Vitamin D deficiency linked to serious illnesses

Vitamin D deficiency linked to serious illnesses

Courtesy of Yavapai Regional Medical Center Although Vitamin D is commonly called the "sunshine" vitamin, it is actually a steroid hormone, not an essential dietary vitamin. An essential dietary vitamin is something that an organism cannot produce on its own and must get from a dietary source. Vitamin D is found in few dietary sources, however. For most people, sunlight exposure is the primary source of vitamin D, other than supplements. Vitamin D was originally thought to play a role only in the mineralization of bones and teeth by maintaining the correct phosphorous/calcium ratio. Over time, though, research has linked low vitamin D levels with other problems, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disease, osteoporosis and cancer. According to a report released by the CDC in 2006, nearly a quarter of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D. One percent of the population has Vitamin D levels low enough to be considered imminently harmful. There are many theories as to why this is happening. One is that Americans today do not spend as much time outdoors as they did in generations past. In Arizona, our 300 days of sunshine every year provides plenty of opportunity to soak up the sun. Those who do get plenty of sun, however, tend to slather on the sunscreen for protection against skin cancer. The problem is, sunscreen inhibits UVB rays (the rays responsible for suntans) from penetrating the skin. Without those UVB rays, vitamin D cannot be naturally produced. Other factors also impact upon how much UVB rays reach the skin. Factors such as time of day, the season, the altitude, the latitude and more make a difference in the natural production of Vitamin D. Vitamin D levels can become especially depleted during the winter months when we stay inside more and the sun is not as intense. A growing amount of research links depression to Vitamin D levels but results are mixed. Research does seem to show a link between low levels of vitamin D and symptoms of depression. However, it's unclear whether low vitamin D levels cause depression, or whether depression results in low vitamin D levels. Here are a few important things to note: • The healing properties of natural sunlight cannot penetrate glass. You cannot reap the Vitamin D benefits of sunshine while sitting inside your home or car. You must go outside. • Darker-skinned individuals can require as much as 25 times more exposure time as a light skinned person to get the same amount of vitamin D. • Unless your body has sufficient levels of vitamin D, it cannot absorb calcium no matter how much calcium you take. • If you are diagnosed with a vitamin D deficiency, it will take months of adequate sunlight and/or supplements to return your body to normal levels. • Kidney disease or liver damage will hinder your body's ability to activate vitamin D when needed. Have your vitamin D level checked by a simple blood test. High quality Vitamin D supplements can be found at www.opc411.com. Isotonix Vitamin D with K2 Despite the fact that there are many vitamin D supplements to choose from, Isotonix Vitamin D with K2 proves that all supplements are not created equal. By being the first of its kind to combine vitamin D with vitamin K2 in an isotonic form, this product supports vascular health and calcium utilization. By enhancing vitamin D's role in bone health, heart health and immune support, the addition of vitamin K also helps to support normal calcium absorption and the promotion of healthy arteries. OPC411.com

Vitamin D proven to boost energy -- from within the cells

courtesy of sciencecodex.com

Vitamin D is vital for making our muscles work efficiently and boosting energy levels, new research from Newcastle University has shown.

A study led by Dr Akash Sinha has shown that muscle function improves with Vitamin D supplements which are thought to enhance the activity of the mitochondria, the batteries of the cell.
A hormone normally produced in the skin using energy from sunlight, Vitamin D can also be found in a few foods – including fish, fish liver oils, egg yolks and fortified cereals but it can also be effectively boosted with Vitamin D supplements.

It is thought around 60% of people in the UK are vitamin D deficient, with children under five, people with dark skin and the elderly being particularly vulnerable. While it has a well-established association with helping in bone formation and a deficiency can lead to rickets, its role in other health issues is just emerging.
The researchers used non-invasive magnetic resonance scans to measure the response to exercise in 12 patients with severe deficiency before and after treatment with vitamin D.

Lead author Dr Akash Sinha who also works within the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: "The scans provided a unique window into what is really going on in the muscle as it works.
"Examining this small group of patients with vitamin D deficiency who experienced symptoms of muscle fatigue, we found that those with very low vitamin D levels improved their muscle efficiency significantly when their vitamin D levels were improved."

Alongside poor bone health, muscle fatigue is a common symptom in vitamin D deficient patients. This fatigue could be due to reduced efficiency of the mitochondria: the 'power stations' within each cell of the body.
Mitochondria use glucose and oxygen to make energy in a form that can be used to run the cell - an energy-rich molecule called ATP. Muscle cells need large amounts of ATP for movement and they use phosphocreatine as a ready and available energy source to make ATP. The mitochondria also replenish this phosphocreatine store after muscle contraction and measuring the time taken to replenish these stores is a measure of mitochondrial efficiency: better mitochondrial function is associated with shorter phosphocreatine recovery times.

The team found that these recovery rates significantly improved after the patients took a fixed dose of oral vitamin D for 10-12 weeks. The average phosphocreatine recovery half time decreased from 34.4 sec to 27.8 sec. All patients reported an improvement in symptoms of fatigue after having taken the supplements. In a parallel study, the group demonstrated that low Vitamin D levels were associated with reduced mitochondrial function.

Dr Sinha added: "We have proved for the first time a link between vitamin D and mitochondria function.
"Of the patients I see, around 60% are vitamin D deficient and most people living north of Manchester will struggle to process enough vitamin D from sunlight alone, particularly during winter and spring. So a simple vitamin D tablet could help boost your energy levels – from within the cells."

Source: Newcastle University

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nutraMetrix Isotonix® Vitamin D with K2

Primary Benefits of nutraMetrix Isotonix® Vitamin D with K2*:

• Promotes normal bone mineral density
• Promotes healthy arteries
• Supports immune health
• Helps maintain bone health
• Helps maintain bone mass by supporting normal osteoclast activity
• Helps maintain cardiovascular health
• Promotes elasticity of blood vessels
• Helps maintain normal blood pressure
• Women with low bone density have been found to be deficient in vitamin K

Key Ingredients Found in nutraMetrix Isotonix® Vitamin D with K2:
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) 5000 IU
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is found in some foods and endogenously produced when sunlight strikes the skin and activates vitamin D synthesis. Vitamin D promotes the efficient intestinal absorption of calcium, primarily in the duodenum and jejunum by supporting the synthesis of calcium-binding proteins to promote normal calcium absorption and retention. Vitamin D also promotes the normal formation of bone and normal bone growth and bone remodeling by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Vitamin D deficiency can be caused by factors such as lack of exposure to sunlight, reduced skin synthesis of vitamin D, lower dietary intake, impaired intestinal absorption and reduced metabolism to active forms of vitamin D by the kidneys, all of which increase with aging. Deficiency has been linked to numerous health concerns, and insufficient levels of this vitamin are associated with weak bones and  muscle weakness. In addition to promoting strong bones, vitamin D also has other roles in health, including supporting the body’s normal modulation of neuromuscular function and immune function. Vitamin D has been shown to support immune-modulation, and it is thought that supplementation promotes immune health by promoting the body’s normal regulation of T-cell function. In reference to cellular health, vitamin D supports the modulation of many genes that are responsible for encoding proteins that regulate normal cell cycle activity. Vitamin D levels have been strongly correlated to healthy cells. Lastly, through its interaction with VDR (vitamin D receptor), vitamin D supports the healthy expression of the gene encoding renin, thus helping to maintain healthy blood pressure.*
Vitamin K2 45 mcg
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin found in meat, eggs, dairy and natto. Although a fat-soluble vitamin, the body stores very little K2, and its stores are rapidly depleted without regular dietary intake. Natural vitamin K2, also known as menaquinone-7 (MK-7), is the most bioavailable form of K2 and has the longest half-life in the blood of any form of vitamin K. The Japanese soy food natto is particularly rich in menaquinone-7 (MK-7). Studies of natto consumption in Japan have linked menaquinone-7 to bone and cardiovascular health. The correlation of vitamin K to cardiovascular and bone health directly focuses on supporting proper calcium utilization, whereby adequate metabolism of calcium supports arterial and bone health. This is often referred to as the calcium paradox. The calcium paradox is explained simply as getting calcium in the right place (i.e., into the bone structures instead of the arterial vessel walls.) These events are dependent upon the synthesis of the vitamin K-dependent proteins osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein in a process called carboxylation. The carboxylation of these proteins is a post-translational step; that is, osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein are translated from their respective messenger RNA and then modified by enzymes to the active forms. These carboxylated forms support the healthy binding and releasing of calcium. This reaction is essential for optimal and healthy utilization of calcium. Vitamin K2 promotes the synthesis of proteins involved with calcium utilization, thereby supporting bone retention and arterial health. While Vitamin D supports the healthy regulation and synthesis of osteocalcin, the mineral-binding capacity of this protein requires vitamin K-dependent carboxylation and is thought to be related to bone mineralization. Gas6 is a vitamin K-dependent protein found throughout the nervous system, as well in the heart, lungs, stomach, kidneys and cartilage. Although the exact mechanism of its action has not been determined, Gas6 appears to be a cellular growth regulator involved in cellular activities such as cell adhesion, cell proliferation and protection against apoptosis.*

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