All kinds of research on vitamin D is showing great benefits including cancer prevention. Many experts are recommending people over 40 have vitamin D levels drawn and monitored-but few doctors are doing this routinely…so ask!!!!!!

yours, Dr. Don

The researchers also studied the use of vitamin D3 in conjunction with curcumin, a chemical found in the common spice turmeric. When used together, this pair also boosted the immune system and protected the brain against beta amyloid.

For this study, which appeared in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, the researchers used blood samples from nine AD patients to examine macrophages, which are key players in the immune system. In the brain, macrophages act like scavengers, eating up potentially harmful waste products, such as bacteria and beta amyloid.

The research team found that when synthetic curcumin was introduced into the macrophages, it enhanced their ability to grab beta amyloid. The vitamin D stimulated the absorption of the beta amyloid in the macrophages, so it could be carried out of the brain more effectively.

This amazing study offers hope for new prevention and treatment methods for AD. It also highlights the importance of vitamin D.

Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiencies are becoming more and more common, in part because we are spending more time indoors and using more sunscreen. Vitamin D, which is sometimes referred to as the sunshine vitamin, is derived from sun exposure as well as dietary sources, including fish, eggs, and fortified milk.

A recent study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology discovered that vitamin deficiency is common in older men, especially those who are obese or sedentary and living in northern climates. Other studies show that Americans over the age of 50, those living at higher latitudes, and those who are obese are at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency.

In the body, vitamin D helps keep bones healthy, improves the immune system, and reduces inflammation. Add these benefits to the new possibilities for preventing or treating AD and it’s clear that everybody should be concerned about getting adequate vitamin D. About 20 minutes of sun exposure a day, a good diet, and supplementation can help.

To your brain health
Daniel

Daniel G. Amen, MD
CEO, Amen Clinics, Inc.
Distinguished Fellow, American Psychiatric Association

These findings are interesting as abnormal functioning of the hippocampus could contribute to fibro-fog, sleep disorders, and a heightened sensitivity and perception of pain—key symptoms in FMS/CFS. Hippocampal dysfunction may explain fibromyalgia syndrome symptoms and indicates that further research my lead to better treatments.

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A paper in the July issue of the Journal of Rheumatology suggests that hippocampus dysfunction may explain some symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome.
Dr. Yasser Emad, of Cairo University, Egypt, and colleagues used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to examine hippocampal function in 15 patients with fibromyalgia syndrome and 10 healthy age-matched controls.
Using 1H-MRS, the researchers calculated hippocampal levels of N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), choline, creatine and their ratios and compared the findings between groups. All study participants also underwent assessments of sleep patterns, cognitive function, and symptoms of depression. The number of tender points was assessed in all patients, and a visual analog scale was used to measure pain.
Patient age averaged 35.7 years, and mean disease duration was 18.1 months. All patients had cognitive functional impairment on the Mini Mental State Examination, eight (35.5%) were depressed on the basis of the Hamilton Depression Scale, and nine (60%) had sleep disturbances. None of the control subjects had cognitive impairment, depression, or sleep disturbance.
“NAA levels of the right and left hippocampi were lower in the patients compared to controls (p = 0.05 and p < 0.003, respectively),” Dr. Emad’s team explains. “Another statistically significant difference was observed in choline levels in the right hippocampus, which were higher in the patient group.” Patients also had significantly lower NAA/choline and NAA/creatine ratios compared to controls.
There were no differences between groups in other measured metabolites or in the choline/creatine ratio.
In the patient group, language scores were significantly correlated with choline and creatine levels (p = 0.041 and p = 0.006, respectively), but there was no significant correlation between metabolites or their ratios and numbers of tender points, Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire score, or pain as assessed by the visual analog scores.
“The hippocampus was dysfunctional in patients with fibromyalgia, as shown by lower NAA levels…, representing neuronal or axonal metabolic dysfunction,” the investigators conclude. “As the hippocampus plays crucial roles in maintenance of cognitive functions, sleep regulation, and pain perception, we suggest that metabolic dysfunction of hippocampus may be implicated in the appearance of these symptoms associated with this puzzling syndrome.
J Rheumatol 2008;35:1371-1377.

Yours, Dr. Don