Vitamin D Deficiency

[Goemon_]

The Vitamin D council has home kits you can get to get your tests done, plus some advice on the doses:

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/am-i-getting-too-much-vitamin-d/#

I have order a Vitamin D Test Kit from mercola.com as it is the first one I found they ship world wild. 71 € including shipping.

 

[neonix]

Here's some interesting extractions I found about Vitamin D and hormonal imbalance.

Does Vitamin D Balance Female Hormones?

A study published in "Cancer Causes & Control" in March, 2010 indicates that vitamin D can help balance the levels of estrogen and progesterone in young women and help prevent a hormonal imbalance that might promote breast cancer.

Vitamin D can also benefit neurons, or nerves. Maintaining a proper balance of female hormones proves important to the health of your brain, since both estrogen and progesterone play important roles in maintaining brain function. Progesterone helps protect neurons from toxicity due to an overstimulation of brain cells. A study published in "Molecular Medicine" in June, 2009 indicates that vitamin D supports progesterone in protecting brain cells. By helping maintain a proper balance of progesterone functioning within your brain, vitamin D might help prevent or treat some forms of brain damage.

Top 3 Vitamins for Hormone Imbalance in Women - Simply Health

In 2013, researchers noted that hypothyroid patients (those with underactive thyroid glands) had significantly low levels of vitamin D compared to the healthy individuals. This study result supports the role of vitamin D in thyroid dysfunction. The study was published in the International Journal of Health Sciences,

Earlier in 2010, it was found that vitamin D could also influence insulin secretion and glucose levels in the bloodstream. This study was published in International Journal of Endocrinology.

https://www.energeticnutrition.com/blog/2013/04/is-a-vitamin-d-deficiency-keeping-you-down/

A Vitamin D deficiency can lead to the abnormal release of parathyroid hormone, which can eventually lead to a hormonal imbalance due to high levels of circulating parathyroid hormone.

The pituitary gland, responsible for regulating many different hormones including estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, is also affected by Vitamin D. A study published in “Brain Pathology” identified Vitamin D as important in regulating pituitary cell growth. This is important because if pituitary cells grow abnormally, pituitary tumors can occur, often resulting in disrupted hormone balance, and eventually disease. The study indicates that the vitamin might help to treat some pituitary tumors. As a result, Vitamin D might help to prevent a pituitary hormonal imbalance in some cases.

Vitamin D Deficiency and Low Estrogen: The Link - Paleo for Women

What does vitamin D do if you have too much estrogen, however? Does it just make it worse?
Actually, it doesn’t.
Vitamin D has been shown to reduce estrogen and progesterone levels in those who have too much of these hormones. Vitamin D has a significant moderating effect. It makes the receptor sites function properly, such that it boosts utilization if need be or decreases utilization if need be. If you have too much, it can reduce your levels. If you have too little, it can enhance them.

So don’t fear vitamin D if you have high estrogen levels. In fact, you may in all likelihood benefit from supplementation as well.

 

[Gaby]

Here's some interesting extractions I found about Vitamin D and hormonal imbalance.

There's another hormonal link: insulin.

Vitamin D's relationship with Insulin Resistance -- Sott.net

According to recent research, vitamin D deficiency affects your glucose metabolism and may actually be more closely linked to diabetes than obesity. In a study of 118 people, those with low vitamin D levels were more likely to have type 2 diabetes, pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome, regardless of their weight.

 

[neonix]

Vitamin D in Synaptic Plasticity, Cognitive Function, and Neuropsychiatric Illness

• Phoebe E. Mayne
• Thomas H.J. Burne

DOI:Redirecting

Highlights

Vitamin D plays various roles in normal brain physiology, including modulating synaptic plasticity.

Converging evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency affects multiple brain processes, including cognitive functioning, in both healthy people and those afflicted with neuropsychiatric illness. The underlying mechanisms, however, are poorly understood.

Evidence suggests that vitamin D deficiency impacts synaptic plasticity through a plethora of avenues, including l-type voltage-gated calcium channels and regulation of various neurotransmitters, including NO.

An emerging concept is that vitamin D deficiency may weaken the integrity of PNNs, aggregates of the ECM, through modulation of MMPs.

PNNs have been reported to play essential roles in cognitive processes such as learning and memory. As such, dysregulation of PNNs is likely to disturb neural-circuit function and impair cognitive functioning.

Assessing the molecular mechanisms that underpin the roles of vitamin D in cognition is pertinent to informing preventive and intervention strategies for persons with cognitive disturbances, including patients with schizophrenia.

Over a billion people worldwide are affected by vitamin D deficiency. Although vitamin D deficiency is associated with impaired cognition, the mechanisms mediating this link are poorly understood. The extracellular matrix (ECM) has now emerged as an important participant of synaptic plasticity and a new hypothesis is that vitamin D may interact with aggregates of the ECM, perineuronal nets (PNNs), to regulate brain plasticity. Dysregulation of PNNs caused by vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the presentation of cognitive deficits. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underpinning the role of vitamin D in brain plasticity and cognition could help identify ways to treat cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia and other neuropsychiatric conditions.

See also: Why A Lack Of Vitamin D Is So Bad For The Brain

 

[Persej]

Yes, there are many studies that show low levels of Vitamin D in children with autism or ADHD, and how their symptoms reduced with supplementation.

Hopefully we will soon get this new kind of test for Vitamin D levels:

Successful measurement of vitamin D in human hair

A new study by researchers from Trinity College Dublin and St James's Hospital has reported for the first time that vitamin D can be measured in human hair. The paper has been published in the international, peer-reviewed journal of human nutrition, Nutrients.

Vitamin D deficiency has reached epidemic proportions world-wide, with over 1 billion people estimated to be affected. Deficiency has been linked with bone health, but it could also be a risk factor for depression, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, diabetes and cancer. At present, the best way of assessing vitamin D is to measure the concentration of vitamin D in the blood. However, this can be painful, requires expertise and training along with hygienic conditions/equipment so getting a sample is not always workable. In addition, the blood result represents vitamin D status at a single time point, which is problematic because vitamin D changes with the seasons: it's not uncommon for someone to be sufficient in vitamin D in the summer time, and very deficient in the winter. This means that a single snapshot of vitamin D status is not able to provide information on vitamin D year-round.

The current study is the first in the world to publish that it is possible to extract and measure vitamin D in human hair. This is a major step forward in assessing vitamin D status, potentially one of the major innovations in vitamin D measurement. Traditional blood analysis captures just a moment in time; in contrast, hair, which grows at approximately 1cm per month, could reflect vitamin D status over several months capturing the large seasonal differences in vitamin D status.

The lead author of the study, Associate Professor in Epidemiology, Trinity College Dublin, Lina Zgaga said:

"This study presents the first step towards the development of a novel test for assessing vitamin D status over time. The idea is that vitamin D is being deposited continuously in the hair as it grows; more might be deposited at times when vitamin D concentration in the blood is high, and less when it's low. Therefore, test based on the hair sample might be able to give doctors a measure of vitamin D status over time -- if hair is long enough, this even might be over a few years!

"Further research is needed to establish the exact relationship between vitamin D concentration in the blood and in hair over time. We also need to investigate different factors that might affect vitamin D levels in hair, the most obvious ones being hair colour and thickness, or use of hair products such as hair dye."

Nutrition Research Fellow, Trinity College Dublin and co-author Dr Eamon Laird, added:

"Other applications could also include historical samples from archaeological sites. Hair (along with teeth) are some of the longest lasting surviving biological materials after death and thus it could be possible to for the first time assess the vitamin D status of historical populations -- Elizabethans, Viking, Celtic, Roman, ancient Chinese, Egyptian. Similarly, hair samples could also be used to assess longer-term vitamin D status in animals with applications to farming. The vitamin D status of ancient species could be measured given the well preserved and copious amounts of for example mammoth or ancient ice age animal hair that is often found from the warming permafrost and in museum specimens."

Principal Biochemist from the Biochemistry Department in St. James's Hospital and co-author Dr Martin Healy said:

"The presence of vitamin D in hair could be interpreted as a personal record of a person's vitamin D status. Having a knowledge of an individual's long-term vitamin D status through analysis of hair samples may allow for better strategies to maintain stable and adequate vitamin D concentrations over an extended period."

"The finding that vitamin D can be measured in hair samples potentially opens up a new approach to epidemiological studies relating the vitamin to bone and non-bone related medical conditions which have been associated with its deficiency."

Successful measurement of vitamin D in human hair: Study paves the way for improved diagnosis of vitamin D deficiency

A new study has reported for the first time that vitamin D can be measured in human hair. This is a major step forward in assessing vitamin D status, potentially one of the major innovations in vitamin D measurement.

www.sciencedaily.com

 

[Persej]

This study is also interesting. It doesn't mention Vitamin D, but it does show a correlation between ADHD and sunlight in the US:

https://www.brainclinics.com/association-adhd-intensity-sunlight-adhd-prevention

Geographic variation in the prevalence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: the sunny perspective - PubMed

In this study we found a lower prevalence of ADHD in areas with high SI for both U.S. and non-U.S. data. This association has not been reported before in the literature. The preventative effect of high SI might be related to an improvement of circadian clock disturbances, which have recently...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Persej]

I also like this one: Seasonal Vitamin D Status in Polish Elite Athletes in Relation to Sun Exposure and Oral Supplementation

In the present study the highest efficacy of an increase in vitamin D status was found in the group of athletes who were exposed to sun in winter in lower latitudes (RSA and Tenerife). The oral supplementation was also effective and significantly better than the exposure to summer sun in Poland, where only in August was 25(OH)D concentration higher than in the supplemented group. This confirms the weak sun radiation in Poland and Central Europe and ineffective sunshine exposure of athletes.

Except for three summer months, not five as described in literature, the majority of Polish elite athletes had inadequate status of vitamin D, which may negatively impact their health and performance.

An adequate vitamin D status can be achieved by both increased sun exposure and oral supplementation. However, winter sun exposure abroad in lower latitude locations proves to be more efficient than oral supplementation with recommended doses applied in the present study as well as more efficient than summertime sun exposure in Poland.

So winter sun in RSA and Tenerife generates more vitamin D than summer sun in Poland.

 

[Kay Kim]

According to the Cs information, if person is infected with L bacteria, then vitamin D supplement is harmful to the body.

 

[Kay Kim]

Something is wrong with my computer, because rest of context is not showing, and I tried to fixed but the time is out. I will look into see what’s the problem. I hope it work now.

Session Date: September 3rd 2008

"Q: (G) I wanted to ask about vitamin D supplements. Is it harmful to those infected with L bacteria?

A: Yes

Q: (DD) Silver should take care of that bacterial infection.

A: Partly, but here the problem is not enough of the right bacteria.

Q: (DD) Probiotic supplementation.

A: Yes.

Q: (A***) Are the probiotics good for me too?

A: Absolutely.

Q: (A***) I wanna ask, do I have a problem with this bacteria as well?

A: Yes.

Q: (A***) If so, is lying in the sun bad for me because of the vitamin D it produces?

A: Yes.

Q: (A***) Sun is bad? Just a little bit of sun?!

A: Not direct.

Q: (Z) I have a low vitamin D. Is it because of L bacteria infection?

A: Yes and other resident "critters."

Q: (DD) Are they protozoan?

A: No."

 

[neonix]

Does this means vitamin D can feed some parasites and you need to deal with parasites before fix vitamin D deficiency? There's some people that go to carnivorous diet, but If you eat mostly meat your microbiome could change, and if you eat bad quality meat your microbiome could be disrupted.

Benefits of Sunlight with Dr. Marc Sorenson

Dr. Marc Sorenson discusses the benefits of direct sun exposure with Dr. Mercola

 

[SMM]

It's been a few years since I took any Vitamin D supplements and there have been signs of imbalance and deficiency without a doubt over the past year, if not longer, such as illness. I'm also curious about Vitamin A levels.

With a darker complexion, I may need a higher amount than someone lighter, certainly more than is available naturally over here!

I found this thread while searching the forum. A better UVA/UVB lamp and some tests will help shed some light on the subject.

 

[Gmork]

Here is some good video about role of vitamin D and B's, that summarize this thread very well :

 

[Persej]

After taking a sunshine for several months during this year, and also taking an oral vitamin D for several months, I did a blood test for vitamin D. My results are: 26.5 nmol/l, which is quite low. Since kidneys have a role of converting vitamin D, perhaps I have a kidney problem? I do feel a slight pain in my kidney for a long time, which I never found out why. Oral vitamin D also gives me a low blood pressure. I tried taking vitamin D2 and it gave me a strong sharp pain in my kidneys.

 

[Chad]

After taking a sunshine for several months during this year, and also taking an oral vitamin D for several months, I did a blood test for vitamin D. My results are: 26.5 nmol/l, which is quite low. Since kidneys have a role of converting vitamin D, perhaps I have a kidney problem? I do feel a slight pain in my kidney for a long time, which I never found out why. Oral vitamin D also gives me a low blood pressure. I tried taking vitamin D2 and it gave me a strong sharp pain in my kidneys.

From what i understand, Vitamin D is difficult to measure because blood levels are not an accurate reflection of how much is stored elsewhere:

How does the body process vitamin D?

After vitamin D is absorbed through the skin or acquired from food or supplements, it gets stored in the body’s fat cells. Here it remains inactive until it’s needed. Through a process called hydroxylation, the liver and kidneys turn the stored vitamin D into the active form the body needs (called calcitriol). In case you were wondering, it doesn’t matter if you’re getting D2 or D3, and the sunlight-generated kind isn’t better than the nutritional variety. “The body can use each perfectly fine,” says Dr. Insogna.

Vitamin D Myths 'D'-bunked

Our skin and bone experts clear up major misconceptions about vitamin D. Find out what you need to know about getting enough vitamin D from the right sources.

www.yalemedicine.org

Myself and 2 other friends had our vitamin D blood levels checked in January, i'm white, 35 years old, and i spend a significant portion of my year working outside, including during the hot summer, in south west France, my friends work mainly inside. Between my 2 friends, also male, with ~ 8 years age difference between us, i had the lowest at 21 and they were a little higher with 23/24.

So there could be a number of factors of why mine is low, one in particular being that it may just be stored in my fat.

When i saw my vitamin D was low, i did take a 10,000 iu of vitamin D given by my doctor, i felt little/no difference, and, since then, i've tried it a few more times and had the same result.

In my opinion, when judging ones health, checking specific markers, like vitamin D, is fine - and for some things it may be critical - but it's just as important to be ensuring that ones diet and well being is also optimal; which means good quality, and a sufficient quantity, of animal fats; low and good quality carbs; water; low to no bad fats; exercise; mental stimulation and relaxation and much, much more.

Added: It may be that someone needs to supplement vitamin D, or that there are signs of other problems, but if the other areas of life aren't sorted out, how can one be sure it's just a supplement that is needed?

Other, more knowledgeable, people will hopefully will chime in with their thoughts, and perhaps they'll have some ideas about your kidney issue.

 

[SlavaOn]

An exert from Extinguishing the fires of hell Chapter 17 "Osteoporosis".

Just as with vitamin A, vitamin D is a powerful hormone. Vitamin D is a hormone that the human body produces naturally, and, therefore, self-regulates. Yet, the assumed to be experts have decided to supplement the entire North American populations with a second powerful hormone. I think this is a rather astonishing bit of scientific arrogance. To think that we are going to outsmart millions of years of evolutionary development with a pill, or supplement in our milk is a tad presumptuous at best. The only way these experts should be able to make these claims is for them to know precisely, and exactly every minute detail and the mechanism by which the vitamin D hormone can affect the human body. In other words, they had better be 100.00% sure about this. And they had better be 100% sure about it 350 million times over that daily consecutive consumption for a lifetime is completely safe too.


Now, the most basic, and obvious, question to ask about boosting everyone up on vitamin D supplementation to combat chronic diseases, osteoporosis, and cancer is: how’s it working out? Other than in preventing rickets, the stunning answer is that it is not working out at all! Rather, it appears to be just the opposite. An equally obvious question to ask is why did the rates of the chronic diseases, and cancer, start their dramatic rise in the late 1970s, only five years or so after more vitamin A & D were added to the national food supply. Was that just a coincidence?


Could this be an unforeseen consequence of this added vitamin A & D to the national food supply? Are we overdoing it? Could it possibly be causing higher rates of these diseases? Well, I think it might be significantly elevating the risk of cancer. This is not just speculation; it is now showing up in the data. The big connection here is that the nuclear hormone receptors that bind to retinoic acid also bind to vitamin D. Now, take one guess as to what happens when we block up that receptor? Well, once again it is not speculation since it has now been proven with another chemical, and that is the steroid treatments used in autoimmune diseases. It is causing higher rates of cancer. I’ll add a bit more on this cancer connection in a later chapter.

My question: do we really know or not know the exact mechanism of how Vitamin D works? As they said - road to hell is paved with good intentions.