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

The Vitamin D Cure is a breakthrough self-help book that takes the most recent scientific ideas and provides a practical program to promote the reader’s health. Here is some of what the Vitamin D Cure provides:

• Explains how vitamin D works in health and how deficiency causes disease.
• Recommends routine measurement of vitamin D levels for health screening.
• Tables help calculate accurate vitamin D replacement using your weight.
• Provides a single table to estimate safe unprotected sun exposure using the UV index.
• Promotes a Paleolithic diet that balances acid-base by emphasizing adequate lean protein from animals and fish combined with generous vegetable matter. (Tables and worksheets)
• Targets supplementation of vitamin D, omega 3 fats, and magnesium.
• Describes exercises to optimize vitamin D metabolism, weight loss, and quality of life.

The Vitamin D Cure introduces the importance of vitamin D and diet as EPIGENETIC influences on the risk for disease as an older child and adult.

The Vitamin D Cure is the first book that emphasizes the importance of vitamin D and diet in altering the development of our MICROBIOTA. These are the bacteria in our colon that shape our growth and development.

I encourage the reader to explore all the nooks and crannies in this book. Take out your highlighter and mark it up and write in the margins. That’s what paper books are for. You will find that this book is packed with information. The references online are organized by chapter and many are linked to full text through PubMed. Take advantage of these links, they are your tax dollars at work.

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 or post them as comments on the blog.

Mixed Herb Greens with Grilled Chicken, Fresh Raspberries, Pistachios and Balsamic Vinaigrette
Serves 4

4 chicken breasts (about 4 oz. each)
Fresh lemon slices & Pepper
8 cups mixed greens with herbs
1 cup fresh raspberries
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1 small red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. honey
3/4 cup olive or canola oil

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with fresh squeezed lemon juice and pepper and grill about 4 minutes a side or until juices run clear. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes then slice.

In a large serving bowl put the mixed greens. Next evenly sprinkle the raspberries, pistachios, and red onion. Top salad with sliced chicken.

In a small food processor place the balsamic vinegar, garlic, Dijon and honey; pulse a few times. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the olive or canola oil until it has all been incorporated. Season with lemon juice and pepper. Drizzle over salad and serve.

Vitamin D in the News

Is casual exposure to summer sunlight effective at maintaining adequate vitamin D
status? No

A study from the UK shows that current advice about modest sun exposure during the summer months does little in the way of boosting overall 25(OH)D levels. Moreover, they comment that failure to understand the nature of human exposure to sunlight leads to misguided advice concerning the sun exposure necessary for an adequate vitamin D status. See the sun exposure tool on The Vitamin D Cure website to calculate accurate exposure times based on real time UV index data.

Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 2010 Aug;26(4):172-6.

A study published last month verified this by exposing volunteers to 1.3 erythemal dose of simulated sun apparently only 13 minutes of exposure three times a week during the winter at 53 degrees north latitude. After 6 weeks of this exposure 74% of the volunteers were still deficient. Only 26% of the volunteers had vitamin D levels above 32 ng/mL, which is the cut off for normal.

This tells us that 13 minutes of sun wearing T-shirt and shorts 3 times a week is not enough sun exposure to raise vitamin D levels into the normal range. As we recommend in the Vitamin D Cure, 50% of skin exposure or more is necessary and now more than 3 exposures a week appear to be necessary for sunlight to normalize vitamin D levels in the short summer of the UK. Over exposure becomes a concern with longer times and more frequent exposures. The Vitamin D Cure provides an alternative to struggling for enough sun exposure. Supplementation is an easy and safe way to normalize your vitamin D levels. When combined with dietary and exercise recommendations in the Vitamin D Cure, your vitamin D system is sure to be optimized.

J Invest Dermatol. 2010 May;130(5):1411-8. Epub 2010 Jan 14. Photobiology Unit, Dermatological Sciences, School of Translational Medicine, University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Hospital, Manchester, UK.

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.

See my recent interview in the Detroit News.

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.

Easter is a Lunar Holiday or Moveable Feast. It falls on the Sunday after the first full moon of spring. Yes our lives and celebrations are still tied to this SOLAR system.

I have had recurring questions about vitamin D2 and D3, so I thought I would repeat an old commentary from past blogs, D2 or not D2? that is the question. (See below).

I will be delivering two lectures at the American Psychiatric Association of Alaska annual meeting in Girdwood, Alaska. In these lectures I will discuss the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and Schizophrenia, Depression, Multiple Sclerosis, and Dementia. Schizophrenia was a topic that was edited from the book. There is no question Alaskans need more vitamin D. The lectures should generate lots of discussion.

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 .

Spinach, White Bean & Avocado Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
-1 T. olive oil
-8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
-2 cloves garlic, sliced
-5 ounces spinach, chiffonade (cut into thin strips)
-15 oz. can Northern White Beans
-1/4 cup minced red onion
-1/4 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
-1 avocado, cubed
-2 T. White balsamic vinegar
-1 t. Dijon
-1 t. honey
-1/4 cup olive oil
-Salt & Pepper

Directions:
-Saute the mushrooms in 1 T. olive oil until golden brown; add the sliced garlic and continue cooking until golden and crisp. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
-Add spinach to the pan and toss gently.
-In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, Dijon, honey and olive oil; season with salt and pepper to taste.
-To the bowl add 1 can of northern white beans, the red onion, pistachios and the spinach-mushroom mixture. Toss to coat thoroughly.
-Lastly, add avocado and stir very gently so as to not mash the avocado. Chill until ready to eat or serve at room temperature.

For pure Paleolithic skip the white beans and have the salad with grilled salmon or chicken.

Vitamin D in the News: What should I take D2 or D3?

There are two forms of vitamin D you can purchase as supplements, vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol, Drisdol the RX form of D) and D3 (cholecalciferol, no RX version paid for by insurance). D2 comes from plants. D3 is made by mammals from cholesterol with the assistance of UVB radiation and heat. The biological half life of D2 in humans has been determined to be about 3-5 days with complete elimination occurring in 1-2 weeks. The biological half life of D3 as determined by submarine mariners is about 10 weeks. There have been no studies looking at how long it takes to deplete a human to zero D3, although I have seen such patients. The decay of vitamin D or conversion to an inactive form is not a linear process so vitamin D does not follow normal pharmacokinetics.

Normal pharmacokinetics state that in 4 half-lives you reach steady state at a given dose or you reach near complete elimination in the absence of drug. Vitamin D2 would have to be dosed about every 3 days for there to be any sort of steady state because of its very short half life in humans. This is why patients replaced with vitamin D2 once a week or less frequently sees variable increases in their vitamin D levels. In general weekly or monthly dosing of D2 will not produce significant rises in vitamin D levels or vitamin D effect. A recent meta-analysis on the effects of vitamin D on bone confirms the inefficacy of vitamin D as it is commonly prescribed. Vitamin D2 to be effective must be dosed about every 3 days. Unfortunately, there is only one dose of D2 readily available and that is 50,000 IU. That is like trying to do eye surgery with a screw driver and hammer. It is the wrong tool for the job.

Vitamin D3 replacement at a given dose will reach steady state in 10 weeks the same as its half-life in submariners. The long half life of vitamin D3 allows for missed doses without a tremendous drop in blood level. It allows for make up doses and weekly or monthly dosing while still maintaining a steady blood level. Moreover, vitamin D3 is available over the counter at very low cost. Carlson Labs is a reputable manufacturer in business since the mid 1970s. A year’s supply of vitamin D3 gel caps by Carlson Labs or Ddrops from Canada costs about 20 dollars. The co pay for a Drisdol (D2) prescription is likely to be as much for every month’s supply. So for prescription vitamin D2 (those little green gel caps) you end up paying 10 times as much for 3-5 times less effective vitamin D based on weekly dosing. You can get vitamin D at many online retailers for very low cost including shipping. Even Costco and Walmart sell 2000 IU vitamin D3 gel caps.

So we have reviewed, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, convenience, and cost all coming down on the side of D3. The final issue is blood testing. Vitamin D2 is only reliably detectable by two current methods of measurement, HPLC dual mass spec and the Diasorin immunoassay. Mayo Clinic performs the mass spec technique with reliable precision but the precision and reliability of other labs performing this technique is variable. (see my blog Vitamin D Testing Errors Continue) If you test your blood using a method that does not reliably detect D2, and your are taking D2, then you are not going to see a rise in your D level and this could be dangerous. LabCorp uses the Diasorin method to measure vitamin D capturing both D2 and D3 as a single total value. If you are not taking vitamin D2 then there is no concern over the D2 measurement issue only the accuracy of testing.

I hope this clears up all the confusion about D2 and D3. Happy supplementation.

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.

Many of you have been posting your stories on Amazon. I will simply refer the readers of this newsletter to the latest reviews on Amazon. The stories are fantastic! Keep them coming. REMEMBER YOUR STORY CAN CHANGE LIVES….SAVE LIVES.

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