all things vitamin D

[ElMarino]

Superior Source manufacture tiny 10,000 iU D3 pills..

http://www.evitamins.com/product.asp?pid=13487

2,500% of the recommended daily..

I don't know if they will stop relapses but I hope so. My eczema has cleared up since starting taking them which may, or may not, be coincidence..

[Frank]

Vitamin D status is positively correlated with regulatory T cell function in patients with multiple sclerosis.

School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands. j.smolders@mumc.nl

BACKGROUND:
In several autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS), a compromised regulatory T cell (Treg) function is believed to be critically involved in the disease process. In vitro, the biologically active metabolite of vitamin D has been shown to promote Treg development. A poor vitamin D status has been linked with MS incidence and MS disease activity. In the present study, we assess a potential in vivo correlation between vitamin D status and Treg function in relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) patients.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:
Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) were measured in 29 RRMS patients. The number of circulating Tregs was assessed by flow-cytometry, and their functionality was tested in vitro in a CFSE-based proliferation suppression assay. Additionally, the intracellular cytokine profile of T helper cells was determined directly ex-vivo by flow-cytometry. Serum levels of 25(OH)D correlated positively with the ability of Tregs to suppress T cell proliferation (R = 0.590, P = 0.002). No correlation between 25(OH)D levels and the number of Tregs was found. The IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio (Th1/Th2-balance) was more directed towards IL-4 in patients with favourable 25(OH)D levels (R = -0.435, P = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:
These results show an association of high 25(OH)D levels with an improved Treg function, and with skewing of the Th1/Th2 balance towards Th2. These findings suggest that vitamin D is an important promoter of T cell regulation in vivo in MS patients. It is tempting to speculate that our results may not only hold for MS, but also for other autoimmune diseases. Future intervention studies will show whether modulation of vitamin D status results in modulation of the T cell response and subsequent amelioration of disease activity.

PMID: 19675671 [PubMed - in process]

--Frank

[patientx]

I posted this in the Rebif forum, but thought it might be of general interest:

http://tinyurl.com/yamayxx

The investigators hypothesize that vitamin D supplementation may ameliorate interferon beta-induced flu-like symptoms, owing to reduced release and activity of the cytokines that are in correlation with this adverse event.

I wonder if their hypothesis is based on something concrete.

[Sawdoggie]

Since they didn't mention specifically beta-1a or beta-1b I am guessing this includes Betaseron in addition to Avonex and Rebif. I started Betaseron last May along with Vitamin D (4,000 iu/day) after being diagnosed and never experienced any of the side effects or site reactions that I read so much about. Maybe I was just one of the lucky ones or maybe the D helped... This will be interesting to see how it plays out.

[patientx]

Good point, Sawdoggie. I saw Interferon Beta and automatically thought of Rebif. But, like you said, it probably could also apply to Betaseron.

Based on your experience, maybe there is something to this.

[harry1]

Hi everyone

I was just wondering if anybody has done any research to see if low levels of vitamin D are associated with abnormal levels of iron buildup that's causing CCSVI? It sure seems that low levels of vitamin D/sunshine are associated with MS in my readings over the years and so with all the news coming out about iron overload causing CCSVI i was thinking they could be interconnected possibly?

Thanks !!
harry

[jimmylegs]

hi i am not sure if it is iron "overload" that is causing the deposition of iron in ms brains... i have never had anything close to iron overload, more like the opposite...

low d3 and iron overload are not associated from what i can see. more like the other way around - low d3 and low iron are associated ...

Effect of iron on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations (babies)
http://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/56/3/533

Vitamin D and the Intestinal Absorption of Iron and Cobalt1 (chicks)
http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/80/3/332.pdf

i do know that zinc deficiency can cause iron dysregulation and deposits, this is the study i like to think about:

Zinc Deficiency-induced Iron Accumulation, a Consequence of Alterations in Iron Regulatory Protein-binding Activity, Iron Transporters, and Iron Storage Proteins (in vitro)
http://www.jbc.org/content/283/8/5168.abstract

knowing the following:
1) zinc tends to be lower in ms patients
2) that you can correct your low ms-patient level of uric acid and
3) improve your d3 absorption,
just by normalizing your zinc level to the average enjoyed by 'healthy controls' - 18.2umol/L - those are enough reason to do so in my view, but if it also helps with the toxicity from iron deposition? it just keeps getting better.

[harry1]

Thanks for your answer Jimmylegs !!!
O.k. i see that Zinc is an important player for proper Iron metabolism.

[jimmylegs]

no probs harry

[sbr487]

Hi,

I take cod liver oil daily (for last 1 month). I take one capsule twice a daily. I read somewhere that excess vitamin d is bad for health. Can someone let me know if my current intake is within prescribed limits.

Regards,

[jimmylegs]

hi sb, you have not provided enough information to get an answer to your question.
we would need to know capsule size, vit A and/or D content specified on the bottle, any other sources of D you might be taking, estimated dietary intake, that kind of thing.
estimated daily intake requirement per the research is 4000IU per day.
if you need to get your levels higher, you have to take more than 4000 daily.

test your blood to make sure what you take is working. minimum should be close to 150 nmol/L. to avoid toxicity (in the form of hypercalcaemia) ensure that your 25(OH)vitaminD3 level does not exceed 250 nmol/L.

you must ensure that your intake of minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc are matched to a 4000IU daily D3 intake.

hth,
JL

[shye]

Jimmylegs,
would greatly appreciate where you got info re Zinc fingers and D3 receptors--
Am just slowly finding I need super amts of Zinc to operate fairly normally--
And as read this thread, was putting more together--I was taking 800 IU of D for at least 10 years, and my drs at the time were alarmed I was on too much--had osteo---------
When I finally got around to testing D level, was deficient! Then took me 2 years, at 10-15,000 IU's daily, to bring it up to only 58.
And parallel timing, started to realize needed way more than RDI of Zinc to see color somewhat correctly (had optic neuritis to pt of temporarly blindness years ago), and to allleviate depression, and have a bit more energy.
So, just looking at this in light of "zinc fingers, maybe lack of enough zinc was the reason for D so low, and for great length of time to only bring to 58.
So would really appreciate this info (I'll also scour net for it)--Thanks

[sbr487]

Hi Jimmylegs,

I remember seeing the contents and all I could see if 250 mg (not sure if this was vit-d). I will look and get back. But I remember for sure that except this nothing else was mentioned. Also, the capsules are openly available at all chemists since I was a child and seen be common around the world.

The pic is from wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod_liver_oil

Regards,

[jimmylegs]

here's a page with a bit of info, but it's talking in teaspoons not mg:
http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrit ... tions.html

and here is the nutritiondata web site entry for cod liver oil (serving size ONE CUP?!?!?):
http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/fats-and-oils/628/2

and that's all i got - can't find an online 250mg product specifying A and D content so far.

[NHE]

I used to take cod liver oil capsules. They were 500 mg each and contained 130IU of vitamin D3 and 1250 IU of vitamin A. They also contained about 65 mg of omega-3 fatty acids. I chose to get more omega-3 so I switched over to regular fish oil and a Ca, Mg, Zn, and vitamin D3 combo. I've also read that more than 2500IU/day of vitamin A can be problematic. Note that vitamin A should not be confused with beta-carotene, the latter of which is a provitamin A. In effect, your body will only convert as much beta-carotene into vitamin A that it needs. For me, it was not possible to get as much omega-3 as I desired from cod liver oil without getting exessive amounts of vitamin A. I currently take 6g/day of fish oil which provides 1800mg of omega-3 fatty acids.

NHE