Vitamin D Lowers Inflammation
Contributed by John Jacob Cannell, MD,
executive director of The Vitamin D Council
Researchers in Belgium appear to be the first to show that simple, natural and cheap vitamin D (cholecalciferol) lowers C-Reactive Protein (CRP), a measure of inflammation in the body, in critically ill patients.
Even small amounts of vitamin D, about 500 IU, lowered inflammation by more than
25 percent in a small group of critically ill patients. Another marker of
inflammation (IL-6) was reduced even more. The researchers also found that critically ill patients were profoundly deficient in vitamin D.
In another study, researchers found that vitamin D deficiency is associated with
increased inflammation in otherwise healthy people. Increased inflammation in
the body can increase the risk of chronic inflammatory conditions, including coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes.
Further, the researchers found that inflammation was lowered by simple vitamin D.
As vitamin D deficiency is associated with numerous illnesses with inflammatory
components, such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune illness
and heart disease, the findings were important. The authors concluded, “This
finding provides a possible mechanism for tissue damage in chronic inflammatory
conditions, including CHD and diabetes.”
Inflammation in the body may be as important as cholesterol in determining the
risk of heart disease. Unlike cholesterol alone, cholesterol and inflammation
together predict a substantial number of cases of heart disease.
Various studies show that vitamin D deficiency is widespread among the
critically ill and suggest that that vitamin D deficiency may contribute to the
inflammatory basis of various illnesses.
For example, earlier this year researchers studied patients with congestive
heart failure and found elevated levels of TNF, another marker of inflammation.
They also found critically low levels of calcidiol [25(OH)D], the only reliable
marker of vitamin D, and even found low levels of calcitriol, the active form of
vitamin D that is usually low only in those who are severely vitamin D
deficient.
They concluded vitamin D deficiency might contribute to the development of
congestive heart failure (CHF).
It is important to note that vitamin D’s anti-inflammatory actions in humans
have long been suspected. For example, several studies using compounds similar
to vitamin D have been shown to significantly reduce inflammation and improve
the patients’ condition when given to patients suffering from rheumatoid
arthritis.
---------------------------------
Dr. Mercola's Comment:
CRP is elevated when there is inflammation going on somewhere in the body, and
chronic inflammation is a risk factor for a number of conditions including
coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes. Numerous studies have shown that
vitamin D lowers inflammation.
Folks, we are in the midst of a radical revision of vitamin D understanding. The
leading vitamin D scientists in the world have changed their position within the
last few years and have started the warning sirens that most of traditional
medicine was dead wrong when it comes to sun avoidance.
Following the ridiculous recommendations of avoiding the sun has caused a
minimum of 20,000 extra cancers per year, and it is far more likely the number
actually exceeds 50,000. And that is just cancer deaths. It does not include
heart disease or autoimmune diseases like MS or rheumatoid arthritis.
The old RDA of 400 units was only put together to prevent rickets. It was
established long before the appreciation of sun exposure and optimized vitamin D
levels. The requirements for vitamin D are far closer to 10 times the current
RDA, or 4,000 units. If you only took the RDA of 400 units of vitamin D and
avoided the sun you can be virtually guaranteed you would be vitamin D
deficient, just like over 85 percent of the country currently is.
This is why it is crucial that you have your vitamin D levels tested now. By
far, the vast majority of people reading this right now have far too little
vitamin D in their blood. Over 85 percent of people have levels below 32, which
is considered deficient, but it is possible to overdose on vitamin D.
In my practice we don't like to see patient levels go much above 50, but 55 is
probably a perfect level and anything above 60 is likely to be toxic. One study
found cancer started to occur at 80. So, be smart and get your vitamin D level
tested.
We routinely put people on 10,000 units a day or more of vitamin D safely as
long as we monitor them. It is important to understand that most of us get
10,000 units on a sunny summer day if we have significant exposure.
If you are a health care professional I would strongly urge you to consider
subscribing to Dr. Cannell's excellent vitamin D newsletter. The top vitamin D
scientists in the world write it, and it is sent to the top scientists in the
world with the intention of sparking the important changes that need to occur in
the U.S. recommendations. I have learned quite a bit about vitamin D already,
but it seems that every issue Dr. Cannel surprises me with new and excitinginformation about the health benefits of vitamin D.
http://mercola.com/2004/feb/28/vitamin_d.htm