain this rapid change. Instead, this indicates that environmental or behavioral factors have important roles in the etiology of the cancer. Such general evidence might make one ask, does vitamin D have a role?
Recently, Dr Joel Rubenstein of the University of Michigan Medical School wrote an editorial opining that while the vitamin D hypothesis is attractive, vitamin D should not be used to prevent esophageal cancer.
Rubenstein JH. Editorial: shedding some light on the etiology of adenocarcinomas of the esophagus and gastric cardia. Am J Gastroenterol. 2012 Dec;107(12):1814-6.
He pointed out that an ecological analysis found that counties in the United States with lower UVR exposure had greater incidences and mortality of esophageal cancer. However, ecological analyses are prone to biases called the “ecological fallacy,” because individual level data may differ from the population level data. Continue reading → (no membership required) New trial says, vitamin D prevents progression and deterioration from Parkinson's disease
March 18, 2013 -- Brant Cebulla
A new randomized controlled trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that vitamin D may be able to slow the progression and deterioration of Parkinson’s disease. Continue reading → (membership required) Will vitamin D help prevent uterine fibroids?
March 17, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Uterine fibroids are the most common non-cancerous tumors in females. Researchers wanted to know if vitamin D status was associated with fibroids in women with the condition. Continue reading → (membership required) Seasonal variation in infant development
March 14, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Researchers at the Hamamatsu University School of Medicine recently studied the seasonality of development of 926 infants born between December 2007 and September 2010. Continue reading → (membership required) Vitamin D deficiency associated with severe adult asthma
March 13, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Researchers in Germany were the first to correlate asthma severity, asthma control, and markers of asthma severity with vitamin D levels. Continue reading → (no membership required)
Can vitamin D help treat bronchiectasis?
March 12, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Doctors at the University of Auckland recently summarized the reasons vitamin D may be helpful in preventing and treating bronchiectasis, an obstructive lung disease. Continue reading → (membership required) Does bone tenderness predict vitamin D deficiency?
March 15, 2013 -- John Cannell, MD
Recently, doctors at Harvard Medical School and colleagues in Pakistan supplemented women with extremely high doses of vitamin D. Continue reading → (membership required)
National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
March 13, 2013 -- Vitamin D Council News
March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in developed countries, with 142,000 new cases and 51,000 deaths in the US in 2012. Continue reading → Vitamin D may help reduce blood pressure in African Americans
March 7, 2013 -- Vitamin D Council News
Vitamin D supplementation may help lower blood pressure in African-Americans, according to a study published in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension. Continue reading → Vitamin D and risk of future hypertension
March 15, 2013 -- Vitamin D Council News
A meta-analysis published in the European Journal of Epidemiology reports that if you’re sufficient in vitamin D, you may have a decreased risk of high blood pressure. Continue reading → San Luis Obispo Health Expo
March 19, 2013 -- Vitamin D Event
The Vitamin D Council will be exhibiting at the SLO Health Expo this weekend at the Alex Madonna Expo Center!
If you live in the central California area, come by and chat with over 100 health and fitness professionals, including yours truly! Admittance to the expo is free, and if you feel up to it, sign up for the 5k fun run to get a bit of exercise before the festivities begin. For more info visit the SLO Health Expo Website. We hope to see you there! Prostate cancer and health disparities
March 19, 2013 -- Vitamin D Event
This week's free Grassroots Health webinar features Dr Bruce Hollis discussing vitamin D, prostate cancer, and health disparities.
Register here for today's webinar, which starts at 10am PST! Have a vitamin D question? You can submit your questions for Dr Heaney when you register.