The Vitamin D Cure Blog

I recently touched base with a colleague, Dr. Howard Schubiner who has helped me understand chronic pain as it relates to stress. We collaborated on a study looking at cognitive behavioral techniques to facilitate the ‘unlearning’ of pain pathways. He has a new book out titled, Unlearn Your Pain: A 28 day process to reprogram your brain, available through his website, www.unlearnyourpain.com . If you’re suffering from chronic pain and you do not feel better after normalizing your vitamin D, changing your diet, and exercising then you need to check this book out. It could be the answer to your prayers.

There will be an exciting conference in Los Angeles in the Summer of 2011, The Ancestral Health Symposium . Loren Cordain calls it the “Woodstock of Evolutionary Medicine”. Brent Pottenger is organizing the program and there should be a potpourri of presentations by many experts, advocates, and practioners. Brent’s wonderful blog will keep you posted as the event approaches.

There is a new book out, Principles of Evolutionary Medicine by Peter Gluckman, one of the world’s leading researchers in this area. I have my copy ordered. The table of contents looks terrific. It should be an intense read. Peter Gluckman and David Barker are members of a generation of evolutionary biologist who have connected the theory with animal and human disease models. There will be some Nobel prizes handed out to some of these scientists.

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 Gourmet Mushrooms & Sausage over Wild Rice

Serves 4
-1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
-1 larger onion, chopped
-12 ounces Italian Sausage, casings removed (try venison or other wild game sausage)
-1 Tbsp. tomato paste
-1/2 cup parsley, chopped
-1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
-2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth OR stock
-1 10-ounce package frozen spinach
- 2 cups of dried gourmet mushrooms rehydrated in water (Portobello, morels, porcini etc…)
-Salt and pepper
-1 cup wild rice
-1 cup cold water

Directions:
(For the stew)
-Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and cook until soft (about 5 to 7 minutes.)
-Add sausage and cook, crumbling it until browned.
-Add the tomato paste and cook another 2 minutes. Stir in parsley & cilantro and cook 1 more minute.
-Add the broth and rehydrated mushrooms; bring to a boil. Add the frozen spinach and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
-Stir in salt and pepper to taste.
(For the rice)
-In a saucepan cover rice and water until it comes to a boil. Reduce to low and cook 20 minutes or until the rice is al-dente.

Place rice on the plate and spoon the mushroom and sausage mix over the rice and serve.

Vitamin D in the News

An article came out in JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) showing again that single annual high dose vitamin D replacement is not effective at preventing fractures of falls in elderly. This paper published 2007 also showed no benefit to annual dosing.

If you want to effect a change you have to change more than one variable as in the study that came out in Archives of Internal Medicine this month. In this study they replaced vitamin D and had patients participate in physical therapy.

Osteoporosis is NOT a disease of elderly it is a symptom of the elderly; it is a life long disease. Many young girls fail to attain peak bone mass due to poor nutrition (lack of protein and green veggies) and lack of exercise. They then enter late adult life and begin to gradually lose bone mass from a position of weakness. This accelerates after menopause and then they become symptomatic with fractures. It is NOT surprising to see a lack of benefit from relatively short term intervention (1-2 years) of a single variable in a disease influenced by many factors over many decades.

Research by Reinhold Vieth, PhD from University of Toronto showed that monthly dosing of vitamin D produces swings that tended to cause some calcium loss in the urine from high peak levels of D. Weekly and daily dosing did not cause this problem. Moreover, many of the reports of vitamin D toxicity come from Europe where they commonly use IM injections of high dose vitamin D in institutionalized elderly. The absorption of vitamin D from these injections is not consistent from patient to patient. Vitamin D ( 25(OH)D ) in too high of a blood level can induce some over production of the active hormone. High levels of the active hormone will pull calcium out of the bone and increase fracture risk.

Timing is everything. You want normal vitamin D levels during the phase of your life when you are building bone (third trimester of fetal gestation through 20 years of age). This is when it has its greatest benefit to bone. Treating older individuals who have lost bone is not likely to show much difference unless you focus on people with vitamin D levels below 20 and preferably with compensatory hyperparathyroidism; and throw in lots of exercise (stimulus to build bone). The solution is entire Vitamin D Cure program.

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. Check out the latests successes on Amazon.

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

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 .

Roasted Tomato and Vegetable Soup

Yield: 8 servings (1 1/3 cup)

Ingredients:
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 3 14-oz. cans chicken stock (low sodium)
• 2 cups butternut squash; peeled, seeded and cut into 1-in. pieces
• 1 14.5-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 15-to 19-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
• 1 cup small broccoli and/or cauliflower florets
• 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions:
• In a 4-quart pot, cook onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in chicken stock, squash, and undrained tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes covered.
• Add beans, zucchini, broccoli and/or cauliflower, oregano, salt and pepper; cook for another 5 minutes.
• Slow Cooker Option: Omit the olive oil and combine all ingredients except the zucchini, broccoli and/or cauliflower and fresh oregano in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Add zucchini, broccoli and/or cauliflower and fresh oregano and cook 30 minutes more on high.
• You can have a grilled chicken breast or nice piece of white fish with a bowl of this soup.

Vitamin D in the News

In the book we speculated that HIV transmission might be greater with lower vitamin D levels. This data from Africa and Harvard suggests that the spread of HIV in Africa particularly between mother and child is at least in part due to lower vitamin D levels. These data also suggest that our lifestyles that lead to low vitamin D levels and malnutrition are facilitating another epidemic, HIV/AIDS.

High frequency of vitamin D deficiency in ambulatory HIV-Positive patients.AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 2009 Jan;25(1):9-14.
Infectious Disease Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.

Several reports have suggested an increased prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis in HIV-infected individuals. Vitamin D deficiency may be a risk factor for osteoporosis and bone fractures. These researchers determined the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in an outpatient HIV clinic in Boston. They collected serum levels of 25-OH vitamin D and evaluated calcium and vitamin D intake in adult HIV-positive outpatients during the winter and spring of 2005. Fifty-seven subjects were enrolled. The prevalence of moderate (< or = 20 and>10 ng/ml) and severe (< or =10 ng/ml) 25-OH vitamin D deficiency was 36.8% and 10.5%, respectively. Lower vitamin D intake was significantly associated with severe 25-OH vitamin D deficiency (p=0.01). Lactose intolerance tended to be associated with severe vitamin D deficiency (p=0.08). Antiretroviral use and low daily calcium intake were significantly associated with elevated parathyroid hormone levels (p=0.01 and 0.03, respectively). Vitamin D deficiency was frequent in ambulatory HIV-positive patients. HIV-infected individuals living in areas with low exposure to ultraviolet light during winter may benefit from vitamin D supplementation.

Perinatal Outcomes, Including Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV, and Child
Mortality and Their Association with Maternal Vitamin D Status in Tanzania.
J Infect Dis. 2009 Aug 12.
Departments of Epidemiology, Nutrition, Biostatistics, and Global Health and Population, Harvard School of Public Health, and Channing Laboratory, Department Of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Departments of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, and Community Health, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dares Salaam, Tanzania.

Background. Vitamin D is a strong immunomodulator and may protect against adverse pregnancy outcomes, mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and child mortality. Methods. A total of 884 HIV-infected pregnant women who were participating in a vitamin supplementation trial in Tanzania were monitored to assess pregnancy outcomes and child mortality. Results. No association was observed between maternal vitamin D status and adverse pregnancy outcomes, including low birth weight and preterm birth. In multivariate models, a low maternal vitamin D level (<32 ng/mL) was associated with a 50% higher risk (95% confidence interval [CI], 2%-120%) of MTCT of HIV at 6 weeks, a 2-fold higher risk of MTCT of HIV through breast-feeding among children who were HIV uninfected at 6 weeks (95% CI, 1.08-3.82), and a 46% higher overall risk of HIV infection (95% CI, 11%-91%). Children born to women with a low vitamin D level had a 61% higher risk of dying during follow-up (95% CI, 25%-107%). Conclusions. If found to be efficacious in randomized trials, vitamin D supplementation could prove to be an inexpensive method of reducing the burden of HIV infection and death among children, particularly in resource-limited settings.

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.

Dr. Dowd,

First I’d like to say that your book has made quite an impact on my life. Because I have a sun-sensitive porphyria I have always avoided sunlight, but over the years that led to constant battles with viruses, anemia, and eventually heart failure and cancer. I became convinced that many of my problems were related to a vitamin D deficiency so I had my blood checked and sure enough I was deficient in spite of excellent DEXA scans.

I tried various levels of exposure to see what I could tolerate without triggering a porphyria attack and have come up with 15 minutes between 9 and 10am MST (Colorado) or after 4pm. I’ve done this three times a week most of the summer and my recent kidney scan showed that my cancer had decreased in size. My overall health is getting much better including my heart and lung function and viral load (I had viral pneumonia, CMV and Parvo all at one time!). Thanks so much for your work.

Janet, Colorado Springs

Many patients with diseases that prevent them from getting adequate sun exposure are vitamin D deficient. Supplementation using the tables in The Vitamin D Cure is safe, convenient, and inexpensive

July 2009

Just a comment on health policy: There is no better time than now to write your congress persons about healthcare reform. The key word is healthcare, note; it does not say health insurance reform. Giving more money in the form of premiums to health insurance companies does not make anybody healthier, it simply costs money. Insurances are in the business of holding on to their money (actually your money). We need HEALTHCARE reform. This would imply making Americans healthier. How much do you think flood insurance costs in Scottsdale, Arizona? You probably can’t sell it to anybody because it never floods. But, I’ll bet it’s really inexpensive. Now, if everybody were as healthy as Jack LaLanne is at 95 how expensive would health insurance be? It would be really inexpensive. How much of the health care system do you think Jack has used over the years? Almost none. Healthcare crisis solved. We all need to do our part to live a healthy lifestyle through diet, exercise, and some targeted supplements. Anything that can incentivize this behavior and penalize unhealthy behavior will lower costs and improve the health of Americans. The taxes and public health campaigns against cigarette smoking are a testament to the success of this approach. Prevention is the only affordable solution to this healthcare crisis. The Vitamin D Cure is a step in that direction.

Don’t forget to use the UV Calculator on the website this summer for safe sun exposure http://www.thevitamindcure.com/calculator/

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 .

Roasted Salmon & Bok Choy with Roasted Red Pepper Puree
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:
• 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1-1 ½ lbs. Salmon Fillet, cut into 4 portions
• Salt & Pepper, to taste
• 1 ½ lb. Bok Choy, cut cross grain in ¼- ½ inch pieces
• ½ tsp. lemon zest, grated
• 6 oz. roasted red peppers, drained
• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 clove garlic
• Dash of Tabasco
• Salt & Pepper, to taste

Procedure
• Heat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Heat olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold fish in a single layer.
• Season fish with salt and pepper and place fish, flesh-side down, in skillet and place in oven to roast for about 10 minutes, turning carefully once halfway through cooking time, until just cooked through.
• Remove salmon from the skillet; tent with foil.
• Add bok choy and lemon zest to skillet, stir to coat with pan’s oil. Place in oven 1 to 2 minutes, until leaves are wilted and stems are warmed through.
• To make puree, blend peppers, olive oil, garlic and Tabasco in a blender until smooth; season with salt and pepper to taste.
• To serve, divide greens on four plates; top each with a piece of fish. Finish with the puree over the fish.

Vitamin D in the News

Effect of vitamin D on blood pressure’ a systematic review and meta-analysis.
J Hypertens. 2009 Jul 7.
Section of Ageing and Health, Scotland Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Centre for Cardiovascular and Lung Biology, Division of Medical Sciences, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland.

Vitamin D insufficiency has been linked to hypertension and cardiovascular events in observational studies. It is unclear whether vitamin D supplementation can reduce blood pressure, and, if so, by how much. METHODS: Researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine whether vitamin D reduces blood pressure. Interventions included activated vitamin D, unactivated vitamin D2 and D3 and ultraviolet B radiation. RESULTS: Eleven randomized, controlled trials fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Studies were small and of variable methodological quality. Mean baseline blood pressure was more than 140/90 mmHg in eight studies. Meta-analysis of these eight studies showed a non-significant reduction in systolic blood pressure in the vitamin D group compared with placebo [-3.6 mmHg, 95% confidence interval (CI) -8.0 to 0.7]. A small, statistically significant reduction was seen in diastolic blood pressure (-3.1 mmHg, 95% CI -5.5 to -0.6). Subgroup analysis suggested that unactivated vitamin D produced a greater fall in systolic blood pressure than activated vitamin D (-6.2 mmHg, 95% CI -12.32 to -0.04, vs. +0.7 mmHg, 95% CI
-4.8 to 6.2). No reduction in blood pressure was seen in studies examining patients whose blood pressure was normal at baseline. CONCLUSION: The researchers found weak evidence to support a small effect of vitamin D on blood pressure in studies of hypertensive patients.

Chronic Tension-Type Headache With Vitamin D Deficiency: Casual or Causal Association?
Headache. 2009 Jul 8.
From the Department of Neurology, Medical College, Baroda, Gujarat, India; Department of Psychiatry, Medical College, Baroda, Gujarat, India

The prevalence of tension-type headache and vitamin D deficiency are both very high in the general population. The inter-relations between the two have not been explored in the literature. These researchers report 8 patients with chronic tension-type headache and vitamin D deficiency severe enough to cause osteomalacia (a bone disease caused by severe vitamin D deficiency). All the patients responded poorly to conventional therapy for tension headache. The headache and osteomalacia of each of the 8 patients responded to vitamin D and calcium supplementation. The improvement in the headache was much earlier than the improvements in the symptom complex of osteomalacia.

This phenomenon is not common in European Americans but in peoples of color with much lower vitamin D levels headache is likely a common symptom of vitamin D deficiency.

Replete vitamin D stores predict reproductive success following in vitro fertilization.
Kocaeli University, School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kocaeli, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: The researchers wanted to determine whether 25OH-D levels in the follicular fluid (FF) of infertile women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) were related with IVF cycle parameters or outcome, hypothesizing that vitamin D in body fluids are reflective of vitamin repletion status. PATIENT(S): Eighty-four infertile women undergoing IVF. INTERVENTION(S): Follicular fluid from follicles >/=14mm; serum (n = 10) and FF levels of 25OH-D. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Clinical pregnancy (CP), defined as evidence of intrauterine gestation sac on ultrasound, following IVF; IVF cycle parameters. RESULT(S): Serum and FF levels of 25OH-D were highly correlated (r = 0.94). In a predominantly Caucasian population (66%), significantly lower FF 25OH-D levels were noted in Black versus non-Black patients. Significant inverse correlations were seen between FF 25OH-D levels and body mass index (r = -0.25). Significantly higher cycle parameters (CP) and implantation rates were observed across 25th percentiles of FF 25OH-D; patients achieving CP following IVF (n = 26) exhibited significantly higher FF levels of 25OH-D. Multivariable logistic regression analysis confirmed FF 25OH-D levels as an independent predictor to success of an IVF cycle; adjusting for age, body mass index, ethnicity, and number of embryos transferred, each ng/mL increase in FF 25OH-D increased the likelihood for achieving CP by 6%. CONCLUSION(S): Our findings that women with higher vitamin D level in their serum and FF are significantly more likely to achieve CP following IVF-embryo transfer are novel. A potential for benefit of vitamin D supplementation on treatment success in infertile patients undergoing IVF is suggested and merits further investigation.

This is consistent with a similar smaller study that identified high rates of vitamin D deficiency in infertile women with polycystic ovarian disease. And, that replacement of vitamin D increased the rate of successful pregnancy in this same population.

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 mother of a patient of mine shared this with me and also posted it on Amazon. Don’t forget your children when thinking about vitamin D.

“My son was lucky to be referred to Dr. Dowd when he was 13 years old. Dr. Dowd discovered he didn’t have rheumatoid arthritis (like his MD has suspected) or even “growing pains” like I suspected, but had low levels of vitamin D. After 4-6 weeks of vitamin D supplements, all his joint pain was gone! In addition, he stays much healthier (colds, flu, etc.) and much to our surprise, the warts on his feet finally went away…after three different doctors and three different methods of treatment for the warts! “

“Having the opportunity to meet Dr. Dowd is amazing. He is so smart and able to explain the immune system and the role of vitamin D in language even my 13 year old son could understand. Three years later, and my son is still symptom free as long as he keeps taking the vitamin D.”

Remember the type of suns rays that are necessary for vitamin D production (UVB) are only available between spring blossoms and fall colors. This season is long in the Southern United States but here in Michigan late April to May marks the beginning of the vitamin D season. Allergies come with springtime as well. In this issue you will see that severity of asthma and allergies is related to low vitamin D levels. And, when you bend down to pick those flowers or weeds, your knee pain may be associated with low vitamin D levels. So take your vitamin D and get some sun for your arthritis and allergies.

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 .

Lemon-Honey Roasted Chicken
with Warm Cucumber, Fennel and Fingerling Potato Salad

For the chicken:
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 T. Honey
• 3.5-4 lb. chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 t. salt
• 4 sprigs of thyme
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees
2. In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, chicken broth and honey.
3. Rub the chicken pieces with oil and sprinkle with salt.
4. Place the chicken, skin-side down, in a roast pan just large enough to make a single, snug layer of chicken. Pour the seasoned broth over the chicken and tuck the thyme sprigs among the chicken pieces.
5. Roast for 10 minutes. Turn the chicken skin-side up and roast for another 20 minutes or until chicken reaches 160 degrees.

For the Salad:
• 1.5 lbs. fingerling potatoes, halved (larger ones cut in quarters)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 lb. haricot verts, steamed
• 3 medium stalks celery, trimmed and sliced
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
• 1 medium bulb fennel, trimmed, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees and place potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet; toss with 1 T. olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast until tender, about 25-30 minutes and let cool slightly.
3. To serve combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat evenly with olive oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Serve with roasted chicken.

Vitamin D in the News

Serum levels of vitamin D, sunlight exposure, and knee cartilage loss in older adults: The Tasmanian older adult cohort study.
Arthritis Rheumatism. 2009 Apr 29;60(5):1381-1389
University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, and Monash University Medical School, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

In the vitamin D Cure we talk about optimizing vitamin D to prevent osteoarthritis or loss of cartilage. This study is confirmation of its importance over time. A total of 880 randomly selected subjects (average age 61 years, 50% women) were studied at baseline, and 353 of these subjects were studied 2.9 years later. Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) were assessed, and sunlight exposure was assessed by questionnaire. MRI of the right knee was performed to determine knee cartilage volume and defects. Knee x-rays and knee pain were also assessed. RESULTS: The mean 25(OH)D serum level was 21.1 ng/mL (52.8 nmoles/liter) at baseline. Winter sunlight exposure and serum 25(OH)D level were both positively associated with medial and lateral tibial cartilage volume (the lower the D level the less the cartilage volume), and a serum 25(OH)D level <20 ng/mL was associated with more medial joint space narrowing (all P < 0.05). Over time, baseline serum 25(OH)D level predicted change in cartilage volume (P < 0.05), and change in serum 25(OH)D level was positively associated with change in medial tibial cartilage volume. These associations were consistent in subjects with radiographic OA and knee pain and/or in women, but not in men or in subjects without radiographic OA or knee pain. CONCLUSION: Less sunlight exposure and lower serum 25(OH)D levels are both associated with loss of knee cartilage (assessed by radiograph or MRI). This implies that achieving vitamin D sufficiency may prevent and/or retard cartilage loss in knee OA.

Serum vitamin D levels and markers of severity of childhood asthma in costa rica.
Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2009 May 1;179(9):765-71.
Channing Laboratory, 181 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.

Higher vitamin D intake during pregnancy has been associated with a lower likelihood of asthma symptoms in early childhood. This study looks at vitamin D levels as a marker of asthma severity in childhood. The researchers examined 616 Costa Rican children between the ages of 6 and 14 years. RESULTS: Of the 616 children with asthma, 175 (28%) had insufficient levels of vitamin D (<30 ng/ml). Vitamin D levels were significantly and inversely associated with total IgE and eosinophil count (the higher the D level the lower the IgE and eosinophil count). Statistics showed that a higher vitamin D level was associated with reduced odds of any hospitalization in the previous year (P = 0.03), any use of antiinflammatory medications in the previous year (P = 0.01), and increased airway responsiveness (P = 0.05]). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that vitamin D insufficiency is relatively frequent in an equatorial population of children with asthma. In these children, lower vitamin D levels are associated with greater allergy and asthma severity.

Maternal Vitamin D Deficiency Is Associated with Bacterial Vaginosis in the First Trimester of Pregnancy.
J Nutr. 2009 Apr 8.
Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA 15261.

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a highly prevalent vaginal infection that is associated with complications of pregnancy. Vitamin D exerts an influence on the immune system and may play a role in BV. This study examined the association between maternal vitamin D and the prevalence of BV in early pregnancy. Women (n = 469) enrolled in a pregnancy study at <16 wk of pregnancy underwent a pelvic examination and provided a blood sample for determination of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. RESULTS: Approximately 41% of women had BV and 52% had a serum 25(OH)D concentration <15 ng/mL. The average serum 25(OH)D concentration was lower among BV cases compared with women with normal vaginal bacteria (P < 0.001). There was less BV as vitamin D levels increased (P < 0.001). Approximately 57% of the women with a serum 25(OH)D concentration <8 ng/mL had BV compared with 23% of women with a serum 25(OH)D concentration >32 ng/mL. There was a dose-response association between 25(OH)D and the prevalence of BV. The prevalence declined as 25(OH)D increased to 80 nmol/L, then reached a plateau. Remember from the Vitamin D Cure that you want your level to be at or above 35 ng/mL. Compared with a serum 25(OH)D concentration of 30 ng/mL, there were 1.65-fold and 1.26-fold increases in the prevalence of BV associated with a serum 25(OH)D concentration of 8 and 20 ng/mL, respectively, after adjustment for race and sexually transmitted diseases. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with BV and may contribute to the strong racial disparity in the prevalence of BV.

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 months success story comes from Angel at …..@arosurf.com

I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Dr. Dowd and his book/blog/efforts! Hoo RA!

After a lifetime of trials and challenges I was finally diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of 44. My doctor had the right mind to check my vitamin D level (21ng/mL) and gave me an Rx. This led me out of my lifelong depression. Much body pain subsided; daily pain was nonexistent, yet pains were great and hard to recover when I went to the gym to work off my 100 excess pounds with a trainer 3x/week. (I didn’t know what fibromyalgia was though had experienced it for years).

After I thought my gut healed with a gluten-free diet, I decided to stop supplements. By the next winter my vitamin D had gone down to 17ng/mL, and I was a depressed mess and in pain again.

After reading a few websites, listening to a fibro sufferer on You Tube and reading your book, I finally realized how important the supplements were to my diet. I started taking them earnestly since May of last year, got one to two hours daily sunshine, and my November tests last year was 64 ng/mL. My pain is gone and when I exercise I am sore for one day, which is normal and reasonable!

I weighed around 250 lbs at the time of my celiac diagnosis, gained 22 pounds trying all the gluten-free grained products and/or when I didn’t know what to eat, I’d eat Yoplait, sometimes up to 5 a day (can you say HFCS?!) before figuring out what pre-diabetes was. I’ve lost 50 lbs now, and being able to exercise routinely has changed my life. THANK YOU SO MUCH for being part of my life! I try to tell everyone about your book, and what a difference it has made to me….

…I had my immediate family members vitamin D levels tested and my husband’s vitamin D was 13!!!!! My daughter’s was 23. My hubby has gout, high blood pressure, stiffness, and metabolic syndrome. Talk about a heart attack waiting to happen! HE resisted my efforts for heaven’s sake. “We” likely saved his life. No doctor ever thought to do this simple test. Both family members are taking supplements now. (BTW, I’ve also read Loren Cordain’s, Daniel Amen’s, and Jack Challem’s books! and also Carolyn Dean’s The Magnesium Miracle + many more — your book was a great compilation of much of the info I’ve read elsewhere!)

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU etc. I eat up your blog! (no calories!)