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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Monday, August 15, 2005 - 5:04 am
Source: Ivanhoe.com Reported June 7, 2004 HP caution: Never make a change (like making changes to how much Vitamin D you take) without first consulting your doctor. Got Vitamin D? Full-Length Doctor's Interview In this full-length doctor's interview, Kerry Burnstein, Ph.D., explains the risks of vitamin D deficiency. Ivanhoe Broadcast News Transcript with Kerry Burnstein, Ph.D., Cancer Researcher, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida TOPIC: Got Vitamin D? What makes vitamin D a hormone? Dr. Burnstein: A hormone is a substance that the body makes. A hormone travels in the bloodstream, and it affects targets such as organs and tissues. Vitamin D is a hormone because we can actually make it in our body. It's made by a series of chemical reactions that start when the sunlight hits our skin, which converts a pre-form of vitamin D into another form that becomes further converted in the liver and kidneys to what we call the "active form of vitamin D." How can we get vitamin D? Dr. Burnstein: In addition to sunlight, we can get it from our diet. There are certain sources that are rich in vitamin D, such as oily fish. For instance, cod liver oil is a great source of vitamin D. You can get some from fortified milk. One cup of milk is about a quarter of the recommended daily allowance. Can you take vitamin D in supplement form? Dr. Burnstein: Yes. You can take it as a nutritional supplement. How much vitamin D should we get each day? Dr. Burnstein: The recommended amount for people under age 70 is 400 international units, and the recommended amount for people over age 70 is 600 international units. But there are a lot of experts in the field who think that those numbers should be higher. What does 400 international units translate into? Dr. Burnstein: It's about 10 micrograms. It would be four cups of skim milk. Does sunlight contribute to fulfilling the RDA of vitamin D? Dr. Burnstein: Actually, no. You can get vitamin D from sunlight, but the problem is that people at northern latitudes or the elderly housebound don't always get enough sun. Also, elderly skin is not quite as good as younger skin at making vitamin D. Because of the inconsistencies vitamin D derived from sunlight is not figured into the RDA. What are the risks when you don't get this recommended allowance every day? Dr. Burnstein: The best recognized affect of vitamin D is maintaining a healthy skeleton. When vitamin D is deficient, children develop a disease called rickets, which we've known about for over a century. Rickets is inadequate bone formation that can result in deformities. Adults get a similar disease called osteomalacia, which means softening of the bones, and they can also get osteoporosis. But now we realize that vitamin D affects a variety of other tissues and organs. Vitamin D deficiency may put people at risk for several different diseases. What are these other diseases? Dr. Burnstein: Two that were just published were multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. The finding was that vitamin D appears to be protective against those diseases. If you get enough vitamin D is the thought that it will prevent rheumatoid arthritis and MS? Dr. Burnstein: These experiments started when it was noted that there are a variety of diseases for which a north/south gradient exists. What that means is that people who reside at northern latitudes seem to be at increased risks for certain diseases compared to people in the south. The correlation is that people in the north have less sunlight, and people in the south have more exposure to sunlight. The thought was that vitamin D may be protective. We also know that vitamin D affects many things besides the skeleton, and one of the systems that vitamin D affects is the immune system. Immune cells can be regulated by vitamin D, and since there appears to be an immune component to diseases such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis the thought is that again maybe vitamin D can protect. What are some of the findings that have come out for arthritis? Dr. Burnstein: The arthritis study showed that women, and I believe that it was elderly women, who were taking vitamin D supplements had decreased incidence of rheumatoid arthritis. Now the fact is, vitamin D can affect immune cells and can lead to an anti-inflammatory type of setting. It's thought that perhaps that's how vitamin D may be working, by decreasing inflammatory cells that are contributing to this auto-immune disease. What is it about vitamin D that is protective? Dr. Burnstein: Having adequate vitamin D correlates with a decreased risk for the disease, and we don't exactly know how that happens. It may be through actions in other cells, such as immune cells. Why is vitamin D so beneficial? What is there about it that makes it so useful? Dr. Burnstein: We really don't know for sure. But we do know vitamin D can inhibit the proliferation of abnormal cell growth. The other thing that vitamin D does is helps cells to mature and specialize, which can be especially helpful in cancers. Vitamin D deficiency actually seems to put people at risk for the three major types of cancer -- prostrate, breast and colon cancer. Do you think that cancer is the next sort of big area for vitamin D research and development? Dr. Burnstein: We don't really believe that vitamin D is a "magic bullet" to cure cancer, but it might be a helpful addition to other therapies. It may be a chemotherapy preventative agent, meaning that it will protect against the development of disease and also help therapeutically. There's something very interesting about prostate cancer: The three major risk groups for prostate cancer are also the three major risk groups for vitamin D deficiency. So, we know that prostrate cancer is more prevalent among African Americans, and we know that African Americans have a tendency to be vitamin D deficient because black skin is not as good at forming vitamin D. Also elderly men get prostate cancer at a much higher rate than younger men, and the elderly tend to be vitamin D deficient We think elderly people are vitamin D deficient because their older skin is not quite as good at forming vitamin D or that they're not getting outside as much. And the third group that seems to have higher rates of prostate cancer are people who reside at northern latitudes, who also get less sun. Any other diseases that vitamin D could possibly help? Dr. Burnstein: I know vitamin D is used for psoriasis or any type of hyperproliferative disorder where cells are growing uncontrollably. There are also other diseases for which vitamin D deficiency can put people at risk, such as hypertension and type 1 diabetes. There are arrays of diseases that seem to have a lower incidence when adequate vitamin D is adequate. How much vitamin D is too much? Dr. Burnstein: It's too much when calcium rises. Too much calcium in the body can be detrimental. It can affect the neuromuscular system, gastrointestinal system, and it can even lead to cardiac arrest. Would doubling the recommended dosages lead to too much vitamin D? Dr. Burnstein: No. The thought is that 50,000 international units might do that, but it really depends on the person and how they respond to vitamin D. It's dictated by the presence of the receptors for vitamin D, which is what allows vitamin D to have its actions. This is like all hormones. What would you recommend to people in light of the recent findings from the MS study, the arthritis study, and the work with prostrate cancer? Dr. Burnstein: I think it's very important that people get adequate vitamin D. It's not as easy to get it from the diet as one would think. As I mentioned, it comes from oily fish and milk. I would recommend getting a little bit of sunlight, and it doesn't take much to form vitamin D. The thought is that it really takes only about 15 minutes of sun, nothing near what it would take to give you a sunburn. Or take a vitamin supplement. What would your recommendation be to someone who lives in the north who can't walk outside for as many months of the year? Dr. Burnstein: I would recommend that they take at least the 400 international units of vitamin D a day, and through supplements is fine. The MS study and the rheumatoid arthritis studies actually showed women who were taking the vitamin D as supplements were the ones with the decreased risk. What are your personal thoughts on vitamin D in light of all this research? Dr. Burnstein: Vitamin D is important. It's not a magic cure-all but vitamin D deficiency is probably more rampant in this world than we recognize. It's sort of been scoffed at scientifically, but now it's coming into its own because of some of these studies. You should make sure you have enough. Is it your hope that vitamin D can be used as a preventative? Dr. Burnstein: That's actually what I'm very excited about. END OF INTERVIEW
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 9:19 am
Source: Ivanhoe.com Reported on May 20, 2005 Vitamin E Lowers Parkinson’s Risk (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A diet rich in vitamin E may help decrease the risk for developing Parkinson’s disease, according to an analysis of various studies. Researchers in Canada conducted a meta-analysis of studies from 1966 to March 2005 to determine whether vitamin C, vitamin E, and Beta Carotene could decrease one's risk for Parkinson’s. Combining the results from eight studies, the researchers found diets high in vitamin E appeared to decrease the risk for Parkinson’s disease. Vitamin C and beta carotene did not have the same risk-lowering effects. Analysis of another study shows synthetic vitamin E supplement does not have the same effect as dietary vitamin E. Researchers believe this may be due to synthetic vitamin E being less “bioactive” and, thus, less able to penetrate the brain. Another possibility is vitamin E may be less effective after Parkinson’s symptoms become present. Authors conclude, “Our data suggest that diets rich in vitamin E protect against the development of [Parkinson’s Disease]. No definite conclusions regarding the benefits of supplemental vitamin E can be made. Neither vitamin C nor beta carotene seems to have a neuroprotective effect. Given that these data are observational, confirmation from well-designed randomized controlled trials is necessary before suggesting changes in routine clinical practice.” SOURCE: The Lancet Neurology, 2005;4:362-325 Source for the info below: National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements Vitamin E: What is it? Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight different forms. Each form has its own biological activity, which is the measure of potency or functional use in the body [1]. Alpha-tocopherol (α-tocopherol) is the name of the most active form of vitamin E in humans. It is also a powerful biological antioxidant [2-3]. Vitamin E in supplements is usually sold as alpha-tocopheryl acetate, a form that protects its ability to function as an antioxidant. The synthetic form is labeled "D, L" while the natural form is labeled "D". The synthetic form is only half as active as the natural form [4]. Antioxidants such as vitamin E act to protect your cells against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of energy metabolism. Free radicals can damage cells and may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Studies are underway to determine whether vitamin E, through its ability to limit production of free radicals, might help prevent or delay the development of those chronic diseases. Vitamin E has also been shown to play a role in immune function, in DNA repair, and other metabolic processes. What foods provide Vitamin E? Vegetable oils, nuts, green leafy vegetables, and fortified cereals are common food sources of vitamin E in the United States. Foods High in Vitamin E Name/Serving Size/Recommended mg daily/From Highest Daily Value (DV) to Lowest Wheat Germ Oil, 1T, (20.3 mg), 100% DV Almonds, Dry Roasted, 1 oz, (7.4 mg), 40% Sunflower Seed Kernals, Dry Roasted, 1T, (6 mg), 30% DV Sunflower Oil, Over 60% linoleic, 1T, (5.6 mg) 30% DV Safflower Oil (Over 70% Oleic), 1T, (4.6 mg), 25% DV Hazelnuts, Dry Roasted, 1 oz. (4.3 mg), 20% DV Peanut Butter, Smooth, Vitamin and Mineral Fortified, 2T, (4.2 mg), 20% DV Peanuts, Dry Roasted, 1 oz, (2.2 mg), 10% DV Corn Oil (Salad or Vegetable Oil), 1T, (1.9 mg), 10% DV Spinach, Frozen, Chopped, Boiled, 1/2 c, (1.6 mg), 6% DV Broccoli, Frozen, Chopped, Boiled, 1/2 c, (1.2 mg), 6% DV Soybean Oil, 1T, 1.3 mg), 6% DV Kiwi, 1 Medium Fruit Without Skin, (1.1 mg), 6% DV Mango, Raw, Withou Refuse, 1/2 c sliced, (.9 mg), 6% DV Spinach, Raw, 1 c, (.6 mg), 4% DV
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 10:38 am
Source: Ivanhoe.com Reported December 29, 2005 Vitamin D Cuts Cancer Risk in Half (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Vitamin D may cut the risk of some cancers so much that it could lead to new recommendations of how much of the supplement we need a day. A new study from the Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center, shows taking 1,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D3 each day seems to lower your risk of developing certain cancers by up to 50 percent. Some of the cancers the supplement could protect against include colon, breast and ovarian cancer. The high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency, combined with the discovery of increased risks of certain types of cancer in those who are deficient, suggest vitamin D deficiency may account for several thousand premature deaths from colon, breast, ovarian and other cancers annually, say the authors. The study shows those who live in the northeastern United States who have higher skin pigmentation were at increased risk of vitamin D deficiency. That's because solar UVB is needed for humans to synthesize vitamin D. Researchers find poorer survival rates of certain cancers are linked to the decreased ability of blacks to make the vitamin. The findings are based on information from 63 observational studies of vitamin D status in relation to cancer risk published worldwide between January 1966 and December 2004. The authors recommend an intake of 1,000 IU per day of vitamin D and call for prompt public health action to increase the amount. They say the supplement is an inexpensive way to prevent cancers that kill millions of people every year. SOURCE: American Journal of Public Health, published online Dec. 27, 2005
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 10:42 am
Source: Ivanhoe.com Reported June 17, 2005 Vitamin D Wards off Prostate Cancer (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study shows men who spend more time in the sun are less likely to develop prostate cancer. However, researchers stop short of recommending sunbathing to ward off the disease, noting there are better ways to get the vitamin. “From a public health perspective, it is important to emphasize that the possible benefits of sun exposure must be weighed against the risks of sun-induced skin cancer, especially melanoma,” write the authors. “If future studies continue to show reductions in prostate cancer risk associated with sun exposure, increasing vitamin D intake from diet and supplements may be the safest solution to achieve an adequate vitamin D status.” The study grew out of previous research from the same group of investigators, which showed vitamin D helps the prostate maintain healthy cells and also helps keep cancerous cells from leaving the prostate and traveling to remote parts of the body. According to the researchers, some people are more prone to the benefits, depending on their genetic makeup and how their vitamin D receptors hook up with vitamin D. The current study was conducted among 450 white men with advanced prostate cancer and 455 men without the disease. Researchers determined sun exposure -- and thus exposure to vitamin D, which comes from the sun -- by comparing pigmentation between the men and reviewing information they provided on time spent in the sun. Overall, men with high sun exposure had about half the risk of prostate cancer as those with low sun exposure. Men with favorable genetic profiles and high sun exposure had about a 65-percent reduced risk. SOURCE: Cancer Research, 2005;65(12):1-10
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Vacanick
Member
07-12-2004
| Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 10:58 am
HP ... I love that you take the time to get all this information to us. Thank you! 
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Herckleperckle
Member
11-20-2003
| Friday, January 27, 2006 - 12:33 pm

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Denecee
Member
09-05-2002
| Friday, January 27, 2006 - 1:13 pm
Yes, you are such a sweetheart!
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