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The Hidden Heart Disease Risk Factor: High Homocysteine

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You may unknowingly have a ticking time bomb for heart disease flowing through your body. Right now. And you haven’t been told about it. Until now. Naturally produced in your body, a chemical substance called homocysteine often becomes elevated due to age, diet, and genetic disposition. If your homocysteine is high, you are at an increased risk of developing heart disease including heart attacks, coronary artery diseases, and strokes.

Staggering Mortality Rates

Heart disease is the number one cause of death worldwide. More than 17 million people—nine million of whom are women–die annually from heart disease.

In the United States heart disease ranks as the top killer of women. More than 500 American females die daily from heart disease. Furthermore, heart disease deaths in American women under the age of 55 continue to rise, according to a study published in the June 2013 issue of the journal Global Heart.

Why are so many people dying from heart disease? We have been educated to believe high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking are the primary causal culprits in causing heart disease. Physical inactivity, obesity, and excessive alcohol use also are attributed as risk factors for heart disease. But we hear little information about homocysteine as an independent factor for heart disease.

What is Homocysteine?

Homocysteine is an amino acid (a building block of protein) naturally produced in the body from a byproduct of another amino acid called methionine. Healthy amounts of homocysteine are vital in protein metabolism. However, homocysteine levels must be carefully balanced by adequate quantities of specific B vitamins.

Ideally, about half of homocysteine is recycled back into methionine (remethylation), and the other half is converted into a beneficial amino acid called cysteine (transsulfuration). This bifurcated process is dependent on specific B vitamins. Remethylation cannot occur without folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12. Transsulfuration cannot happen without vitamin B6. If these B vitamins are deficient, dangerous levels of homocysteine can accumulate in the body and damage the lining of the arteries, often causing heart disease.

Homocysteine Matters

In the late 1960s, Kilmer S. McCully, M.D., a young pathologist at Harvard University School of Medicine, reviewed a number of pathological findings of cases as far back as 1933 that involved young children with a genetic disorder who perished from atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). He discovered that elevated homocysteine damages arterial lining, causing arterosclerosis. Dr. McCully concluded that elevated homocysteine from a high animal-protein diet, more so than fats and cholesterol, was the primary cause of heart disease.

McCully subsequently published his ground-breaking conclusion in a 1969 issue of the American Journal of Pathology. By purporting such an unorthodox theory, he committed medical heresy.(1) Harvard denied him tenure, effectively firing him. Undeterred, he forged ahead, conducting research on homocysteine. He still practices medicine in the United States today.

Thanks to Dr. McCully’s tenacious efforts over the past four decades, a plethora of studies supporting his theory have been published. Landmark studies from the mid-1990s contributed to mainstream medicine’s eventual, yet delicate, embrace of the fact that high homocysteine is significant risk factor for heart disease. This research includes:

As part of the acclaimed Framingham Heart Study, researchers from Tufts University examined 418 men and 623 women, ages 67 to 96 years, to study their homocysteine blood plasma levels as well as their vitamin intake including folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6. The Tuft research team concluded that people with homocysteine levels greater than 11.4 µmol/L have a significant risk of having a heart attack. These findings were published in the February 2, 1995 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The results of a study conducted by The European Concerted Action Project, a consortium of doctors and researchers from 19 medical centers in nine European countries, clinched the theory that Dr. McCully asserted almost two decades prior. By comparing 750 people under the age of 60 with blockages in their coronary arteries with 800 healthy persons also under 60 years old, the Project team determined that an elevated homocysteine score posed as great a risk as smoking or high cholesterol. Furthermore, people with the highest homocysteine levels had twice the risk of developing heart disease. Finally, the consortium discovered that those people who took folate, B12, and B6 supplements had a risk factor of about 66 percent less than those subjects who did not take the B vitamin supplements. The findings were published in the June 11, 1997 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

What is a Healthy Homocysteine Level?

Homocysteine levels are easily evaluated by a simple test of blood plasma. Heath care practitioners can order a homocysteine test. But guess what? We are not routinely tested for homocysteine. In fact, I never had been tested for this important amino acid until I recently requested the test from my primary care physician. (Read on for my homocysteine score.)

To further exacerbate the issue of homocysteine evaluation, many clinical testing laboratories consider a healthy homocysteine value between 5 and up to 15 µmol/L. However, the upper limit of this range is highly misleading. A score of 6 µmol/L or less is optimal for homocysteine. Medical research has indicated that readings greater than 9 µmol/L indicate an increased risk for heart disease.

Reducing Homocysteine

The good news is that elevated homocysteine levels can be decreased by consuming adequate amounts of the B vitamins folate, B12, and B6. Although the daily dosage of these vitamins is dependent upon your homocysteine score, I offer general guidelines.

  • Foods rich in folate include wheat germ, lentils, sunflower seeds, spinach, broccoli, and romaine lettuce. If you are considering a supplement, note that “folate” is natural and “folic acid” is synthetic. Consider taking a daily 400-mcg folate capsule containing L-5-MTHF. (2)
  • The best food sources of vitamin B12 include sardines, oysters, cottage cheese, and tuna. When supplementing with B12, please ensure the B12 is methylcobalamin (methylB12). Many B12 supplements contain cyanocobalamin; yes, it contains a cyanide molecule. Consider taking 10,000 mcg daily of methylB12.
  • Fish and lean meats are excellent sources of vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). Consider taking a 25-mg B6 supplement.

You may recall that the amino acid methionine produces homocysteine. Too much methionine translates to excessive homocysteine. As animal protein is highly rich in methionine, it is wise to not overload animal protein consumption if the three major B vitamins are deficient.

Stunning Health Statistics

The scope of this article is limited to a brief discussion of elevated homocysteine as an independent risk factor for heart disease. However, I must tell you that homocysteine levels also affect the risk for developing a wide range of other serious medical conditions including cancer, diabetes, thyroid disorders, and Alzheimer’s disease. Let’s take a broad look at statistics.

Nestled in the spectacular western fjords of Norway, the University of Bergen houses one of the world’s leading homocysteine research centers. Since the 1990s, Bergen’s researchers have published dozens of papers reporting their homocysteine findings conducted during the University’s population-based Hordaland Homocysteine Study.

Having measured the homocysteine levels of 4,766 Norwegian men and women in their 60s a decade ago and then recorded those who lived and died, the researchers discovered that a 5-point decrease in homocysteine scores predicted, inter alia, a 50 percent reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease as well as a 104 percent decreased risk of mortality from any disease or medical condition other than heart disease or cancer!

Are You Homocysteine Healthy?

It is not too early or too late to learn your homocysteine score. At the age of 60 and with a family history of heart disease, I requested a baseline homocysteine blood plasma test from my doctor. My score was an optimal 6µmol/L, a value that is most common in preteens! I attribute my homocysteine health score to feeding my body the folate, B12, and B6 it needs to maintain a balanced level of homocysteine.

Your level will not only predict your risk for heart and other serious diseases but it will help you understand how you can add energy and vitality to your life. Based on your homocysteine score, you can supplement with the necessary foods and/or dietary supplements that are readily available in retail and online outlets. And enjoy the benefits of being homocysteine healthy! I am glad than I am.

Footnote 1: Natural vitamins cannot be patented. Therefore, manufacturing and selling vitamins is far less lucrative than, for example, statins (cholesterol-lowing drugs.)

Footnote 2: The enzyme MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) helps to facilitate the conversion process of remethylation.

Author’s Note: I wrote this overview to promote awareness of the potential heart disease risks associated with high homocysteine plasma levels. I briefly touched on the adverse effect of elevated homocysteine on the development of other serious medical conditions. If you are interested in learning more about homocysteine, I suggest reading: The H Factor Solution by James Braly, M.D. and Patrick Holford and/or The Homocysteine Revolution by Kilmer McCully, M.D.

Editor’s Note: Susan Rex Ryan is the author of the Mom’s Choice Award®-winning book Defend Your Life about the extensive health benefits of vitamin D. For additional information about vitamin D, check out our series of Sue’s articles, and visit her blog at smilinsuepubs.com.

This article was published previously on Hormones Matter in June 2014.

Copyright © 2014 by Susan Rex Ryan. All rights reserved.

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Maternal Vitamin D: Pregnancy and Beyond

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Researching the role of vitamin D in pregnancy for this article, I unexpectedly blew inches of virtual dust from a page of medical correspondence published almost seven decades ago. With keen interest I read “Vitamin-D Requirements in Pregnancy,” published in a 1947 edition of the British Medical Journal. The author Edgar Obermer, MD asserted the necessity for English pregnant women to supplement with robust daily doses of vitamin D.

Perhaps Dr. Obermer was ahead of his time, or today we are behind in understanding the power of vitamin D. I think both are true. Nonetheless, his assertion about relatively high maternal vitamin D doses accentuates vitamin D’s importance during pregnancy. Today pregnant women typically supplement with prenatal vitamins, most of which only contain enough vitamin D to prevent rickets.

Unfortunately, taking prenatal vitamins without supplementing with extra vitamin D provides expectant mothers with a false sense of health for their babies and themselves. In this article, I address vitamin D’s role in pregnancy, recent evidence supporting the positive effect of vitamin D on expectant moms and their babies, and vitamin D supplementation guidelines for pregnant and lactating women and their infants.

A Healthy Pregnancy

Many people may not realize that vitamin D is actually a steroid hormone produced in our body. We manufacture vitamin D when we take a quality vitamin D3 supplement, expose our skin to optimal sunlight, or consume lots of wild-caught fatty fish or vitamin D3-fortified foods.

The female reproductive system comprises billions of cells. Every cell in the female reproductive system contains genetic codes as well as a receptor to receive vitamin D. Cells in the female reproductive system (including the ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, placenta, decidua, vagina, and breasts) are replete with vitamin D receptors.

When we have ample amounts of activated vitamin D in our cells, the vitamin D binds with its receptor to regulate genes in our reproductive system. For example, the vitamin D pathway genes affect in utero fetal development. Conversely, when the female reproductive system lacks activated vitamin D, genes essential to a smooth pregnancy and sound fetal health are not expressed.

Mom Needs Nutrients for her Health

Vitamin D is vital to a pregnant women’s health. An expectant mom with adequate vitamin D levels may enjoy a reduced risk of pregnancy complications including preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus, Caesarian section, and preterm birth. However, low vitamin D blood serum levels are common in pregnant women.

The recent findings of a Canadian study published in the December 2014 edition of the journal Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology once again accentuate the importance of vitamin D to maternal health. Lead researcher Shu-Qin Wei, MD, PhD examined scientific evidence of the role of maternal vitamin D on pregnancy outcomes. Focusing on studies published between January 1, 2013 and July 1, 2014, she concluded: “Recent evidence supports that low maternal vitamin D status is associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Interventional studies demonstrate that vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy optimizes maternal and neonatal vitamin D status.”

A Seed for Healthier Babies

Vitamin D is vital to fetal bone and cell development. Medical research suggests some seeds for disease are sown before birth. Low vitamin D during pregnancy may be one of those seeds. Babies born to mothers with a vitamin D deficiency are more likely to develop a number of medical conditions including asthma; autism; soft bones (rickets, craniotabes); brain disorders; cardiovascular malformation; and type 1 diabetes mellitus.

A new study highlights the benefit of vitamin D to fetal skeletal development. Dutch researchers explored the effect of vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy and early infancy on skull formations. The scientists recommended that women in their last trimester and early infants take a daily vitamin D dose of 400 international units ((IU) albeit a small amount). The research team found that non-adherence to their recommendations for vitamin D supplementation by pregnant mums and infants is linked to an increased risk of skull deformities in babies at 2 to 4 months of age. This study was published in a November 2014 issue of the journal Maternal & Child Nutrition.

Labor, Lactation, and Early Infant Life

Vitamin D also plays a beneficial role regarding labor pain, breastfeeding, and early infant health.

Labor. The benefits of maternal vitamin D have recently been extended to decreased labor pain. In October 2014, Andrew W. Geller, MD, a physician anesthesiologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, presented a study about vitamin D‘s effect on labor pain to the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ annual meeting. Dr. Geller and colleagues measured the vitamin D levels of 93 pregnant women prior to delivery. All of the patients requested an epidural for pain during labor. The research team then measured the doses of pain medication required by each woman during labor. They compared the quantity of pain medicine consumed by women with higher vitamin D levels with those with lower vitamin D status. The patients with lower vitamin D levels used more pain drugs than those women who enjoyed higher vitamin D status. Dr. Geller concluded that “prevention and treatment of low vitamin D levels in pregnant women may have a significant impact on decreasing labor pain in millions of women every year.”

Lactation. Nature intended for newborns to obtain their nutrients, including vitamin D, from breast milk. Breastfeeding provides babies with the vitamins and minerals required for healthy development. That’s why it is imperative that lactating mums supplement daily with adequate vitamin D. Vitamin D supplementation guidelines are discussed in the next section of this article.

Early Life. Vitamin D is important to all stages of life including neonatal. The growth and development of an infant is associated with the vitamin D intake during pregnancy.

Recent research from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom suggests that young children are likely to develop stronger muscles when their mums enjoyed a higher level of vitamin D during pregnancy.

The connection between vitamin D levels and muscle strength has been well-established by the scientific community. However, the Southampton study, published in the January 2014 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, marks the first time that the relationship between maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy and the muscle development and strength in offspring was examined.

Led by Nicholas Harvey, PhD, the researchers measured the vitamin D levels in 678 mothers from the Southampton Women’s Survey in their later stages of pregnancy. Four years after the babies were born, the Southampton team measured their hand-grip strength and muscle mass. The researchers found that the higher the levels of vitamin D in the mother, the higher the grip strength of her child. A secondary finding addressed a lesser connection between maternal vitamin D and the child’s muscle mass. The Southampton study’s outcome suggests more far-reaching health benefits. Dr. Harvey commented,

“These associations between maternal vitamin D and offspring muscle strength may well have consequences for later health; muscle strength peaks in young adulthood before declining in older age and low grip strength in adulthood has been associated with poor health outcomes including diabetes, falls, and fractures. It is likely that the greater muscle strength observed at four years of age in children born to mothers with higher vitamin D levels will track into adulthood, and so potentially help to reduce the burden of illness associated with loss of muscle mass in old age.”

Supplementation Guidelines for Mum and her Newborn

The importance of vitamin D supplementation cannot be overstated for the health of mothers and their infants.

British nutrition expert Sara Patience, author of the new book Easy Weaning, stated, “It’s important for mums to understand that their baby will be born with the same vitamin D status as themselves, therefore, if mum is vitamin D deficient during pregnancy, baby will be too. Women, who are pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, should ensure they are vitamin D sufficient, not only to protect their own health, but also to protect the health of their baby.”

The most effective source of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is an oil-based soft gel or liquid supplement. Vitamin D3 supplements (usually measured in international units) are available over-the-counter in retail and online stores. Beware of vitamin D prescriptions as most contain vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) that is much less effective than vitamin D3.

How much vitamin D a pregnant woman (or anyone, for that matter) needs continues to be a topic of debate.

First, let’s consider Dr. Obermer’s surprising recommendation in 1947. Remarking that the subject of vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy “is a difficult and complex one,” he concludes, “In a climate like that of England every pregnant woman should be given a supplement of vitamin D in doses of not less than 10,000 i.u. per day in the first 7 months, and 20,000 i.u. during the 8th and 9th months.” (Note: England’s distance from the equator denies its residents from enjoying optimal sun light exposure during the majority of the year.)

Second, a few noted organizations recommend daily intake of vitamin D for pregnant women as follows:

  • Vitamin D Council: 4,000-6,000 IU (Upper limit: 10,000 IU)
  • Endocrine Society: 1,500-2,000 IU (Upper limit: 10,000 IU)
  • Institute of Medicine (IOM): 600 IU (Upper limit: 4,000 IU)

It is interesting (and refreshing) to note that the Vitamin D Council and the Endocrine Society’s “upper limit” recommendations almost mirror those of Dr. Obermer’s. Please note that the IOM’s Food and Nutrition Board’s controversial recommendations, announced four years ago, were largely based on nutritional requirements for bone health. Most vitamin D experts agree that the IOM’s guidelines are woefully low with regard to vitamin D and way too high concerning calcium. Moreover, the intake of magnesium and vitamin K2 (vitamin D co-factors) was not addressed by this IOM panel.

According to the Vitamin D Council, if you are lactating and taking 6,000 IU of vitamin D daily, your breast milk should have enough vitamin D for your baby. If you are taking less than 5,000 IU of vitamin D a day, you should give your baby a daily vitamin D supplement (quality vitamin D3 drops are widely available).

Daily supplementation guidelines for babies include:

  • Vitamin D Council: 1,000 IU (Upper limit: 2,000 IU)
  • Endocrine Society: 400-1,000 IU (Upper limit: 2,000 IU)
  • Institute of Medicine: 400 IU (Upper limit: 1,000-1,500 IU)

Why risk pregnancy and neonatal complications? Vitamin D supplementation is a safe, inexpensive, and effective approach to a smooth pregnancy and birth of a healthy baby.

**This article is a companion post to “Improving Male and Female Fertility with Vitamin D”.

Editor’s Note: Susan Rex Ryan is an award-winning author who is dedicated to vitamin D awareness. Her extensive collection of health articles can be found on Hormones Matter as well as on her blog at smilinsuepubs.com Follow Sue on FB “Susan Rex Ryan” and Twitter @vitD3sue.

Copyright © 2014 by Smilin Sue Publishing, LLC
All rights reserved.

This post was published previously in December 2014.

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Evaluating Endocrine Disruptor Research

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Every now and again, we see a flurry of press releases flooding social media about new research purporting to prove that endocrine disruptors are safe. Most recently, the press has been focused Bisphenol A or BPA. New FDA proclamations suggest that it has no impact on health. When one reads the actual research upon which these statements are based, it says no such thing. Unless of course, the research is funded by industry, then it is almost always positive. A report in Newsweek found:

In 2013, for example, the American Chemistry Council spent more than $11 million on lobbying expenses, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Industry groups have also funded, and in some cases written up, research done by governmental scientists. One 2008 investigation, by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, found that “a government report claiming that bisphenol-A is safe was written largely by the plastics industry and others with a financial stake in the controversial chemical.”

The report goes on to state that the FDA

…dismissed as irrelevant the vast majority of the BPA safety studies its own scientists reviewed in preparation for that official position statement. According to the FDA, for example, all of the 48 epidemiological studies reviewed had ‘no utility’ for the agency’s risk assessment, the formal process it undertakes to decide if a chemical is safe for human health or not.

With such contradictory claims about safety, who should we believe? How do we evaluate the safety research about endocrine disruptors? Here is a primer.

Industry Sponsored Research Is Biased

In a mini-review of research on bisphenol A (BPA) – the endocrine disruptor in plastics, of the 115 studies published on adverse effects of BPA 81.7% (94) reported significant adverse health effects (2004). However, upon review, it was found that 90% of the government funded, academic research found significant adverse effects while 100% of the industry-sponsored research found no ill-effects of BPA – none. This is a common theme across all industries – pharmaceutical included. When billions of dollars are on the line, industry sponsored studies will show favorable results more often than not. Always check the author’s conflict-of-interest disclosures at the back the article. If none are reported though, don’t assume they do not exist. Not all conflicts of interests are disclosed. You may have to do additional digging to identify conflicts.

FDA or EPA Approved Does not Mean Safe or Risk-Free

Both agencies have long histories of approving and then failing to recall dangerous chemicals, drugs and devices from the market. Their work is particularly incompetent in reproductive (endocrine) and women’s health: thalidomide, DES, Yasmin/Yaz, HRT, Mirena, Prolift to name but a few that have garnered the seal of approval by the FDA. Phthalates, BPA, Glyphosate for the EPA.  Remember the EPA doesn’t even study the female reproductive dangers unless research shows that a chemical impacts the male reproductive system.

Research Methods Matter

Perhaps more so than in any other field of science, endocrine research requires serious consideration of all aspects of the study protocol. This means that you cannot rely on a press release about the research to determine the study’s relevance. You must read the original research and evaluate the methods. (Reading original research is a good habit to have for all matters that affect your health and well-being). Once you pull the research, here are some things to consider.

  • Length of study. Most hormone reactions are longer term and span generations. If the study is short duration, as in the case with the industry sponsored GMO research or doesn’t include third generation effects, as with BPA research – question the results.
  • Population studied. Whether one is investigating a chemical or a drug in humans or in rodents, the sample population matters. Ascertaining safety of efficacy by testing only healthy young men, when the drug or chemical is meant for the real world where women, children, elderly, healthy and not so healthy individuals reside, is common practice and recipe for disaster. Same is true for rodent research – the strain, sex, age and health of the animal must be considered if the work is to be extrapolated to real humans. I read one study claiming that BPA was safe, but they used a strain of rats that was resistant to environmental estrogens. Of course, BPA’s estrogens would not affect these estrogen-resistant rodents.
  • Outcomes measured.  What does the study measure and how does it evaluate change? More often than not, industry sponsored research will not measure the appropriate endpoints or reproductive dangers. Sometimes this is sleight of hand, other times it is simply ignorance of the endocrine system’s far-reaching regulatory control. In either case, one has to evaluate what the study actually measures before determining its validity. Here, you can use a bit of personal experience – what systems, organs or behaviors are affected by your hormones? If the study didn’t measure any of these variables, then it’s probably not a very solid protocol.
  • ‘Gold-standard’ protocols are not always golden. It takes years, decades even for ‘gold-standards’ to become the accepted methods – often well after their utility has run out and newer, more sophisticated tools have reached the market. This has been the case for endocrine testing and endocrine disruptor evaluation. If a study rests all of its findings using a gold standard, it may not be using the most sensitive testing methods.
  • Clinical significance is not the same as statistical significance. Clinical significance means the chemical/drug has some meaningful impact on the health or well-being of the individual or animal. Statistical significance is just a math equation. A simple increase in sample size while limiting or ‘restructuring’ outcome variables is all it takes to derive statistical significance in most research. Does that mean the drug or chemical has clinically relevant health effects – not necessarily. The opposite is also true. Want to obfuscate the dangers of a drug/chemical? Do a huge study (preferably by combining dozens of poor quality individual studies into a meta analysis), throw everything but the kitchen sink into the analysis, do simple stats and highlight the lack of statistical significance in the death or injury rates. Only a small fraction of the study population died – but it wasn’t statistically significant, so the drug/chemical is considered safe. If the study does not study distinguish between clinical and statistical significance or downplays the death and injury rates as statistically insignificant, approach cautiously.
  • Hormone reactions do not conform to linear statistics. Damn it, how dare our complex physiology not conform to the simplicity of linear statistics. A common dose-response curve is highly linear, where a small dose elicits a similarly small response and a larger dose increase the response size. This is not case when dealing with endocrine disruptors. Hormone systems are complex and highly non-linear. Hormone dose-response curves are often in the shape of an inverted U where low doses elicit huge responses, mid-level doses elicit minimal responses and high doses again elicit huge responses. And so, any study measuring hormone effects using simple, linear, dose response calculations is bound to miss the effects entirely.
  • Hormones have metabolites (as does everything else). Metabolites evoke their own reactions. We know that some of the metabolites from BPA are stronger, 1000X stronger in fact, than BPA itself. Studies that don’t address the full complement of hormone products that circulate in our bodies as a result of exposure to something like BPA will severely underestimate the safety issues.

In a nutshell, we have to do our homework. There is no simple ‘Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval’ for products that impact health and well-being. We wouldn’t trust the marketing put out by car manufacturers or, worse yet, a car salesmen, about the safety, gas efficiency, repair history and comfort of a new/used car; why do we trust the makers of chemicals to give us the straight story. We shouldn’t. We have to become educated consumers of health research in order to protect ourselves.

We Need Your Help

More people than ever are reading Hormones Matter, a testament to the need for independent voices in health and medicine. We are not funded and accept limited advertising. Unlike many health sites, we don’t force you to purchase a subscription. We believe health information should be open to all. If you read Hormones Matter, like it, please help support it. Contribute now.

Yes, I would like to support Hormones Matter. 

Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash.

This article was published previously in March 2013 and updated and edit for republication in 2015.

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Decreasing the Risk of Alzheimer’s with Vitamin D

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As a health writer, I must ask if adequate vitamin D can prevent and/or treat the progressive brain disease called Alzheimer’s. No one should have to endure Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a deadly cognitive disorder that the Alzheimer’s Association® claims cannot be prevented or cured.

Staggering Statistics

The number of Alzheimer’s patients is growing at an alarming rate. Nearly 44 million people worldwide have developed AD, according to Alzheimer’s Disease International. Moreover, incidences of the deadly disease are expected to increase significantly over the next decade.

About 5.3 million Americans have AD. In fact, at least three persons living in the United States will develop AD before you finish reading this brief article. Yes, every 67 seconds another American succumbs to Alzheimer’s, the most common form of dementia. (1)

The medical community’s views about why the prevalence of AD is rising at a staggering rate remain varied. Many believe genetics and environmental pollutants may serve as risk factors. Some believe the predominance of vitamin D deficiency may be linked to the mounting incidences of AD. In fact, scientific research indicates that the majority of Alzheimer patients have low levels of vitamin D.

But first, let’s understand what happens to the brain when Alzheimer’s strikes it.

The Brain on Alzheimer’s

The sheer complexity of the human brain is daunting. A healthy adult brain contains approximately 100 billion nerve cells, called neurons, which connect at more than 100 trillion points in the central nervous system.

The adverse effects of Alzheimer’s on the brain are obvious to medical personnel interpreting the images. First, the brain of an AD patient is smaller than one of a healthy adult. The decreased brain size is a result of the brain tissue containing significantly fewer neurons. Second, abnormal clusters of amyloid-beta protein fragments, called plaques, collect between nerve cells in the brain. Thirdly, dead or dying neurons, called tangles, are visibly present in the brain of an AD patient.

Signals traveling through the brain’s extensive neural network form the basis of memories, thoughts, and feelings. When plaques and tangles develop in the brain, the signaling essential to cognitive function becomes disrupted. Moreover, the brain cells are destroyed, resulting in progressive cognitive issues including memory loss, poor decision-making and behavioral problems.

Vitamin D’s Beneficial Effects on the Brain

Vitamin D crosses the blood-brain barrier. And every one of the 100 billion or so neurons in the brain includes a vitamin D receptor (VDR) that influences cognitive health.

In order to regulate specific brain functions, the VDR in these cells must be turned on by receiving activated vitamin D. Without sufficient vitamin D to activate its receptors, the neurons cannot work properly.

Activated vitamin D affects the development of neurons as well as their maintenance and survival, by regulating the synthesis of nerve growth factor.

Remember those plaques and tangles that disrupt the brain’s intricate signaling system? The neuro-protective effects of this vitamin also include the modulation of signal stability within the brain’s complex neural network.

Recent Research Links Vitamin D Deficiency and Alzheimer’s

An abundance of research connects vitamin D deficiency, a condition that is highly prevalent in adults aged 65 years and above, to cognitive decline. So I explored recent research to learn more about the association.

International experts gathered at an invitational summit on “Vitamin D and Cognition in Older Adults” to provide “clear” guidance to researchers and clinicians about the role of vitamin D in Alzheimer’s. They agreed that vitamin D deficiency (a blood serum level < 30ng/mL or 75 nmol/L) increases the risk of cognitive decline and dementia in adults aged 65 and older. Their report was published in the January 2015 edition of the prestigious Journal of Internal Medicine.

Dutch researchers reviewed medical literature about vitamin D’s association with cognition in older adults. They found “emerging evidence that suggests a beneficial role for vitamin D in brain physiology.” The researchers noted associations between higher blood serum vitamin D levels and better cognitive performance. The reviewers’ findings were presented in the January 2015 issue of the journal Current Opinion of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care.

Sir Michael J. Berridge, an eminent physiologist and biochemist, conducted a study at The Babraham Institute in the United Kingdom that was published in the June 1, 2015 edition of the journal Biochemical Society Transactions. His research suggests that vitamin D is the “guardian” of signaling stability. By examining vitamin D’s role in the constancy of the Ca2+ (calcium) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling pathways, Berridge postulated the necessity of activated vitamin D to maintain the normal function of these critical, intracellular “cross-talk” molecules. He concluded that “a decline in vitamin D levels will lead to erosion of this signaling stability,” suggesting that a plethora of diseases linked to vitamin D deficiency are also associated with a dysregulation in both Ca2+ and ROS signaling.

Bolster Your Brain with Vitamin D

The statistics of escalating rates of Alzheimer’s suggest that your life—in some way—will most likely be impacted this deadly disease.

A breakthrough study, published June 24, 2015 in the online version of the journal Neurology, revealed that Alzheimer’s may develop 20 years before any symptoms appear. These findings suggest that we may be able to prevent this deadly disease. They also indirectly hint at the need for humans to be vitamin D-rich throughout life.

Considering the association between vitamin D deficiency and Alzheimer’s, I encourage readers to consider seriously daily supplementation with vitamin D3 and its partners, magnesium and vitamin K2.

Perhaps Michael F. Holick, MD, PhD, one of the world’s leading experts, said it best: He concluded in an article on brain health, published in a 2015 issue of the Journal of Internal Medicine by stating, “There is no downside to increasing vitamin D status for all by encouraging vitamin D supplementation and sensible sun exposure.”

Footnote 1: “Dementia” encompasses a spectrum of brain-related diseases including Alzheimer’s.

About the Author: Susan Rex Ryan, author of the award-winning vitamin D book Defend Your Life, is dedicated to vitamin D awareness. Her extensive collection of health articles can be found on Hormone Matters as well as her blog at smilinsuepubs.com. Join Sue in her “Vitamin D Wellness” FB Group to learn more about vitamin D3, magnesium, and vitamin K2 supplementation. Follow her on Twitter @vitD3sue.

Copyright © 2015 by Smilin Sue Publishing, LLC
All rights reserved.

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Navigate Healing With Loved Ones

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How can you support the heroine in your life and navigate the healing process? Find your inner Chris Columbus.

Being ill is overwhelming. Anyone with ongoing illness is a heroine on an epic journey. This journey can be filled with plenty of bumps, roadblocks, U-turns, and forks (aka decision-making opportunities). There are some awe-inspiring moments as well.

Everyone’s experience of illness is different. Even heroines with the same diagnosis or symptom list will have different experiences of the illness or dis-ease; and the impact on their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being varies.

This unique journey your heroine is traveling is not a straight, engineered path moving from A to B to C, so this isn’t a process for a GPS-esque one-size-fits-most solution. The heroine needs a navigator. A valuable way to support the heroine in your life is to be her trusted navigator. Even Amelia Earhart had a navigator.

Because no two journeys are the same and there’s often uncharted territory, lists of things to do may or may not be relevant. No list can cover every circumstance. But anyone, in any situation can draw on inner resources and embody the characteristics of the navigator role. What navigator inspires you? Find a role model for yourself. As you support your heroine consider the traits of your role model and bring that essence into your being.

Here are a few ways to view this journey through the lens of a navigator and embrace your role in your heroine’s healing journey.

Identify the Destination

Most healing journeys have multiple destinations. Each encounter with a healthcare professional could be its own destination. There is the ultimate destination of well-being. The heroine determines the various destinations as the journey unfolds. Regardless of the destination, there are common characteristics to know you’re at a destination that supports your heroine. A destination that works:

  • Feels comfortable ‒ whatever comfortable means to the heroine
  • Strengthens and renews ‒ ultimately the destination is uplifting
  • Encompasses movement on some level ‒ stagnation is not OK

Discuss this with your heroine so you’ll know when you’re on course. If during an appointment the heroine is uncomfortable or not feeling understood, this is feedback that you’re off course.

Pay attention to when the destination shifts. For example, what starts as getting relief for physical pain could shift to identifying underlying emotional trauma that impacts true healing.

Scout the Landscape

Wow, where to start with so much landscape to cover in the world of health, healing and well-being?  This is intertwined with knowing the destination.  When the destination is relief from symptoms, the landscape could be anything from acupuncture, to dietary changes to pharmaceuticals.  When the destination is eliminating the root cause, you’re likely in the territory of older traditions that have studied health for centuries: Naturopathic, Homeopathic, Chinese, or Ayurveda. Pay attention to the destination to know which direction to scout.

Regardless of the landscape, it is helpful to:

  • Curate information – narrow down the vast information into relevant pieces like a museum curator
  • Bring a sense of curiosity –  explore options, ask questions like a child
  • Transform barriers into paths – go above, around, through, or chart a new path; a roadblock may be a sign to shift direction

Map the Cairns

Cairns are stone towers that have marked important places and travel routes for centuries. Your heroine may be struggling just to feel “normal” and have some sort of normal life, and feel how she used to feel. Even people who avidly journal or meditate may miss their own signposts. Having someone else note the journey, like a log book, can be valuable.

Cairns may mark straight routes, turning points, or places to pause and reflect; this could include:

  • Shifts in mindset – for example a new lens of the meaning of the illness
  • Noticing cause and effect – when the heroine feels different emotionally, physically, mentally or spiritually
  • Joy – with so much focus on not feeling well, celebrate even small wins

It can be challenging for friends and family to how to support their heroine. Finding your inner navigator equips you to be supportive moment to moment, and respond to your heroine’s evolving journey.

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Editors note: this post was published previously on September 2011 under the title, Find your Inner Chris Columbus: Navigating the Healing Process. It was re-titled for publication today.

Image by Cloé Gérard from Pixabay.

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Women Are Less Satisfied with Health Care Than Men – Why?

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The New York Times reported that women are less satisfied with their health care than men, citing a study from Health Services Research.

Researchers could see an overall difference between men’s and women’s views, but these differences were even more prominent for particular questions. One question asked patients if they felt they received sufficient information for the medications they were prescribed, and the other question asked whether patients were satisfied with the cleanliness of the hospital.

In both cases, women were less satisfied with health care than men – significantly so. Now the question is, Why?

Perhaps women have just been paying attention to the news. Dr. Mark Hyman explains in the Huffington Post that postmenopausal women are being prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication that increases their chances of getting diabetes – by 71%.

This isn’t the only instance in which women’s health needs were overlooked:

  • Premarin was prescribed to postmenopausal women to prevent heart disease, but it increased their chances of having a heart attack.
  • Studies have found increased osteoporosis in postmenopausal women prescribed osteoporosis medication.
  • Women are prescribed medicine as though they’re men, yet they are more likely than men to have irregular heartbeats due to prescription cocktails.
  • Many doctors don’t realize that pain medication does not have the same impact on women as it does on men. Experiments show Ibuprofen did not reduce pain for women.
  • In fact, the Society for Women’s Health Research and Medco Health Solutions, Inc. presented a study that showed women are prescribed more medication than men, yet they are less likely than men to get the appropriate drug for their needs.
  • The Center for the Study of Sex Differences at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. explains that your gender can significantly impact how your disease should be diagnosed and treated. Yet the FDA only required that women be included in drug research since 1993.

No wonder women are less satisfied with their health care than men.

Women Are Less Satisfied with Health Care Provider’s Cleanliness

As it turns out, women’s immune systems are more resilient than men’s. Even so, women are more susceptible to certain illnesses and diseases than men are. Some experts suggest a woman’s stronger immune system is the cause for her susceptibility to autoimmune disorders, but the reasons remain unclear.

Sharyn Clough, a philosopher of science at Oregon State University, explained on NPR how society’s emphasis on a girl’s cleanliness could impact her susceptibility to diseases when she gets older, since she may not be exposed to the same bacteria as young boys.

While this may, or may not, be the case, it makes sense for a woman to be more aware of the cleanliness of her environment if she was raised to do so. It is even more reasonable for a woman to consider the cleanliness of her surroundings if she is more susceptible to disease – especially when she is in an institution that treats the sick.

It’s important that health care providers know that women are less satisfied with their health care than men. Voicing our opinions raises awareness, and these industries don’t want to lose half of their market.

It’s entirely possible that women are less satisfied with health care than men because women pay more for health insurance than men – health care that seems to be specifically geared toward the needs of men, not women.

Related Posts:
Women Pay More for Health Insurance
Affordable Care What’s in Effect Now
Falling Through the Cracks

This post was published previously in April 2012. 

 

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What if Endometriosis Was a Men’s Health Issue?

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As a health journalist and a co-founder of Endo Warriors, a support organization for women with endometriosis, I often get asked “what is endometriosis?”

Which is funny since it is estimated that 176 million women worldwide have endometriosis and yet no one knows about this global health issue.

Sometimes I say “it’s a secondary autoimmune disease where the lining of the uterus is found outside of the uterus and throughout the abdominal cavity — to varying degrees — causing chronic pain and infertility.

And other times I say “it sucks.”

Nancy Peterson of the ERC said “If 7 million men suffered unbearable pain with sex and exercise and were offered pregnancy, castration or hormones as treatment, Endo would be a national emergency to which we would transfer the defense budget to find a cure.” And, I don’t disagree.

If 7 million American men had unbearable pain every time they ejaculated, no one would ever suggest chopping off their balls. If they went to a health clinic that also offered pregnancy prevention services, we wouldn’t shut those clinics down. If 7 million American men were in pain every time they masturbated, urinated or tried to have sex we wouldn’t tell them “it’s all in their head” or “to take the pain like a man.”  No, we would listen and try to find them a cure that didn’t include castration or drug-induced de-masculinization.

But that’s not the case.

Instead we have 7 million American women with chronic pain related to the tissue in their uterus and their menstrual cycle. 7 million American women who have pain before, during and after their menstrual cycle. 7 million American women who experience pain while exercising, having sex and going to the bathroom. So we offer them chemical-menopause and hysterectomies and when those don’t work we throw our hands up in the air and say “well, at least I tried.” Better luck in your next life, perhaps you’ll come back as a man.

The menstrual cycle is the butt of all jokes directed towards women. Bad day? Is it your period? Is Auntie Flo in town?

Seeing red? Are you on the rag?

No, actually I’m just mad that the idea of healthcare for women makes people want to cover their ears and run screaming.

Free birth control for women?

Great idea!

That is until some political pundit insinuates women should just learn to shut their legs.

Maybe instead we should learn to listen to the myriad of women on birth control for issues beyond planning pregnancies. Maybe women should just get easy access to low cost birth-control without having to recite their medical record.

October is health literacy month and when it comes to health literacy, Americans are kindergartners trying to eat the paste off their fingers.

We think Obamacare and the Affordable Care Act are two different things; getting outraged at the notion of Obamacare yet think the idea of ‘affordable’ healthcare is quite nice.

Access to low-cost health care for everyone? Let’s shutdown the government!

Rather, if we want the government out of our private healthcare, then how about they get out of our uteri as well?

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The Flu and You: Thoughts on Prevention and Treatment

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Epidemic incidences of influenza are sweeping across the United States. This highly contagious respiratory disease—targeting all ages—is spreading with a vengeance. Forty-seven states have reported widespread “flu,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) current flu activity report. CDC officials estimate that the United States is only about halfway through a typical, 12-week flu season.

This season’s predominant strain of influenza is H3N2, a more potent type of influenza A virus that is statistically associated with more deaths and hospitalizations. What can you do to protect you and your family from this dreaded illness?

Is It Too Late to Prevent the Flu?

Proponents of the influenza vaccine are encouraging healthy people to get a flu shot, pronto. On the one hand, this season’s vaccine includes the H3N2 strain. On the other hand, anecdotal reporting suggests that some individuals who received the influenza vaccine have contracted the flu. However, it is too early in the season to understand the effectiveness of the vaccine.

Common Sense Approaches to Help Prevent the Flu

  • Frequently wash your hands. Keep your hands away from your mouth, nose, and eyes.
  • Enjoy nightly sleep of at least seven or eight hours.
  • Routinely exercise and consume a healthy diet.
  • Avoid crowds, if possible, as well as people who exhibit flu-like symptoms.

An effective approach to thwart the flu is to maintain a healthy immune system. Benefits of a substance called “Beta 1,3D Glucan” include strengthening the immune system. High-quality, beta-glucan supplements are derived from the cell wall of baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and available over-the-counter and online. Some healthcare practitioners exalt the effectiveness of taking a daily, beta-glucan capsule when your immunity may be threatened.

From a longer term standpoint, enjoying year-round, circulating vitamin D3 levels of at least 50ng/mL may be a proactive approach to fight influenza and other viruses. The direct correlation between influenza and winter seasons is no coincidence. Flu outbreaks typically occur during the season’s darkest days when little vitamin D is available from the sun’s rays. As a vitamin D advocate and writer, I emphasize the important role that vitamin D3 plays on the immune system. Activated vitamin D3 strengthens the immune system by producing peptides that combat viruses such as influenza. The more activated vitamin D3 in your body to bolster your immunity, the less likely you are to contract viruses such as the flu.

What Can You Do to Feel Better from the Flu?

Influenza strikes suddenly, usually without warning. According to the CDC, influenza symptoms include some or all of the following: fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue.

You may feel as if you have been run over by a bus. Here are some tips to help alleviate your symptoms:

  • Staying hydrated. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Avoid beverages that contain caffeine and alcohol. Try decaffeinated tea with honey.
  • Enjoy chicken soup—a centuries-old remedy.
  • Add natural garlic, ginger, and lemon to your diet.
  • Stay home and rest. Misery likes company but no one wants your misery.

Lucine’s First Woman, Chandler Marrs, PhD, CEO and president of Lucine Health Sciences, says her flu remedy is black elderberry plus a vitamin cocktail and plenty of rest.

What’s your “tried and true” flu remedy? Join our conversation as we share tips about dealing with the flu.

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