The Vitamin D Cure Blog

Vitamin D plays an important role in the formation, function, and protection of the nervous system. Extremely low vitamin D levels are associated with depressed mood, chronic pain from osteomalacia, lower seizure thresholds, and dementia. In the September blog we present more observational data from large cohorts confirming some of these relationships.

It is important to understand the take home message of The Vitamin D Cure (last chapter). Vitamin D is not the answer to all health problems. It is a reflection of an unhealthy lifestyle. The book addresses this lifestyle by focusing on increased sun exposure, supplementation of vitamin D and some other targeted nutrients, dramatic dietary changes, and daily exercise to optimize vitamin D function and lower the risk of all the diseases associated with its deficiency. I cannot emphasize enough, the importance of embracing the entire package of change.

When I wake up at 6 am I do a 30 minute workout. This includes 15 pull ups (whole body), therapeutic band upper body work out, 40 pushups, 100 balance-extension lunges on each leg, recumbent air cycling with leg weights, 40 sit ups, 40 back ups (back extensions lying face down), and stretches. I drink a small pot of Japanese green tea, and then it’s off to work. NO breakfast or lunch 4 days a week. I work straight through the day with no breaks. I drink 2-3 glasses of water through the day. Three days a week I come home from the office and change into my running gear and run 2-3 miles. After my run I have a large meal of lean animal/marine protein and lots of green veggies. Typically I have 1-2 glasses of wine with this and 2 glasses of water. I take my supplements with this meal. My supplements include vitamin D, omega 3, magnesium, niacin, and probiotics.

My grandfather had dementia late in life. My grandmother died at 67 from a heart attack and my father has cardiovascular disease with only a low HDL as a risk factor. I am creating a lifestyle that I believe will prevent the outcomes I see in my family. I am sharing my personal lifestyle with the public because I think that all of us can benefit from these changes. I celebrated my birthday last month and I hope to celebrate many more, without cardiovascular disease and with a brain that works as it was designed to. I offer you the same lifestyle in The Vitamin D Cure.

Recipe of the Month
Remember our recipes are courtesy of Chef Kelly (kellychez@gmail.com). If you have recipes you would like to share or convert to follow the rules of The Vitamin D Cure send them to contact@thevitamindcure.com .

Salmon Citrus Salad

Serves 4

12 ounce salmon fillet with skin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups canned chickpeas
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
3 cups sliced cucumber
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 T. chopped basil
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tbs. white wine vinegar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tsp. brown sugar or a tablespoon of local honey
1 tsp. dijon
1 tsp. fresh orange zest
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper
4 cups mixed greens (collards, kale, spinach and/or romaine)

Preheat broiler. Place salmon skin-side down on a nonstick broiler pan. Sprinkle with pepper. Place 4 inches from heat and broil 6-8 or until fish just flakes when tested with a fork. Drizzle lemon juice over salmon.

Meanwhile, combine beans, tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, basil and dressing in a large bowl; toss to coat.

Combine orange juice through garlic in a jar and shake until combined; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Next, cut salmon into 1-inch chunks and add to the bowl; toss gently to combine.

Transfer mixture to 4 individual plates, placing on top of mixed greens.

Vitamin D in the News

Serum vitamin D and the risk of Parkinson disease. Arch Neurol. 2010 Jul;67(7):808-11.

This study was based on the Mini-Finland Health Survey, which was conducted from 1978 to 1980, with Parkinson disease occurrence follow-up through the end of 2007. During the 29-year follow-up period, 50 Parkinson disease cases occurred. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was determined from frozen samples stored at baseline. 3173 men and women, aged 50 to 79 years and free of Parkinson disease at baseline were included. RESULTS: There was a 67% reduction in risk for Parkinson disease with the highest vitamin D levels compared to the lowest after adjustment for sex, age, marital status, education, alcohol consumption, leisure-time physical activity, smoking, body mass index, and month of blood draw (≤ 11.2 ng/mL vs. ≥22.8 ng/mL in men. ≤10 ng/mL vs. ≥20 ng/mL in women).

Vitamin D and risk of cognitive decline in elderly persons. Arch Intern Med. 2010 Jul 12;170(13):1135-41. Public Health and Epidemiology Group, Peninsula Medical School, University of Exeter, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter EX2 5DW, England.

The InCHIANTI population-based study conducted in Italy between 1998 and 2006 with follow-up assessments every 3 years looked at 858 adults 65 years or older who completed interviews, cognitive assessments, and medical examinations and provided blood samples. Cognitive decline was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and substantial decline was defined as 3 or more points. The Trail-Making Tests A and B were also used. RESULTS: The multivariate adjusted relative risk (95% confidence interval [CI]) of substantial cognitive decline on the MMSE in participants who were severely serum 25(OH)D deficient (levels <25 nmol/L) in comparison with those with sufficient levels of 25(OH)D (>/=75 nmol/L) was 1.60 (95% CI, 1.19-2.00). Multivariate adjusted random-effects models demonstrated that the scores of participants who were severely 25(OH)D deficient declined by an additional 0.3 MMSE points per year more than those with sufficient levels of 25(OH)D. The relative risk for substantial decline on Trail-Making Test B was 1.31 (95% CI, 1.03-1.51) among those who were severely 25(OH)D deficient compared with those with sufficient levels of 25(OH)D. No significant association was observed for Trail-Making Test A. CONCLUSION: Low levels of vitamin D were associated with substantial cognitive decline in the elderly population studied over a 6-year period, which raises important new possibilities for treatment and prevention.

Vitamin D Success Story
Please share your successes at success@thevitamindcure.com or online at Amazon. Your success story has a powerful impact on motivating others to change their lifestyle.

The Vitamin D Cure will soon appear in the Korean language published by William Books. The book will be marketed to Korean physicians.

See an interview with Dr. Dowd by the Detroit Free Press at

This blog focuses on the heart and soul of health. The Vitamin D Cure emphasizes nutrition, targeted supplements, and exercise. Omega 3 fats and exercise were all over the science news in the last week. Remember in the book we recommend about 15 mg/lb of body weight daily of omega 3 fats from diet and supplement. We also recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise a day and aerobic exercise at least 3 times a week.

And this month for the palate, we have a vitamin D rich recipe of Salmon with asparagus and mushrooms. For Valentines Day you might chase this with some dark chocolate and a glass of port. Yuuuumy!

Recipe of the Month
Remember our recipes are courtesy of Chef Kelly (kellychez@gmail.com). If you have recipes you would like to share or convert to follow the rules of The Vitamin D Cure send them to contact@thevitamindcure.com.

Seared Salmon with Asparagus & Mushrooms

Ingredients:
• 4 Fresh skinless wild salmon fillets (about 1 pound)
• Salt & Pepper
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cups sliced assorted mushrooms (such as button, cremini, shittake)
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup clam juice, fish stock, chicken stock or broth (whatever you have)
• 2 cups asparagus, cut into 1 1/2 in. long pieces
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:
• Pat fish dry and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add onion, garlic and thyme; cook until mushrooms are tender. Add the wine and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup.
• Add clam juice (or stock) and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for another 15 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup.
• Add the asparagus and cover; cook for about 3 minutes or until al dente (crisp-tender.) Stir in the tomatoes, parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving platter; keep warm.
• In the same skillet, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the salmon and cook for 4-6 minutes per 1/2 inch thickness, or until fish flakes easily with a fork, turning once.
• Serve salmon over vegetable mixture and garnish with lemon wedges and fresh thyme.
Makes: 4 Servings

Vitamin D, Diet, and Exercise in the News

Association of marine omega-3 fatty acid levels with telomeric aging in patients with coronary heart disease.
JAMA. 2010 Jan 20;303(3):250-7.
Division of Cardiology, Room 5G1, San Francisco General Hospital, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA.

CONTEXT: Increased dietary intake of marine omega-3 fatty acids is associated
with prolonged survival in patients with coronary heart disease. However, the
mechanisms underlying this protective effect are poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: To
investigate the association of omega-3 fatty acid blood levels with temporal changes in telomere length, an emerging marker of biological age. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: 608 ambulatory outpatients in California with stable coronary artery disease recruited from the Heart and Soul Study RESULTS: Individuals in the lowest quartile of DHA+EPA experienced the fastest rate of telomere shortening, whereas those in the highest quartile experienced the slowest rate of telomere shortening (P < .001 for linear trend across quartiles). Levels of DHA+EPA were associated with less telomere shortening before and after sequential adjustment for established risk factors and potential confounders. Each 1-SD increase in DHA+EPA levels was associated with a 32% reduction in the odds of telomere shortening. CONCLUSION: Among this cohort of patients with coronary artery disease, there was an inverse relationship between baseline blood levels of marine omega-3 fatty acids and the rate of telomere shortening over 5 years.

Long-Chain Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Indicated Prevention of Psychotic Disorders:A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010 Feb;67(2):146-54.
Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, 35 Poplar Rd. Vienna, Austria

CONTEXT: The use of antipsychotic medication for the prevention of psychotic disorders is controversial. Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may be beneficial in a range of psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia. Given that omega-3 PUFAs are generally beneficial to health and without clinically relevant adverse effects, their preventive use in psychosis merits investigation. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether omega-3 PUFAs reduce the rate of progression to first-episode psychotic disorder in adolescents and young adults aged 13 to 25 years with subthreshold psychosis. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial conducted between 2004 and 2007. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-one individuals at ultra-high risk of psychotic disorder. INTERVENTIONS: A 12-week intervention period of 1.2-g/d omega-3 PUFA or placebo was followed by a 40-week monitoring period; the total study period was 12 months. RESULTS: 93.8% completed the intervention. By 12 months, 2 of 41 individuals (4.9%) in the omega-3 group and 11 of 40 (27.5%) in the placebo group had transitioned to psychotic disorder (P = .007). The difference between the groups in the cumulative risk of progression to full-threshold psychosis was 22.6% (95% confidence interval, 4.8-40.4). Omega-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids also significantly reduced positive symptoms (P = .01), negative symptoms (P = .02), and general symptoms (P = .01) and improved functioning (P = .002) compared with placebo. The incidence of adverse effects did not differ between the treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Long-chain omega-3 PUFAs reduce the risk of progression to psychotic disorder and may offer a safe and efficacious strategy for indicated prevention in young people with sub-threshold psychotic states.

COMMENT: Higher omega 3 blood levels in heart patients appear to be associated with slower shortening of telomeres in white blood cells. Remember, the lengths of telomeres are associated with longevity or survival. In data edited from the book, the use of cod-liver oil to prevent rickets in Finland appeared to reduce the risk for schizophrenia in men 30 years later by as much as 78 percent. But, was this benefit from the vitamin D, the vitamin A or the omega 3 fats found in cod liver oil? This second study shows us that the omega-3 fats are playing an important role in this protection, and perhaps at any age preceding the onset of psychosis. It would break my heart if you didn’t take your omega 3 supplements.

Resistance training and executive functions: a 12-month randomized controlled trial.
Arch Intern Med. 2010 Jan 25;170(2):170-8.
Brain Research Centre, Centre for Hip Health and Mobility, Vancouver Coastal Research Institute, Department of Physical Therapy, University of British Columbia. 357-2647 Willow St, Vancouver, BC V5Z 3P1, Canada.

According the authors, among community-dwelling women aged 65 to 75 years, 12 months of progressive resistance training once or twice weekly improved selective attention and conflict resolution relative to twice-weekly balance and toning exercises. They also found that resistance training twice weekly improved peak quadriceps muscle power. This is the first study to demonstrate that engaging in progressive resistance training as infrequently as once a week can significantly benefit executive cognitive function in community-dwelling senior women.

In the same issue were two additional corroborating studies…

Physical activity and incident cognitive impairment in elderly persons: the INVADE study.
Arch Intern Med. 2010 Jan 25;170(2):186-93. Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. Conclusion: Moderate or high physical activity is associated with a reduced incidence of cognitive impairment after 2 years in a large population-based cohort of elderly subjects.

Physical activity at midlife in relation to successful survival in women at age 70 years or older. Arch Intern Med. 2010 Jan 25;170(2):194-201. Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Conclusion: These data provide evidence that higher levels of midlife physical activity are associated with exceptional health status among women who survive to older ages and corroborate the potential role of physical activity in improving overall health.

These data validate the Jack Lalanne phenomenon and the message in the Vitamin D Cure. Eat healthy, exercise hard, take some targeted supplements like vitamin D, omega 3 and magnesium, and you will live a long, healthy and vigorous life.

Vitamin D Success Story
Please share your successes at success@thevitamindcure.com or online at Amazon. Your success story has a powerful impact on motivating others to change their lifestyle.

Hi Dr Dowd,

… I have been suffering with joint pain, muscle weakness, bone pain for 3 years. I am a 52 year old female. It was hard moving, getting up from a chair, holding heavy objects in my hands and so on. I have gone to physical therapist, with not much change. I have seen rheumatologists and also an endocrinologist…with no relief. I was given Lortab and steroids. They help for a little while. Last May my vitamin D was measured and was 20 or insufficient. My then rheumatologist told me to just supplement with D 3. Recently I bought a chewable D 3 1000 from GNC for my son and took one myself. The next day when I woke up, it was like I had gotten a huge steroid shot. It was unbelievable. I felt relieved. My pain was very minimal. My low back pain was gone. My back has been a problem for more than 3 years. … I bought your book last night and read it from beginning to end. …

Thank you,
Judy, from MI

The Vitamin D Cure is now available in paperback! Now your healthy new lifestyle manual will cost you even less. It’s a great gift idea as well.

Recipe of the Month
Remember our recipes are courtesy of Chef Kelly (kellychez@gmail.com). If you have recipes you would like to share or convert to follow the rules of The Vitamin D Cure send them to contact@thevitamindcure.com .

This month’s recipe is not exactly Paleolithic. It has peas which were not routinely consumed by primitive cultures. However, it is loaded with chlorophyll and is a great compliment to a lean piece of meat either on the side or chopped up and put directly into the soup. And, it tastes fantastic!

Green Pea Soup with Tarragon & Pea Sprouts.

Ingredients

2 16-oz. packages frozen sweet green peas, divided
2 Tbsp. canola oil
3 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 qt. vegetable stock
3 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped and divided
Pea Sprouts
1 Avocado

Preparation:

1. Place 1 cup of peas in a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat and sauté shallots until golden and tender. Add garlic and sauté 1 additional minute.
3. Add remaining peas, vegetable stock, and 2 Tbsp. of chopped tarragon; bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat and continue simmering until the peas are tender and the flavors have developed, about 10 minutes.
5. Either with an immersion blender or in small batches in a blender, purée the soup until completely smooth.
6. Return the soup to the saucepan and bring back to a simmer, adjusting consistency with more stock if desired.
7. Stir in remaining tarragon and season with salt and pepper.
8. Mash avocado and mix with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
9. To serve, top with whole peas (heated in microwave for 1 minute), pea sprouts and a dollop of guacamole, if desired.

Vitamin D in the News

Do Melanoidins Induced by Topical 3% Dihydroxyacetone Sunless Tanning Spray Inhibit Vitamin D Production? A Pilot Study. Photochem Photobiol. 2009 May 28.
Osteoporosis Research Center, Creighton University, Omaha, NE.

They report preliminary study data of the effect of sunless tanning spray with 3% dihydroxyacetone (DHA) on 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] serum levels in volunteers exposed to controlled amounts of UV-B radiation during April/May in Omaha, NE, 41 degrees N latitude. They found that DHA-induced melanoidins in skin act as a topical sunscreen reducing the formation of vitamin D (25(OH)D).

Vitamin D nutritional status of exclusively breast fed infants and their mothers. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab. 2009 Mar;22(3):241-6. Department of Pediatrics, Kalawati Saran Hospital, New Delhi, India.

As I said in the Vitamin D Cure, vitamin D has a profound effect on the development of an infant. It follows then that the vitamin D status of mothers and their infants are tied together. Studies in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have shown wide spread deficiency in mother-infant pairs at 42 degrees north latitude. This study shows us that even in equatorial regions of the globe deficiency is wide spread. Study Design: 180 healthy lactating mothers and exclusively breast fed infants, 2-24 weeks old had clinical, biochemical and hormonal evaluation for calcium-vitamin D-PTH axis. Results: The average serum vitamin d 25(OH)D values in lactating mothers was 27.2 +/- 14.6 nmol/l (10.9 +/-5.8 ng/ml), while that of their infants was 28.9 +/- 20.8 nmol/l (11.6 +/- 8.3 ng/ml). Remember 80 nmol/L or 32 ng/mL is the bottom end of the normal range for vitamin D levels. Serum 25(OH)D levels <25 nmol/l (10 ng/ml) were found in 47.8% of the mothers and 43.2% of the infants. Among these, elevated PTH levels (>54 pg/ml) were seen in 59.3% of the mothers and 69.6% of the infants. A highly significant negative correlation was found between serum 25(OH)D and PTH in mothers (r = -0.480, p = 0.01) and their infants (r = -0.431, p = 0.01). A strong positive correlation was seen of vitamin D 25(OH)D levels in mother-infant pairs (r = 0.324, p = 0.001). Conclusions: A high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was found in lactating mothers and their exclusively breast fed infants. Infants born to mothers with low vitamin D had 3.8 times higher risk of developing low vitamin D as compared to those born to mothers with normal vitamin D levels.

Dietary vitamin D and cancers of the oral cavity and esophagus. Ann Oncol. 2009 Jun 1. International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, MD.

We discussed the relationship between diet and vitamin D and colon cancer in The Vitamin D Cure. This study looks at that relationship with esophageal and oral cancer Methods: The researchers examined the relation between dietary vitamin D intake and squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus (SCCE; 304 cases) and oral/pharyngeal cancer (804 cases) in two case-control studies in Italy. Odds ratios(ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by multiple logistic regression. Results: Adjusted ORs for SCCE and oral/pharyngeal cancer were 0.58 (95% CI 0.39-0.86) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.60-0.94), respectively, for the highest tertile of vitamin D intake. Compared to the highest tertile of vitamin D who were never/former smokers, ORs were 8.7 (95% CI 4.1-18.7) for SCCE and 10.4 (95% CI 6.9-15.5) for oral/pharyngeal cancer among heavy smokers in the lowest vitamin D tertile; similarly, compared with those in the highest tertile of vitamin D who drank <3 alcoholic drinks/day, corresponding ORs were 41.9 (95% CI 13.7-128.6) for SCCE and 8.5 (95% CI 5.7-12.5) for oral/pharyngeal cancer, among heavy alcohol drinkers in the lowest vitamin D tertile. Conclusion: They observed an estimated 25-40 percent reduction in risk for oral/pharyngeal cancer and SCCE respectively with greater risk reductions in the absence of alcohol use or smoking.

Does vitamin d reduce the risk of dementia? J Alzheimers Dis. 2009 May;17(1):151-9.
Sunlight, Nutrition, and Health Research Center (SUNARC), P.O. Box 641603, San Francisco, CA 94164-1603, USA.

In the Vitamin D Cure we talk about how vitamin D is important for brain development, how it facilitates learning and protects the brain from injury. This article develops the hypothesis that vitamin D can reduce the risk of developing dementia, presenting the evidence from observational and laboratory studies. The observational evidence demonstrates that low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] has been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, depression, dental caries, osteoporosis, and periodontal disease, all of which are risk factors for dementia or precede the development of dementia. The laboratory evidence includes several findings on the role of vitamin D in neuroprotection and reducing inflammation. This is a great review of the current data linking vitamin D and risk for dementia.

Vitamin D Success Story

Please share your successes at success@thevitamindcure.com or online at Amazon. Your success story has a powerful impact on motivating others to change their lifestyle.

This month’s success story comes from Tom with seasonal allergies.

Hello,
I have a question about allergies.
I have suffered from seasonal allergies in May and June all my life. Until I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea and had to wear a mask when I slept I just put up with them. However, constant sneezing and a runny nose were intolerable while wearing a CPAP mask. I finally went to an allergist and had scratch tests done and I had the strongest ranked reactions to all three types of grasses tested. However, due to glaucoma in one eye the allergist could not treat me. I then just used prescription antihistamine during my allergy season.

Now that I am taking vitamin D and eating a modified paleo/chimpanzee diet my allergies are gone this season for the first time. (I modify the Paleolithic diet by eliminating red meat from my diet for male chimpanzees suffer from interstitial myocardial fibrosis and the only difference between male and female chimps is that males hunt red meat, eat red meat, and as a rule do not share it with female chimps.) Is this grass allergy elimination possible or simply a coincidence? In short it is a miracle. Part of me thinks, “Wheat is a grass and you are allergic to grass so cutting out wheat only made sense in retrospect.”

Do other people with grass allergies find good results by going paleo and taking the vitamin D cure? I am shocked it could work so fast.

Thank you,
Tom

The simple answer is yes. The explanation is unclear and involves many variables. Allergies are determined likely in the first 24 months of life based on vitamin D levels, passive immunity from breast feeding, and exposure to other plant and animal proteins in our diet. Higher vitamin D intakes during pregnancy appear to lower the risk for asthma later in childhood. Heliotherapy in adults with eczema seems to have a clearing effect on this skin disease. However, some studies of vitamin D intake in childhood seem to point to higher likelihood of developing allergies. The science is still up in the air. I suggest following Mother Nature’s lead. We should be in the sun more than we are now, we should all be breast fed as infants, and we should not consume grain or dairy as adults.

Get your copy of The Vitamin D Cure, lay out in the sun and have a good read!