Glucosamine + fish oil omega-3’s has been shown to begin the process of reversing osteoarthritis, as published by Gruenwald et al in the Sept 2009 issue of the journal Advances in Therapy. (link) Though this is not a big surprise,  its nice to see as a new addition to the scientific literature. I’ve been recommending glucosamine/chondroitin + fish oil/vitamin D + green lipped mussel oil + MSM + proteolytic enzymes, for years, and now have added to the repertoire concentrated anthocyanins from all the major “super fruits”,  for all manner of inflammatory problems. With just 1500 mg of glucosamine, and 200 mg of EPA+DHA (a wimpy dose of omega-3) 44% of the group receiving both glucosamine and omega-3 showed at least an 80% reduction in pain over 26 weeks time, as compared with only 32% of those who received only glucosamine. Just think what they might find if they added vitamin D, green lipped mussel oil, MSM, proteolytic enzymes, and fruit anthocyanins…

It is projected that raising the minimum year- round serum 25(OH)D level to 40 to 60 ng/mL (100–150 nmol/L) would prevent approximately 58,000 new cases of breast cancer and 49,000 new cases of colorectal cancer each year, and three fourths of deaths from these diseases in the United States and Canada, based on observational studies combined with a randomized trial. Such intakes also are expected to reduce case-fatality rates of patients who have breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer by half. There are no unreasonable risks from intake of 2000 IU per day of vitamin D₃, or from a population serum 25(OH)D level of 40 to 60 ng/mL. The time has arrived for nationally coordinated action to substantially increaseintake of vitamin D and calcium.

Insufficient levels of vitamin D puts elderly at increased risk of dying from heart disease

A new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Denver and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) shows vitamin D plays a vital role in reducing the risk of death associated with older age. The research, just published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, evaluated the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the death rates of those 65 and older. The study found that older adults with insufficient levels of vitamin D die from heart disease at greater rates that those with adequate levels of the vitamin.

Read more about the University of Colorado study at ScienceDaily.com.

A new study in the Journal of Nutrition research showed:

Higher vitamin D levels associated with increased survival among older women over a 6 year period

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with osteoporosis, poor muscle strength, falls, and fractures. The relationship between serum vitamin D concentrations and mortality in older community-dwelling women has not been well characterized. We hypothesized that women with lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations were at higher risk of mortality. We examined the association between serum 25[OH]D concentrations and all-cause mortality in a prospective, population-based study of 714 community-dwelling women, aged 70 to 79 years, the Women’s Health and Aging Studies I and II in Baltimore, Md. The studies were originally designed to evaluate the causes and course of physical disability in older women living in the community. Vital status was determined through follow-up interviews and matching with the National Death Index. During a median of 72 months of follow-up, 100 (14%) of 714 women died. Women in the lowest quartile of 25(OH)D (<15.3 ng/mL or 38.2 nmol/L) were at higher risk of death (hazards ratio, 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.12-5.36; P = .02) compared to women in the highest quartile (>27.0 ng/mL or 67.4 nmol/L) of 25(OH)D in a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for demographics, season, and conventional risk factors. Older community-dwelling women with low 25(OH)D levels are at an increased risk of death.

Taking a DHEA supplement combined with vitamin D and calcium can significantly improve spinal bone density in older women, according to a new study from a Saint Louis University scientist and his colleagues at Washington University.

In my experience that dose is a bit high for women, about right for most men, though some need up to 100 mg to normalize their blood level. Its really best to ask your doctor to test your blood levels of both “free” (unbound) DHEA, and DHEA sulfate (its storage form). If either one is low, you’re a good candidate for supplementing this “supplement”. Your body can turn DHEA into any adrenal or sex hormone that it decides it needs—DHEA is a so-called “precursor” hormone.

They also went a little bit light on the vitamin D in this study (700 IU). Most adults who work indoors need 1000 IU of vitamin D for every 30 pounds of body weight, and 50% more than that if they are dark skinned, overweight, or obese. Again, after you’ve supplemented vitamin D for 3 or 4 months, it’s a good idea to ask your doctor to measure your blood level of 25 hydroxy vitamin D. You want it to be between 50 and 100 ng/ml (be sure its in ng/ml units, not nmoles/L units, or it needs to be between 80 and 140).

These, along with good weight bearing exercise and resistance exercise, are BASIC things that should be done in everyone before considering drugs like Fosamax, Actonel, or Boniva. You can build a lot of your bone back, no matter what the reason that you lost it in the first place. And be sure your kids and grandkids are getting enough vitamin D, calcium, magnesium and trace minerals—they’re building the bone they’ll live off for a lifetime during their teens and early 20s.

–In February, researchers reported a link between vitamin D levels in the blood and upper respiratory infections in a group of nearly 19,000 people ages 12 and older.
–A 2006 review article in the journal Epidemiology of Infection laid out a detailed case for vitamin D and its protective effect against the flu.

Best thing you can do for you and your families to protect them from the flu, swine, avian, or otherwise, is to take 1,000 IU vitamin D per 30 pounds body weight (if you’re not getting summer sun exposure without sunscreen—if you are, start supplementing when the time of year comes that your shadow is taller than you are—a rule of thumb for whether or not the sun is strong enough to produce vitamin D in your skin. I predict that once studies are done, they will show that having a 25-OH vitamin D level between 50 and 100 ng/ml is better at preventing flu than any vaccine—not to mention reducing the risk of many common and deadly forms of cancer.

To read the abstract of the study about vitamin D levels and influenza visit PubMed.

We speculate that symptomatic myalgia in statin-treated patients with concurrent vitamin D deficiency may reflect a reversible interaction between vitamin D deficiency and statins on skeletal muscle

What it says is that people with low vitamin D levels who take statins can get really sore muscles. We used to think that this was due to the fact that statins prevent the body from making co-q-10 (which they do), so I’ve always advised people taking statins to take co-q-10 supplements as well. But some of them STILL got sore muscles.

Of course, I advise EVERYONE who is not getting at least 30 min of full body summer sun exposure (or its equivalent) to supplement with 1000 IU of vitamin D3 for every 15 kg (33 lb) of body weight, twice that if they are also obese, and to measure their blood level of 25-hydroxy vitamin D at least twice yearly (this may be more important to your overall health  than checking your cholesterol).

So if you’re on a statin, you should not only take co-q-10 supplements (50-100 mg if enough for most people), but also ask your doctor to check your 25-hydroxy vitamin D level. You want that number to be between 50 and 100 ng/ml.