What's that in your mouth?

7. January 2010 William Davis (17)



Fat = triglycerides

In other words, eat fat, whether it's saturated, hydrogenated, polyunsaturated, or monounsaturated, and blood levels of triglycerides will go up over the next 6 hours. This remains true if there are carbohydrates in the meal, or if there are NO carbohydrates in the meal. It also remains true if you chronically consume fats.

While fats are the primary determinant of postprandial (after-eating) triglycerides, carbohydrates are the primary determinant of fasting triglycerides.

So, if your triglycerides are high on a fasting cholesterol (lipid) panel, it's most likely because you overconsume carbohydrates.


Thanks to cartoonist Eli Stein, who has generously allowed me to reprint his artwork on these pages. Mr. Stein has published his work in dozens of magazines and newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, Barron's, and Good Housekeeping. More of his work can be found at Eli Stein Cartoons.

De Novo Lipo-what?

5. January 2010 William Davis (16)
Humans have limited capacity to store carbohydrates. Beyond the glucose and glycogen in our blood and tissues, we have relatively little carbohydrate to draw from in time of energy need. That's why long-distance runners and triathletes have to carry sugar sources to keep blood sugar from plummeting.

Fat, of course, is different. We have virtually unlimited capacity to store energy as fat.

Because we have limited carbohydrate storage capacity, what can the body do with the excessive quantities of carbohydrates that Americans ingest? What becomes of a bagel for breakfast, wheat crackers for snacks, a whole wheat sandwich for lunch, pretzels, and whole wheat pasta that many people eat every day, not to mention the chips, soft drinks, and juices?

Excess carbohydrates are diverted to an interesting metabolic pathway called de novo lipogenesis (DNL). This refers to the liver's ability to make triglycerides from excessive carbohydrates in the diet. Triglycerides are packaged for release into the blood as VLDL. VLDL, in turn, interacts with other lipoproteins, creating small LDL particles, reduced HDL and smaller, less protective HDL. High VLDL will be measured on a standard cholesterol panel as higher triglycerides.

A University of California (Berkeley, San Francisco) group has done much of the work describing DNL.

A diet weighed towards carbohydrates, especially if 50% or greater calories are carbohydrate, is sufficient to provoke plenty of DNL, even in slender people. DNL is a big part of the reason why low-fat (and, thereby, high-carbohydrate) diets result in higher triglycerides. DNL really gets turned on many-fold if the carbohydrates are "simple," rather than "complex."

Overweight people, however, can demonstrate five-fold greater DNL even with lesser quantities of carbohydrate intake (e.g., 40% fat, 46% carbohydrate, 14% protein):





From Schwarz et al 2003. Mean (± SEM) fractional de novo lipogenesis in lean normoinsulinemic (NI), obese NI, and obese hyperinsulinemic (HI) subjects after 5 d of consuming a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet and in different lean NI and obese HI subjects after 5 d of consuming a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. Values with different superscript letters are significantly different.


Excessive carbohydrates, a la standard low-fat diets, are good for nobody. The concept of de novo lipogenesis fills in a theoretical hole that now explains why people who eat carbohydrates have higher triglycerides, VLDL, and, eventually, insulin resistance and diabetes.

Gretchen's postprandial diet experiment II

3. January 2010 William Davis (37)
I previously posted Gretchen's postprandial diet experiment, in which she consumed a low-fat diet for a day, followed by a low-carbohydrate diet for a day. Grethen monitored blood glucose and triglycerides with fingerstick checks. (Blood glucose can be checked on any widely available glucose monitor; triglycerides can be monitored with the Cardiochek device.)

Let's now discuss what happened.

On the low-carb, high-fat day, there was an initial surge in triglycerides to 250 mg/dl late morning, followed by a secondary peak several hours following dinner. Because fat is mostly triglycerides, Gretchen's high-fat (sausage, bacon, butter, whole-fat yogurt) breakfast provided a large quantity of triglycerides that needed to be absorbed. This generally occurs over approximately 6 hours, varying depending on body weight, how accustomed you are to fat, activity level during the day, the kind of fat in the meal. The high content of saturated fat in Gretchen's high-fat breakfast likely caused the somewhat slower drop in triglycerides over approximately 7 1/2 hours.

As Gretchen herself had noted, triglycerides the following day were lower, a typical low-carb response. Blood sugar throughout showed only minor variation, with only small postprandial increases.

Thus, Gretchen experienced what we'd expect with a low-carb, high-fat diet: an initial high surge in triglycerides, followed by a decline in fasting levels, while blood sugar shows a normal contour.







Now, the more confusing low-fat experience:



Blood glucose makes a striking peak at 200 mg/dl after the low-fat breakfast of pasta and rice, in contrast to the low-carb breakfast. Triglycerides behaved very differently from the low-carb experiment: While there was no initial postprandial surge, there was a late surge developing 6-24 hours later. The late surge continued into the next day, with fasting levels the following morning (210 mg/dl) exceeding the starting triglyceride level (60 mg/dl).

The one potentially confusing aspect of all this is Gretchen's late rise in triglycerides on the low-fat diet. This phenomenon is due to something called de novo lipogenesis, or the liver's conversion of carbohydrates to triglycerides that occurs when an excessive carbohydrate load comes through diet. Because the human body cannot store anything beyond a minor quantity of carbohydrates (as glucose and glycogen), carbohydrates are converted to fats.

Another factor causing the late triglyceride increase is insulin resistance, given the high blood sugar response. When insulin resistance is present, the activity of the enzyme, lipoprotein lipase, is reduced. Less lipoprotein lipase activity allows slower VLDL degradation, allowing VLDL (and thereby triglycerides contained in VLDL) to "stack up" in the blood. Thus, the higher triglycerides late after eating and into the next morning.

One issue to be aware of: Acute responses can differ from chronic responses. In other words, had Gretchen had the luxury (and time and money) to conduct the experiment over, say, 4 weeks, rather than a single day, there would be somewhat different responses. The best data on this come from Dr. Jeff Volek of the University of Connecticut, in which 4 weeks of low-carbohydrate eating modify fasting and postprandial responses over time.

Several conclusions can be made from Gretchen's experience:

1) Low-carb, high-fat acutely generates extravagant postprandial triglyceride responses.
2) Low-fat causes a late triglyceride surge and higher fasting triglycerides.
3) Low-fat leads to high blood sugars and, by implication, diabetes.


Both the low-carb and the low-fat responses are undesirable, both leading to increased risk for heart disease. Which is worse? I believe that low-fat is more destructive, since it leads over time to both high triglycerides and diabetes, while low-carb/high-fat only leads to postprandial triglyceride surges, at least acutely.

How to best balance the responses to reduce risk for heart disease? That's a discussion for future.


Again, my thanks to Gretchen and the substantial amount of effort that went into generating these numbers. More of Gretchens' own writing can be found on her blogs:
http://wildlyfluctuating.blogspot.com
http://www.healthcentral.com/diabetes/c/5068

A wheat-free 2010

2. January 2010 William Davis (22)
A Heart Scan Blog reader sent this fascinating description of his wheat-free adventure.

Whenever I discuss this notion of going wheat-free and the incredible health effects that develop, I invariably receive comments or emails saying something like "I eat wheat and feel fine. That can't be true." The problem is that not everybody needs to go wheat-free. 20-30% of people can include wheat in their diet and suffer little more than weight gain, some not at all.

But stories like Michael's (below) are commonplace in my experience. I've had many patients who, at first, refused to believe that wheat exposure might be the underlying cause for health struggles. But they finally give it a try and find that rashes, arthritis, acid reflux, irritable bowel symptoms, mood swings, anger, etc. are miraculously improved or gone.

Anyway, hear what Michael has to tell us:


Dr. Davis,

I want to thank you. I was browsing the web a while back and happened to stumble upon your blog post about wheat belly. The first thing that caught my attention was that I thought you had somehow gotten a photograph of me. The young man you posted an image of looked exactly like me. So I read what you had to say. After reading, I thought "Four weeks isn’t so bad. I think I can handle this."

It has now been nine weeks and all I can say is that I am completely amazed. Let me say first that twice in the past twenty years I have been tested for allergies. The first time I was tested I showed a slight reaction to Timothy Grass, but not enough to cause me any problems. The second testing I did not show a reaction to anything. So, I have always assumed that my chronic sinus problem were due to sensitivities to environmental pollutions. Now I am not so sure. I would like to list for you everything that has happened to me since I eliminated wheat from my diet.

1. I have lost a total of 12 pounds in the last 9 weeks.
2. I have lost 1 ¼ inches of belly fat
3. I have lost a tremendous amount of fat from my neck.
4. My entire life I have had problems with oily hair. I could wash my hair and three hours later I looked as if I hadn’t washed in a week. Now my hair stays clean and soft for two to three days without shampoo.
5. My hair was always flat and stringy. Now it has lots of body.
6. I used to have thick layers of dry skin on my scalp. It would come loose in chunks as large as a fingernail. That dry scalp is gone.
7. I used to have dry flaky skin that seemed to secrete oil. That no longer happens. My skin is now soft and smooth.
8. I have lived with bad acne for at least 35 years. Now it is hard to find a pimple on my body.
9. I have always had to fight dehydration. That is no longer a problem.
10. I used to drink two large cups of coffee every morning just to be able to function. I now have enough energy that I have eliminated caffeine from my diet.
11. I sleep more soundly than ever before and my dreams are clear and vivid.
12. My thought processes are more active and clear than they have ever been.
13. My chronic sinus issue is now a thing of the past.
14. I used to have problems with getting the “shakes” if I had gone more than a couple of hours without eating. It was as if I was suffering from low blood sugar. I would even be afraid that I would pass out. Now all I feel is hunger. I can go all day without eating and never feel in danger of losing consciousness.


Today is Thursday. This past Monday my wife and I were eating out and I ordered a burger without a bun. What I didn’t realize was that the burger would arrive covered in onion rings. I knocked the mountain of onion rings onto the plate but there were still a couple that were embedded in the cheese. I decided, what the hell, a couple of onion rings shouldn’t make that much of a difference. I will not make that mistake again anytime soon. Within 30 minutes I felt like there was a steel spike going through my left eye socket. I don’t remember ever being in that much pain. My sinuses were exploding. This morning, as I write this, I still feel the vestiges of that pain. Just enough that I know it is there. But after two and a half days, I am at least able to function again.

I owe you a debt of gratitude. You may have just saved my life. In the very least you have given me the means to improve my life in ways that I never thought possible.

Thank you so much,
Michael B.


Now, if wheat exposure can do that in Michael, what damage can it do in other people?

Personally, I previously experienced many of the same symptoms that Michael suffered, all gone with wheat elimination.

My advice: If you have any inkling that you might have a wheat sensitivity, make a New Year's resolution to stay wheat-free for 4 weeks and see whether you can feel any difference. Not everybody will, but many will be telling us about the dramatic health turnarounds they experienced.

Lipoprotein lipase and you

30. December 2009 William Davis (0)
Lipoprotein lipase can make the difference between having heart disease and not having it. Having sky-high triglycerides or normal triglycerides. It can mean dinner hanging around for over 12 hours in the bloodstream, rather than the usual 4-6 hours.

If you take niacin, you must exercise

30. December 2009 William Davis (23)
We use a lot of niacin in the Track Your Plaque program.

Niacin:

--Increases HDL and shifts HDL towards the large, protective fraction

--Reduces small LDL--In fact, niacin is the best treatment we have to reduce small LDL after wheat elimination and carbohydrate reduction.

--Reduces fasting and postprandial (after-eating) triglycerides

--Reduces heart attack risk by 20-28%--even as a sole agent.


But . . . niacin also triggers higher blood sugar because it partially blocks the effects of insulin (insulin "resistance").

While the net effect of niacin remains positive, the provocation of insulin resistance is not such a good thing. Can it be minimized or eliminated?

Yes, through exercise. Here's one interesting observation in obese (BMI 34.0), sedentary men given placebo, exercise, niacin (1500 mg Niaspan, once per day), or niacin + exercise:





From Plaisance et al 2008.

Blood was drawn following a high-fat meal challenge. (Yes, a high-fat challenge, not a carbohydrate challenge. In this study, there were only 17 grams carbohydrates in the test meal, but 100 grams fat. More on this in future.) Exercise consisted of walking for 50 minutes at a moderate pace one hour prior to the meal challenge.

You can see from the graph that exercise partially corrected the increased insulin level provoked by niacin.

Judging from this and other studies, exercise can help minimize the insulin-blocking effects of niacin. It doesn't take much, just moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes.

Adequate sleep can also help, since sleep deprivation is a potent trigger for insulin resistance, only worsened in the presence of niacin. Vitamin D supplementation to achieve desirable blood levels (which I define as 60-70 ng/ml) is also an effective means to minimize this effect.

To track small LDL, track blood sugar

24. December 2009 William Davis (28)
Here's a trick I learned after years of fussing over people's small LDL.

To gain better control over small LDL, follow blood sugars (blood glucose).

When you think about it, all the foods that trigger increases in blood sugar also trigger small LDL. Carbohydrates, in general, are the most potent triggers of small LDL. The most offensive among the carbohydrates: foods made with wheat. After wheat, there's foods made with cornstarch, sucrose (table sugar), and the broad categories of "other" carbohydrates, such as oats, barley, quinoa, sorghum, bulghur, etc.

Assessing small LDL requires a full lipoprotein assessment in which small LDL particles are measured (NMR, VAP, GGE). Not the easiest thing to do in the comfort of your kitchen.

However, you can easily and now cheaply check your blood sugar. Because blood sugar parallels small LDL, checking blood sugar can provide insight into how you respond to various foods and know whether glucose/small LDL have been triggered.

Here's how I suggest patients to do it:

1) Purchase an inexpensive blood glucose monitor at a discounter like Walmart or Walgreen's. You can buy them now for about $10. They're even sometimes free with promotional offers. You will also need to purchase lancets and test strips.

2) With a meal in question, check a blood sugar just prior to the meal, then again 60 minutes after finishing the meal. Say, for example, your pre-meal blood sugar is 102 mg/dl. You eat your meal, check it 60 minutes after finishing. Ideally, the postprandial (after-meal) blood sugar is no more than 102 mg/dl, i.e., no higher than pre-meal.

Perhaps you're skeptical that oatmeal in skim milk with walnuts and raisins will do any damage. So you perform this routine with your breakfast. Blood sugar beforehand: 100 mg/dl. Blood sugar 1 hour post: 163 mg/dl--Uh oh, not good for you. And small LDL will be triggered.

This approach is not perfect. It will not, for example, identify "stealth" triggers of blood sugar and small LDL like pasta, for the same reasons that pasta has a misleadingly low glycemic index: sugars are released slowly and not fully evident with the one-hour blood sugar.

Nonetheless, for most foods and meals, tracking your one-hour postprandial blood sugar can provide important insight into your individual susceptibility to sugar and small LDL-triggering effects.

C-reactive protein: Fiction from the drug industry?

21. December 2009 William Davis (0)
C-reactive protein (CRP) is the liver product of inflammatory responses anywhere in the body. If there's an inflamed left knee, CRP will be increased. If viral bronchitis is making you cough, then CRP will be increased.

The argument put forward by the drug industry is that, because CRP indicates underlying inflammation, very low-grade levels that can be measured in the absence of overt inflammation like the sore knee or bronchitis is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular events. There are now many studies that conclusively demonstrate that, the higher the CRP, the greater the cardiovascular risk.

Naturally, any marker of risk is followed by the inevitable study: Do statin drugs reduce the excess cardiovascular risk of excessive CRP?

And, yes, indeed they do. My statin-crazed colleagues rave about the so-called "pleiotropic," or non-lipid, effects of statins. CRP reduction and the reduction of risk associated with CRP result with statin treatment.

But is life really statin vs. placebo, as most statin trials are constructed? Are there strategies that can outdo statins like Crestor for reduction of CRP?

Watch your fish oil labels

17. December 2009 William Davis (36)
A quick quiz:

How much omega-3 fatty acids, EPA + DHA, are in each capsule of fish oil with the composition shown on the label below:





If you said 1340 mg (894 mg + 446 mg), sorry, but you're wrong. There are 670 mg EPA + DHA per capsule.

Did you notice that the composition, or "Supplement Facts," lists the contents of two capsules? Rather than the usual one capsule contents, this product label lists two capsules.

I don't know why some manufacturers or distributors do this. However, I have seen many people tripped up by this kind of labeling, taking half the omega-3 fatty acids they thought they were taking. This can be important when you are trying to obtain a specific dose of EPA + DHA to reduce triglycerides, reduce Lp(a), control abnormal heart rhythms, reduce bipolar mood swings, or other important effects.

I liken this to pulling up to a gas station where the sign says gasoline for $1.25. Wow! Can't beat that! You then find out that it's really $1.25 for a half-gallon, or $2.50 a gallon.

In truth, the labeling is accurate; it's just very easy to not notice the two capsule composition.

Why do I need a prescription for Olava?

16. December 2009 William Davis (0)
Imagine this:





What is OLAVA?

Olava is prescription olive oil. It is the purest, highest concentration of olive oil available.




Why Do I Need a Prescription for OLAVA?

Studies show that olive oil contains essential fatty acids, "good" fats that:



--Contain natural compounds your body needs for good health but can't produce on its own.

--Has antioxidants that may provide protection from heart disease.



So, it is common for people to ask why they need a prescription for OLAVA if it is made from a natural ingredient--olive oil. It's time to get the facts about OLAVA. Learn why OLAVA is different from olive oil you can buy at a store.



OLAVA Is an FDA-Approved Medication

OLAVA is the only FDA-approved medicine made from olive oil that's proven, along with diet, to reduce risk for heart disease


The FDA enforces standards to make sure that prescription medications like OLAVA are safe, effective, and quality controlled.


The way OLAVA is manufactured is reviewed and approved by the FDA.


OLAVA uses a 10-step purification process that helps remove lead and other environmental toxins that can be present in olive oil.


Each 1-gram capsule of OLAVA contains 1000 mg of pure olive oil.


The FDA-approved dose of OLAVA is 4 capsules per day. It could take up to 2 tablespoons per day of regular olive oil to provide the same amount of active ingredients proven to lower heart disease risk.




What Else You Should Know About Olive Oil

Regular olive oil has not been approved by the FDA to treat any specific disease like heart disease.



Olive oil doesn't have specific dosing information; it has a food label.



Olive oil does not go through an FDA-approved manufacturing process.





Talk to Your Doctor About OLAVA

If you have very heart disease, you may need a prescription medicine, along with diet, to treat your condition. Talk to your doctor about OLAVA. Print a trial offer to use on your first prescription of OLAVA.

Thumb your nose at swine flu

Thumb your nose at swine flu

29. April 2009 William Davis (35)
Judging from what we know about vitamin D, it is highly probable that it confers substantial protection from viral infections, including swine flu.

Dr. John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council (www.vitamindcouncil.com) first connected the dots, identifying the possibility of an influence of vitamin D on incidence of flu.

In 2006, Dr. Cannell reports noticing that the patients in his psychiatric ward in northern California were completely spared from the influenza epidemic of that year, while plenty of patients in adjacent wards were coming down with flu. Dr. Cannell proposed that the apparent immunity to flu in his patients may have been due to the modest dose of 2000 units vitamin D per day he had prescribed that the patients in other wards had not been given. (Since the hospital was run by the state of California, Dr. Cannell apparently had only so much leeway with vitamin D dosing.) While it’s not proof, it’s nonetheless a fascinating and compelling observation.

A similar conclusion was reached in a recent analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey demonstrating that the higher the vitamin D blood level, the less likely respiratory infections were.

Personally, I used to suffer through 2 or 3 episodes of a runny nose, sore throat, hacking cough, fevers and feeling crumby every winter. Over the last 3 years since I’ve supplemented vitamin D, I haven’t been sick even once. The past two years I didn’t bother with the flu vaccine, since I suspected that my immunity had been heightened: no flu either winter.

And so it has been with the majority of my patients. Since I began having patients supplement vitamin D to achieve normal blood levels (we aim for 60-70 ng/ml), viral and bacterial infections have become rare.

New research is uncovering myriad new ways that vitamin D enhances natural immune responses to numerous infections, including tuberculosis, bacteria such as those causing periodontal disease and lung infections, and viruses like the influenza virus. Enhanced immunity against cancer is also an intensive area of research on vitamin D.

Will vitamin D supplementation sufficient to achieve desirable blood levels confer sufficient immunity to swine flu should it come to your door? From what we know and what we’ve seen in the few years of vitamin D experience, I think it will in the majority. But I do believe that we should still heed public health warnings to avoid contact with others, minimize exposure to crowds, avoid travel to affected areas, etc.
Tags :

Comments (35) -

  • Anna

    4/29/2009 4:40:00 PM |

    Our family has had great results in regarding upper respiratory infections since getting our Vit D levels up to an optimal level (over 60 ng/ml).  While we sometimes do come down with a mild cold, the symptoms are now very short-lived and mild.  If we raise our Vit D dose by 50% for a few days at the first sign of a cold, the illness seems to stall and go away within 2-4 days.

    I've actually never had an influenza virus illness that I know of and only 1 flu shot about 8 years ago.  Other than my usual practices to maintain health, I don't plan to do anything different to avoid swine flu (even after visiting the home of one of my neighbors, who was exposed to one of the confirmed San Diego Swine flu cases - the single mother couldn't send the sick child to school, so she brought her to work).

  • arnoud

    4/29/2009 5:14:00 PM |

    Truly amazing, the scope and reach of the benefits of adequate levels of Vitamin D!  Even more amazing is that we are only now (recent years) are learning how essential Vitamin D is, while, sadly, adequate Vitamin D supplementation has not yet become part of main stream practice.

    As it is too early, not much is known yet about the current swine flu virus.   It is worrisome that it has been fatal for many people.  Interestingly, the deaths generally occur in the age group from 20 to 65 years old.  Could it be possible that these are the hard working folks who nearly spend every day-light hour inside office buildings and factories - no getting sun-light ---> not producing Vitamin D in their skins?   If Vitamin D shortfall is the critical risk factor, then this suggests a causal relationship could be identified?

  • Anonymous

    4/29/2009 6:42:00 PM |

    This post is a bit simplistic.

    I have been supplementing with Vitamin D for 1.5 years and my levels tested to where the medical enthusiasts for Vitamin D recommend it be.

    I've still come down with two nasty respiratory viruses over the past year.

    One of the other credentialled health bloggers I read suggests the exact opposite--the high levels of inflammation may protect against the flu.

    I don't think any of us know enough to make a call on this. The fatal 1918 flu killed people who had a robust immune response. It was that immune response that caused the pulmonary edema that killed them.

    The way everyone is grabbing onto this possible epidemic to support whatever their prized ideology might be, be it political or health-oriented gives a lot of insight into human nature but very little into how to deal with an emerging threat.

  • manny paul

    4/29/2009 6:53:00 PM |

    The World Health Organization raised its global alert level on the spreading swine flu virus Monday, but stopped short of declaring a global ...on swine flu worldwide

  • Anne

    4/30/2009 6:33:00 AM |

    I read that the reason why mostly young adults died in the 1918 flu pandemic was because their 'healthier' immune systems produced a “cytokine storm” which killed them whereas the weaker immune systems of young children and elderly people did not respond so. Where does that leave all of us with good immune systems then ? I've not had a cold for three years ! I don't want a “cytokine storm” reaction !

    Anne

  • pooti

    4/30/2009 11:30:00 AM |

    I agree with the cytokine storm threat for the newly emerging viruse strains of the H1N1 virus and also the H5N1 virus.

    But if you believe the information out there, most people didn't die of the swine flu during the 1918 epidemic. The majority of the enormous death toll from that epidemic was due to post viral/secondary streptococcus infection (a bacterial infection). So it really was the complications that killed them.

    Of course, you could apply the chicken and egg rational here and say that the reason so many contracted pneumonia and strep is because their system was compromised by the fluid generated as a result of the viral infection...(i.e. the CS).

  • Peter

    4/30/2009 12:43:00 PM |

    First reports of the H1N1 virus are that healthy people in their 20's and 30's are more likely to die from it than, say, old people who have lower D levels.  Might be better to stop vitamin D if the flu gets here and and the first reports turn out to be accurate.

  • Jonathan Byron

    4/30/2009 2:58:00 PM |

    There is some evidence that UV light and vitamin D levels are the seasonal factors that drive the winter flu epidemics. Not sure if this one may be a bit different, as it started in near tropical areas in the spring. But overall, there is good evidence that higher vitamin D leads to fewer respiratory infections.

    Another nutrient of interest is n-acetylcysteine, an amino acid that increases glutathione and other anti-oxidant/anti-inflammatory systems in the body.

    In this Italian study, twice a day acetylcysteine cut the symptoms of influenza by 2/3. The acetylcysteine group had just as many antibodies to the flu (indicating they were exposed) - but they were far less likely to go on to develop dis-ease from the virus, and when they did, it was usually much less intense.

  • Jenny Light

    4/30/2009 3:45:00 PM |

    One thing that I have yet to see reported in the media is the fact that Mexico City (the hot bed for deaths) has probably one of the worst air pollution problems in the world!  As this swine flu virus strongly involves the respiratory system, it should be no surprise that the already compromised lungs of these people can't handle it!  If there ARE deaths in the US (native citizens), watch them be centered in our most polluted cities!

  • StephenB

    4/30/2009 3:46:00 PM |

    I've just had an intestinal flu, despite my D levels being at 62ng/ml. My doctor said that it couldn't be swine because it wasn't respiratory.

    On the other hand, before supplementing with D, I would get one or more upper respiratory infections (usually bacterial) per year, and I didn't have any this year.

    StephenB

  • TedHutchinson

    4/30/2009 7:20:00 PM |

    Jonathan Byron
    Vitamin D3 also increases glutathione
    The role of vitamin D in the mental health of older adults"Not just that paper
    Dr Cannell Vitamin D council
    has several links to other sources confirming Vit d upregulates glutathione.

    I know it's only anecdotal but since I've raised my 25(OH)D no colds, no flu, no urinary tract infections (biggy for me as I must self catheterize 5 times daily and UTI's were persistent)

  • manny paul

    4/30/2009 7:26:00 PM |

    An NRI who flew to Hyderabad from Texas, the US state which reported the first swine flu death outside Mexico, was on Wednesday found to have the flu symptoms..
    swine flu to hyderabad

  • Anonymous

    4/30/2009 7:47:00 PM |

    Thanks for this POST!!!

    Another reason to run around with no clothes on when the "SUN" is shining and warm. Free Vitamin D....

    Has anyone done a study on nudist colonies, and the impacts of flu in these places...?

  • Dan

    4/30/2009 10:59:00 PM |

    The fact that this started in Mexico and so far has only killed Mexicans doesn't support your vitamin D theory.  I'm not saying its wrong or that I don't take plenty of D myself, just that it's premature to conclude D prevents this thing.  Also, the first patient to die was a door-to-door tax collector, and probably got mucho sun.

  • Dr. William Davis

    5/1/2009 12:19:00 AM |

    Don't forget that getting sun does NOT necessarily mean that vitamin D has been activated sufficient to increase blood levels to the optimal range.

  • Anne

    5/1/2009 7:11:00 AM |

    TedHutchinson wrote: "Anne Stoss Therapy from Dr CannellBiotech  etc"

    Ted - I already take a high dose of vitamin D3 and my serum levels are fine and my immune system great - which is why I'm concerned about a  "cytokine storm”  which was what they think killed so many people in the 1918 flu epidemic. A "cytokine storm"  happens when people have a good immune system, like us with our good levels of D ! That's why the people with poor immune systems, the eldery and very young, survived the 1918 pandemic: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cytokine_storm

    Anne

  • TedHutchinson

    5/1/2009 2:59:00 PM |

    Anne
    If you clicked the links provided you would understand Dr Cannell was detailing how taking extremely large amounts of Vitamin D3 AT THE FIRST SIGN of flu MAY prevent the cytokine store.
    That was why I also provided a link to a supplier of cheap 50,000iu D3.
    I have raised my 25(OH)D to above 60ng. I think doing that will lower my chance of getting an upper respiratory tract infection but I also have a pot of 50,000iu/d3 in the cupboard and should things turn out worse than I expect I will follow Dr Cannell's suggestions to the letter.

  • Anne

    5/1/2009 6:31:00 PM |

    I couldn't find a reference to cytokine storm in Dr Cannell's article first time but now I have clicked on one of the links it in and it led to a study about vitamin D and influenza which mentions preventing cytokine storm.  Thanks Ted....now I understand !

  • Mike

    5/1/2009 6:43:00 PM |

    I located this reference document while visiting the Vitamin D Council's web-site, regarding Vitamin D and the Flu. Hope this gets widely circulated!

    http://www.virologyj.com/content/5/1/29

    You can find the links at their site under "Noteworthy News."

    Swine Flu and Vitamin D — 30 April 2009

    http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

  • Anna

    5/1/2009 8:05:00 PM |

    Here's an interesting post on cytokine storms & the flu.  This researcher on inflammation seems to have views much in line with Dr. Davis and TYP.

    http://coolinginflammation.blogspot.com/2009/04/extreme-flu-remedies.html

  • Anonymous

    5/2/2009 1:23:00 PM |

    Notwithstanding the excellent information that the heart scan blog provides, I think we should all be cautious in drawing conclusions based on singular/individual experiences.
    Trevor

  • TICQueen

    5/2/2009 9:36:00 PM |

    Increase your intake of vitamin C. Vitamin C not only boosts your immune system, but in higher dosages has been shown to be an antiviral as well. The recommendation is to dramatically increase your intake at the first sign you may have been exposed to the flu. Search for "the Vitamin C Foundation" to find an effective dosage for you.


    You can get a complete Swine Flu guide at http://www.swineflurecommendations.com
    Ensure you are getting enough vitamin E in your diet. There has been at least one clinical study completed that links adequate vitamin E intake with reduced viral activity. Studies have also shown there may be a link between vitamin E and a reduced duration and severity of flu symptoms.

  • Hoop

    5/3/2009 2:12:00 PM |

    I've gradually dialed up my vitamin D3 dose over the last 8 years. Motivated by  hope of reducing my prostate cancer risks.
    I started at 2000 IU per day which dose didn't stop all my colds and flu episodes but since I reached 6000 (or more) I've had neither illness. I only take the larger dose during the Autumnn
    and Winter months and on those days
    when I miss the midday spring and summer sun. YMMV I suppose it still could be chance but so far so good.

    Dwight

  • maxthedog

    5/16/2009 12:13:00 AM |

    Regarding cytokine storms:  Vitamin D3, as 1-25(OH)D3 aka, "calcitriol" is said to modulate the immune response (in part) by way of upregulating the production antimicrobial peptides known as cathelicidins, and to a lesser degree, beta-defensin (cathelicidins are strongly expressed along the epethelial lining of the lung, for those interested in D3 and respiratory infections). This *does not* mean that taking vitamin D3 will increase the strength of the immune system's inflammatory response.  The opposite is the case:  vitamin D *increases* the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines and *decreases* the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby throttling down the Th1 mediated immune response.  Think of it this way, you're out in the sun for a while, your skin becomes a bit red.. the body's response is to lower the tendency towards greater inflammation, while simultaneously upregulating the production of antimicrobial peptides that work by effectively cleaving bacteria and virus apart like a pair of scissors to paper.  Antimicrobial peptides do not work by way of releasing an oxidative burst in the way the Th1 mediated response works!  The immune system is far too complex to simply characterize it's behavior with words such as "strong" or "weak" - there is a whole lot more going on under the hood than such a simplistic view allows.

  • Anna

    5/16/2009 7:23:00 PM |

    Dr. Cannell has some info to that effect (anti-inflammatory characteristics of Vit D and flu-induced cytokines) in the newsletter that went out yesterday or today.

  • sadie

    5/27/2009 5:25:41 AM |

    I have been taking 5000iu a day of D3. My level is 23.9 so my GP wants me to take 50,000 D3 twice a week for 4 weeks and then once per week. I'm wondering if this much should be just to get the level up and then take a higher dose each day. And I'm looking for a higher dose gelcap of D3. Would appreciate others thoughts on this.

  • Amanda Crowe

    6/3/2009 5:18:08 AM |

    H1N1 (referred to as "swine flu" early on) is a new influenza virus causing illness in people. Symptoms of swine flu are similar to those caused by other influenza viruses. Health authorities across the globe are taking steps to try to stem the spread of swine flu after outbreaks in Mexico and the United States. The World Health Organization has called it a "public health emergency of international concern."

  • Ken

    6/16/2009 2:20:31 PM |

    Maybe in certain circumstances - like  being exposed to am infection such as swine flu - ingesting vitamin D is good for you. I still have to wonder - why is the amount made in a day of full body exposure to strong sunlight limited to 10,000IU in the first 20 minutes. Moreover that is just one way the potential levels of D are prevented from affecting blood levels; a high proportion of  ingested vitamin D is excreted in the bile according to Vieth.

    Somewhere along the line there's  a net disadvantage to constant high levels I think.
    Mad dogs and ....

  • Rebeca

    8/14/2009 12:42:49 PM |

    On Monday morning an Arkia airlines plane took off from Ben Gurion Airport carrying rabbis and kabbalists and flew over the country in a flight aimed at preventing the swine flu virus from spreading in Israel through prayers.

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    Personally, I used to suffer through 2 or 3 episodes of a runny nose, sore throat, hacking cough, fevers and feeling crumby every winter. Over the last 3 years since I’ve supplemented vitamin D, I haven’t been sick even once. The past two years I didn’t bother with the flu vaccine, since I suspected that my immunity had been heightened: no flu either winter.

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