Ubiquinol Generates Energy Producing Nutrient CoQ-10

Article by Karen Lee Richards*

Source: ProHealth.com

With nearly 40 years of medical research showing its importance in managing a wide range of serious illnesses, it's not surprising that CoQ-10 has at times been described as "The Miracle Vitamin" and "The New Fountain of Youth." Now a new form of CoQ-10 called ubiquinol makes the benefits of CoQ-10 even more readily available to the body.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ-10) is a vitamin-like nutrient that is present in virtually every cell of the body and is an essential component of each cell's ability to produce energy. It is also a powerful antioxidant - a chemical that "mops up" potentially harmful substances.

In order to understand how CoQ-10 works, it is first necessary to understand the mitochondria. Imagine that each cell in your body is a car. Mitochondria are the engines - or energy producers - in each cell that make your "car" run. It is the job of the mitochondria to supply this energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This is where CoQ-10 comes in. To continue the car analogy, CoQ-10 is the oil that enables the engine to work.

CoQ-10 is the catalyst that makes it possible for the mitochondria to produce ATP, the molecule upon which all cellular functions in the body depend.

Why Ubiquinol Works Better

The CoQ-10 found in most supplements is called ubiquinone. In order to produce cellular energy, the body must convert the ubiquinone to ubiquinol. It is the ubiquinol that carries electrons through the mitochondria and produces energy.

Young healthy people can easily convert CoQ-10 to ubiquinol. But as we age or when we have a chronic illnesses, our ability to convert CoQ-10 to ubiquinol diminishes. This decreased ability becomes apparent around the age of 40, although some scientists suggest that it may begin in the early to mid-20s.

Ubiquinol's superior effectiveness on the degenerative consequences of aging was demonstrated in a 2006 study published in Experimental Gerontology. Age-accelerated mice were divided into three groups. The first group was fed a standard diet with no supplementation. The second group received a standard diet plus the ubiquinone form of CoQ-10. The third group ate a standard diet plus the ubiquinol form of CoQ-10.

After a year, the first group suffered severe, degenerative changes related to aging. The second group, those receiving the ubiquinone, showed noticeable, but less harsh changes. The third group, who received the ubiquinol, remained alert and energetic, exhibiting the characteristics of young, healthy mice.

Overall, the ubiquinol group aged 51% slower than the group receiving no CoQ-10 and 40% slower than the ubiquinone group. (1)

Another peer-reviewed study compared how well humans absorbed ubiquinone and ubiquinol. The results showed that it takes 8 times as much ubiquinone to equal the blood plasma concentrations of ubiquinol. More specifically, 150 mg. of ubiquinol was equal to 1200 mg. of standard CoQ-10.(2)

Additionally, in an unpublished study with aged rats, blood concentrations were sustained longer with ubiquinol. After eight hours, the concentration of ubiquinol CoQ-10 was 3.75 times greater than standard CoQ10.(3)

Obviously, as these studies indicate, it is better to give the body CoQ-10 in the form it can most readily use - ubiquinol. But until recently, ubiquinol has been difficult to stabilize. It is also easily oxidized when exposed to air. Now a novel new patented process has made it possible to produce a stable form of ubiquinol that is protected from oxidation - Ubiquinol CoQ-10.
 

The Implications of CoQ-10 Deficiency

Because CoQ10 is so essential to the proper functioning of every cell in the body, it's not surprising that researchers have found a deficiency of CoQ-10 may be linked to a number of diverse diseases. A few of the illnesses in which low levels of CoQ-10 may be implicated include:

• Heart Disease
• Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS)
• Cancer
• Parkinson's Disease
• Alzheimer's
• Migraines

Small amounts of CoQ-10 can be found in foods, primarily meat and fish. The highest amounts are found in organ meats (heart, liver, kidneys) as well as beef, soy oil, sardines, mackerel and peanuts. CoQ-10 is also synthesized in bodily tissues. In healthy individuals, the combination of dietary intake and biosynthesis work to maintain normal CoQ-10 levels.

Why Do So Many People Seem to Be Deficient in CoQ-10?

No one knows for sure. There are likely multiple causes. Perhaps the emphasis in recent years on eating less red meat as well as generally poor eating habits have contributed to reducing our dietary intake of CoQ-10. And a number of other factors, such as environmental toxins, chronic diseases and some prescription medications may contribute to the impairment of the body's ability to synthesize CoQ-10.

For example, research has shown that the cholesterol-lowering drugs known as "statins" (Lipitor, Zocor, etc.) not only lower cholesterol, but also inhibit the biosynthesis of CoQ-10 by as much as 40%.(4) Anyone taking medication to lower cholesterol should seriously consider also taking CoQ-10 supplements.

Other types of medications thought to deplete the body of CoQ10 include beta-blockers, diuretics, tricyclic antidepressants, and diabetes medications such as metformin, tolazamide and glyburide.

CoQ-10 and the Heart

Due to their high energy requirements, the heart and liver contain the most mitochondria per cell and consequently need a very high concentration of CoQ-10 in order to function properly. Because of this, much of CoQ-10 research has concentrated on heart disease. Researcher Peter H. Langsjoen, MD, FACC, reviewed numerous studies and scientific papers related to the management of heart disease with CoQ-10 and found their conclusions to be remarkably consistent: "That treatment with CoQ-10 significantly improved heart muscle function while producing no adverse effects or drug interactions."(5)

Particularly interesting have been the studies showing a strong correlation between very low levels of CoQ-10 and congestive heart failure. The severity of the heart failure also correlated with the severity of the CoQ-10 deficiency.(6) In general, the sooner patients were given CoQ-10 after onset of congestive heart failure, the more dramatic their improvement.

Cardiomyopathy (inflammation/weakening of the heart muscle) is another form of heart disease shown to benefit from CoQ-10 supplementation. In a six-year clinical study, 85 percent of cardiomyopathy patients supplemented with CoQ-10 in addition to their conventional treatments improved by one or two NYHA classes (New York Heart Association's functional classification for the four stages of heart failure).(7)

CoQ-10 also appears to be beneficial in the management of hypertension (high blood pressure). In one study of 109 patients, 51 percent were able to stop taking between one and three antihypertensive medications an average of 4.4 months after starting CoQ-10 supplementation.(8)

The Importance of CoQ10 for ME/CFS Patients

When plasma CoQ-10 was analyzed in 58 ME/CFS patients and 22 normal controls, researchers found that CoQ-10 levels were significantly lower in the ME/CFS patients than in the normal controls.(9) This finding has far greater implications than the obvious lack of energy experienced by people with ME/CFS. Because CoQ-10 is essential to every cell in the body, a severe CoQ-10 deficiency can cause mitochondrial dysfunction, which in turn has a serious negative impact on multiple organs and body systems and can ultimately result in heart failure.

In fact, that is exactly what happens, according to Dr. Sarah Myhill, MD, a UK-based ME/CFS researcher and clinician. In her recent paper, "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Mitochondrial Dysfunction," she makes her case that ME/CFS is actually a symptom of mitochondrial failure.(10) Dr. Myhill recommends that ME/CFS patients have their CoQ-10 levels checked and begin taking CoQ-10 supplements if they are low. She also notes that CoQ-10 will work best in conjunction with acetyl L-carnitine, magnesium, D-ribose and Vitamin B3 (niacinamide).(11)

CoQ-10's Role in Other Illnesses

Because a deficiency of CoQ-10 can potentially affect every cell in the body, more and more research is being done to determine how much of a role it may play in other illnesses. Animal and/or preliminary human studies have been conducted to uncover how CoQ-10 may work in managing a number of diseases including: breast cancer, melanoma, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's, and migraines.(12-16) All have had promising results indicating that CoQ-10 may be helpful in supporting the prevention or treatment of those diseases.

How to Take Ubiquinol CoQ-10

The recommended dosage of Ubiquinol CoQ-10 is one to two 50 mg. softgels per day. Check with your physician before taking more than 100 mg a day.

While standard CoQ-10 needed to be taken with a fatty meal, Ubiquinol CoQ-10 bonds with water, making it easier to absorb and eliminating the need to take it with fatty foods.

(Note: Healthy individuals under the age of 25 can easily convert standard CoQ-10 to ubiquinol, but if you are over 25 or have a chronic illness, ubiquinol is the recommended form of CoQ-10.)

In Summary

Ubiquinol CoQ-10 is vastly superior to standard CoQ-10. It provides the body with the type of CoQ-10 that is more readily available to fuel the mitochondria and produce energy because it doesn't have to expend any energy converting the CoQ-10 to its usable form.

You can purchase Ubiquinol CoQ10 at ProHealth.com

Source: ProHealth.com - "Ubiquinol - A More Advanced Form of the Energy-Producing Nutrient CoQ-10"

* Karen Lee Richards is Lead Expert specializing in Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, for HealthCentral's ChronicPainConnection (www.chronicpainconnection.com). Karen is co-founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) and was Executive Editor of Fibromyalgia AWARE magazine for four years.

References:

1. Yan J, et al. "Reduced coenzyme Q10 supplementation decelerates senescence in SAMP1 mice." Exp Gerontol. 2006 Feb;41(2):130-40.

2. Hosoe K, et al. "Study on safety and bioavailability of ubiquinol (Kaneka QH) after single and 4-week multiple oral administration to healthy volunteers." Regul Toxicol Pharmacol. 2007 Feb;47(1):19-28. Epub 2006 Aug 21.

3. Kaneka Corporation study. "Treadmill test with the aged rat at age of 61-63 weeks." 2006.

4. Ghirlanda, et al. "Evidence of plasma CoQ10-lowering effect of HMG-COA reductase inhibitors: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study." Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. 1993 Mar; 33(3):226-229.

5. Jangsjoen, P.H. (1994). "Introduction to Coenzyme Q10."

6. Folkers K., Vadhanavikit S., Mortensen S.A. "Biochemical rationale and myocardial tissue data on the effective therapy of cardiomyopathy with Coenzyme Q10." Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., U.S.A., 1985; 82(3):901-904.

7. Langsjoen P. H., Langsjoen P. H., Folkers K. "A six-year clinical study of therapy of cardiomyopathy with Coenzyme Q10." Int J Tissue React. 1990; 12(3): 169-171.

8. Langsjoen P. H., Langsjoen P. H., Willis R., Folkers K. "Treatment of essential hypertension with Coenzyme Q10." Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 1994; 15:S265-72.

9. Maes M, et al. "Coenzyme Q10 deficiency in myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is related to fatigue, autonomic and neurocognitive symptoms and is another risk factor explaining the early mortality in ME/CFS due to cardi..." Neuroendocrinology Letters. 2009;30(4).

10. Myhill S., Booth NE, McLaren-Howard J. "Chronic fatigue syndrome and mitochondrial dysfunction." Int J Clin Exp Med. 2009; 2(1): 1-16.

11. Myhill S. (Oct. 2008) "Co-enzyme Q10 in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome."

12. Lockwood K, et al. "Progress on therapy of breast cancer with vitamin Q10 and the regression of metastases." Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1995 Jul 6;212(1):172-7.

13. Rusciani L, et al. "Recombinant interferon alpha-2b and coenzyme Q10 as a postsurgical adjuvant therapy for melanoma: A 3-year trial with recombinant interferon-alpha and 5-year follow-up." Melanoma Res. 2007 Jun;17(3):177-83.

14. Yang L, et al. "Combination therapy with coenzyme Q10 and creatine produces additive neuroprotective effects in models of Parkinson's and Huntington's diseases." J Neurochem. 2009 Jun;109(5):1427-39.

15. Yang X, et al. "Coenzyme Q10 Reduces beta-Amyloid Plaque in an APP/PS1 Transgenic Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease." J Mol Neurosci. 2009 Oct 16.

16. Sandor PS, et al. "Efficacy of coenzyme Q10 in migraine prophylaxis: a randomized controlled trial." Neurology 2005;64:713-715.

Note: This information has not been reviewed by the FDA. It is general and is not meant to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure any illness, condition or disease. It is very important that you make no change in your healthcare plan or health support regimen without researching and discussing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.

Digestive Science Acid Reflux Formula to Help Reduce Heartburn

It all starts with this Acid Control Formula, which aims to provide you with ongoing *natural* protection from the burning pain associated with your acid reflux without interfering with the production and functioning of your digestive enzymes.


It's made with a dual action formulation that helps to:

1. Coat and protect the esophagus from the hydrochloric acid that has been escaping your stomach to create that painful, burning sensation in your chest.

2. Reduce the overproduction of hydrochloric acid in your stomach.

The Acid Control Formula works quickly to curb your dependence on harmful antacids (which only serve to throw your digestive enzymes even further off balance and further increase your hydrochloric acid production)...
... While providing you with some much needed pain relief -- so you'll have the time and patience you need to deal with the REAL cause of your overproduction of hydrochloric acid: imbalances in your production of digestive enzymes.



There seems to be some confusion regarding what acid reflux actually is, mainly because there are a number of related terms that are used interchangeably -- like heartburn, indigestion, and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) -- even though they don't mean the same thing.
So to help you better understand what you may be experiencing, here's an explanation of the most common terms:

• Acid Reflux -- Acid reflux occurs when hydrochloric acid from the stomach --instrumental in digesting food -- leaks into the esophagus. This happens either because the valve that separates the stomach and esophagus isn't closing fully, or because the acids in your body are out of balance. The result of this acid in your esophagus is the familiar burning pain in your chest and bitter taste in your mouth.
• Heartburn -- Heartburn is simply a symptom of acid reflux, rather than an actual condition of its own. It's the word used to describe the sensation you feel when stomach acid escapes up into your esophagus.
• Acid Indigestion -- This is just another name for heartburn.
• GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease) -- While the occasional bout of acid reflux is common, particularly after eating certain types of food, if you experience acid reflux more than twice each week, you may have a more chronic form of acid reflux, GERD. If left untreated, GERD can cause some fairly severe medical issues, including esophageal cancer.

The Common Symptoms of Acid Reflux

The symptoms of acid reflux occur most often after eating a heavy meal, laying down on your back, exercising or lifting heavy objects, or bending over, and include:

Heartburn

Despite its name, heartburn has nothing to do with your heart. It refers to the burning pain you typically experience in your chest -- or even your abdomen or throat -- during a bout of acid reflux. As mentioned previously, heartburn is a symptom of acid reflux, not a condition in itself.

Regurgitation

A second symptom typical of acid reflux is regurgitation. This is when the acid actually backs up into your throat or mouth. This in turn creates a sour or bitter taste in your mouth, and can even lead to vomiting.

Stomach Discomfort (Dyspepsia)

Many people who have acid reflux suffer with a range of symptoms that are included under the term dyspepsia, which refers to a general stomach discomfort. These symptoms include:

• burping
• stomach fullness or bloating
• nausea after eating
• upper abdominal pain and discomfort

Other General Symptoms

Not all symptoms of acid reflux are directly related to stomach discomfort. You may have other symptoms that you don't even recognize as being caused by acid reflux, including:

• asthma-like symptoms, such as wheezing or dry cough
• hoarseness, especially in the morning
• chronic sore throat
• extended bouts of hiccups
• nausea

If you experience any of the above symptoms for longer than two weeks, be sure to contact your doctor, who can evaluate your condition and recommend the appropriate course of action.

More Severe Symptoms

While many of the symptoms of acid reflux are easy to overlook, some symptoms are far more severe. These include:

• weight loss
• vomit that contains blood
• black, tarry, or maroon-colored stools
• difficulty or pain with swallowing

If you experience any of these more severe symptoms, be sure to contact your doctor immediately for a complete medical evaluation.

Learn More Here

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Licorice provides necessary isoflavonoids and helps the body conserve stimulant hormones. Ashwaganda supports circulation and emotional balance, while tribulus may help the woman’s brain respond to the minute traces of testosterone needed to maintain sexual desire. Anita’s unique blend of high potency-assured extracts may help to balance the physical and emotional well-being of mature women.

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Vitamin K-2 - A Key Player in Cardiovascular and Bone Health

by Karen Lee Richards*

Source: ProHealth.com

Vitamin K-2 has been tucked away in the shadows of the vitamin world for too long. Its significance to cardiovascular and bone health and its apparent link to the prevention of many other diseases make it too important to ignore.

Vitamin K - the least familiar of the alphabet vitamins - is a key player in cardiovascular and bone health. Originally scientists thought its only purpose was to promote proper blood clotting, but we're now learning that vitamin K plays a number of other important roles in the body.

The first clue to the existence of vitamin K came in 1929 when Danish scientist Henrik Dam set out to study the role of cholesterol. Several weeks after he began feeding chickens a cholesterol-depleted diet, they developed hemorrhages. When he could not stop the bleeding by adding purified cholesterol to their diet, he realized that along with the cholesterol, a second compound must have been removed from their diet.

Because of its effect on the blood's ability to clot, the newly discovered compound was dubbed the coagulation vitamin. Since the finding was reported in a German journal, the German spelling of “Koagulation” was used, which later led to the shortened version - vitamin K.

Building upon Dam's discovery, American biochemist Edward A. Doisy uncovered the structure and chemical nature of vitamin K. Their combined efforts were rewarded in 1943 when Dam and Doisy received the Nobel Prize for medicine for their work on vitamin K.

There are two naturally occurring forms of vitamin K: phylloquinone (vitamin K-1) and menaquinones (25-hydroxyvitamin Ditamin K-2).

• K-1 is found in dark green, leafy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, kale and Swiss chard.
• K-2 can be found in meat, egg yolks, and fermented foods like cheese and natto (Japanese fermented soy beans). K-2 is also synthesized naturally in the gut by microflora ('good' bacteria) fermentation.

Vitamin K2's Role in Cardiovascular Health

Research has shown that K-2 is the vitamin K form most beneficial for cardiovascular health.

A paper published in 2004 reported on The Rotterdam Study, which involved 4,800 people over a 10-year period. The researchers found that the increased intake of Vitamin K-2 reduced the risk of coronary heart disease mortality by 50%. Vitamin K-1 had no effect at all.(1)

Most heart attacks and strokes are caused when plaque builds up on the inner walls of the arteries. Eventually a section of plaque can break open, forming a clot which then travels to the heart resulting in a heart attack, or to the brain resulting in a stroke.

Standard treatment for patients at risk of a heart attack or stroke is usually aimed at thinning the blood so clots cannot form. Patients are instructed to take an aspirin every day or they are prescribed blood thinners like Coumadin or Plavix. The problem with those treatments is that, if the patient is injured, it may be difficult to stop the bleeding because the medications interfere with the blood's ability to clot.

Vitamin K-2 on the other hand, seems to be the body's natural mechanism for regulating the clotting factor.

Dutch Professor Cees Vermeer found that vitamin K inhibited clotting when blood vessels were intact - yet promoted clotting when the blood vessels were broken. Which is exactly how the body should work.(2)

Arterial calcification is a significant risk factor for atherosclerosis, heart attack and stroke. In the past, it was thought that this calcification was irreversible and signaled the end stages of cardiovascular disease. However, a 2007 study using rats found that diets rich in vitamin K actually reduced the arterial calcification by approximately 50%.(3)

Promoting Bone Health - Preventing Osteoporosis

Japanese women tend to have far fewer osteoporosis fractures than Western women. It is thought that their consumption of the popular Japanese food natto, which is high in Vitamin K-2, may have a lot to do with it.

A 1995 study in Japan compared vitamin K levels in the blood of 24 women who had osteoporotic fractures and 36 elderly women who had no fractures. While vitamin K-1 levels were virtually identical in both groups, Vitamin K-2 levels were twice as high in the group with no fractures compared to the group with fractures.(4)

Additionally, two very large studies also link vitamin K levels to the risk of osteoporotic fractures:

• In the Nurses' Health Study, researchers followed more than 72,000 women for 10 years. The women whose vitamin K intake was in the lowest fifth of the group had a 30% higher risk of hip fracture.(5)
• In the Framingham Heart Study, more than 800 elderly men and women were followed for seven years. Those whose vitamin K intake was in the top quarter of the group had a 65% lower risk of hip fracture.(6)

Other studies have demonstrated Vitamin K-2's ability to protect osteoblasts (the cells that build new bones) from self-destructing, while inhibiting the formation of osteoclasts (the cells that destroy bones).(6-7)

As we age, bone destruction tends to overwhelm bone building, but Vitamin K-2 can help slow down and even reverse that process.

Additional Benefits of Vitamin K-2

Diabetes - A 2010 Netherlands study followed more than 38,000 people for a decade and found that higher intake of vitamin K was associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Both vitamins K-1 and K-2 resulted in lower risk, but there was a stronger connection to the K-2. For each 10 mcg of Vitamin K-2 that was regularly consumed, there was a 7% reduction in risk.(8)

Cancer - German researchers studied more than 24,000 participants for 10 to 14 years. They found that those with the highest intake of Vitamin K-2 had a 62% reduction in the risk of lung cancer and a 35% reduction in the risk of prostate cancer. They also found that those with the highest intake of Vitamin K-2 who did get cancer experienced a 28% lower risk of dying from it.(9)

In another recent study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, researchers reported that the risk of developing Non-Hodgkin lymphoma was approximately 45% lower for participants whose vitamin K intakes were in the top 25% of the group.(10)

Need-to-Know Facts About Vitamin K-2

• Vitamin K is fat soluble and should be taken with a meal containing fat.
• There is no known toxicity even with high doses of vitamin K. An allergic reaction is possible, but rare.
• Possible food and drug interactions:
  
  • Antibiotics. The use of antibiotics can reduce the body's ability to absorb vitamin K by affecting helpful bacteria. Long-term use may lead to a vitamin K deficiency.
  • Anticonvulsants. Anticonvulsants such as Dilantin, Lyrica, Neurontin and Topamax can interfere with the body's ability to use vitamin K.
  • Blood thinners. Vitamin K reduces the effectiveness of blood thinning medications and should not be taken if you are on a medication like Coumadin (warfarin) or Plavix.
  • Xenical, Alli or Olestra - The weight-loss medications Xenical and Alli and the food additive Olestra all prevent the absorption of fat, which also reduces the body's absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin K.
  • Bile acid sequestrants - Medications like Questran, Colestid and Welchol, used to reduce cholesterol, also reduce the absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin K.

Final Thoughts...

Vitamin K-2 has been tucked away in the shadows of the vitamin world for too long. Its significance to cardiovascular and bone health and its apparent link to the prevention of many other diseases make it too important to ignore.

You can purchase Vitamin K-2 at ProHealth.com

Source: ProHealth.com - "Vitamin K-2 - A Key Player in Cardiovascular and Bone Health"

References:

1. Geleijnse JM, et al. Dietary intake of menaquinone is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease: The Rotterdam Study. J. Nutr. 134:3100-3105, November 2004

2. Myhill S. Vitamin K - necessary for normal bone formation and prevention of osteoporosis. Doctor Myhill.co.uk. January 22, 2010.

3. Schurgers LJ, et al. Regression of warfarin-induced medial elastocalcinosis by high intake of vitamin K in rats. Blood. Vol. 109, No. 7: 2823-2831. 1 April 2007.

4. Kaneki M, et al. [Serum concentration of vitamin K in elderly women with involutional osteoporosis]. Nippon Ronen Igakki Zasshi. 1995;32:195-200.

5. Feskanich D, Weber P, Willett WC, Rockett H, Booth SL, Colditz GA. Vitamin K intake and hip fractures in women: a prospective study. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69(1):74-79

6. Booth SL, Tucker KL, Chen H, et al. Dietary vitamin K intakes are associated with hip fracture but not with bone mineral density in elderly men and women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000;71(5):1201-1208.

7. Kawata T, et al. Mechanism in inhibitory effects of vitamin K2 on osteoclastic bone resorption: In vivo study in osteoporotic (op/op) mice. J Nutr Sci Vitaminol. 1999; 45:501-07.

8. Beulens JWJ, et al. Dietary phylloquinone and menaquinones intake and risk of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. April 27, 2010

9. Nimptsch K, et al. Dietary vitamin K intake in relation to cancer incidence and mortality: Results from the Heidelberg cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC-Heidelberg). Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 May;91(5):1348-58.

10. Vitamin K may protect against developing non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, say Mayo Clinic researchers. ProHealth. April 21, 2010.

* Karen Lee Richards is Lead Expert specializing in Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, for HealthCentral's ChronicPainConnection (www.chronicpainconnection.com). Karen is co-founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) and was Executive Editor of Fibromyalgia AWARE magazine for four years.

*******

Note: This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is general and is not intended to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure any illness, condition, or disease. It is very important that you make no change in your healthcare plan or health support regimen without researching and discussing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.

Bodies out of energy need to fuel up with NAD

by Karen Lee Richards  *

Source: ProHealth.com

Do you ever feel like a car that has run out of gas? If so, it may be time to add some NADH to your cellular tank. NADH is the fuel our cells need to produce energy and function properly. NADH, a reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a naturally occurring coenzyme formed from Niacin (vitamin B3) that plays an essential role in the energy production of every human cell - all 100 trillion of them.

Studies suggest NADH may help:

• Increase energy and reduce fatigue.
  
• Support the immune system with powerful antioxidants and free-radical scavengers.
  
• Improve memory, focus and mental clarity.
  
• Support the creation of neurotransmitters, like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.
  
• Enhance mood and emotional balance.

How NADH Works

In order to understand how NADH works, it is first necessary to understand mitochondria. Picture the mitochondria as little engines - or energy producers - within each cell of your body. It's the job of your mitochondria to supply energy to your cells in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). But exactly how does that happen?

This is where NADH comes in. NADH sets off a chemical chain reaction by transforming Coenzyme Q10 into its reduced form. Then, in its reduced form, Co-Q10 becomes active and serves as the catalyst that makes it possible for the mitochondria to produce ATP. Every molecule of NADH results in the production of three molecules of ATP energy.

NADH is a critical component of your body's ability to function. Without NADH, the mitochondria cannot produce energy and the cells will die.

ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia

Fatigue is a key symptom of both ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. Since recurring fatigue is marked by low cellular ATP, which results in low cellular energy production, researchers have studied the use of NADH to increase energy.

• A pilot study at Georgetown University gave 26 ME/CFS patients either 10 mg of NADH or a placebo daily for four weeks. After a four-week washout period, participants switched to the alternate regimen for four weeks. At the end of the study 31% had a favorable response to the NADH. The scientists concluded that "NADH may be a valuable adjunctive therapy in the management of the chronic fatigue syndrome."(1)
  
• In a 2004 study, 31 ME/CFS patients were randomly assigned to receive either NADH or nutritional supplements and psychological therapy for two years. The patients who received NADH had a dramatic and statistically significant reduction of the mean symptom score in the first eight months and they tended to continue improving through the rest of the trial.(2)

Another major complaint of ME/CFS and fibromyalgia patients is cognitive functioning problems, such as memory loss, difficulty concentrating and mental fogginess.

George Birkmayer, MD, PhD, director of the Institute for Parkinson's Therapy in Vienna, and a leader in NADH research for nearly 30 years, explains how NADH can help improve mental clarity.

"One third of all the energy we produce in our body is used up by our brain. Due to this, an energy deficiency is first realized in the brain with symptoms such as lack of concentration and alertness, or mental fog. With more NADH the brain cells function better...






"A further mechanism by which NADH affects cognitive function is by stimulating the production of adrenaline and dopamine. Both of these substances are essential for our cognitive performance and our memory."(3)

NADH is frequently recommended for ME/CFS and fibromyalgia patients by well-known specialists like Drs. Charles Lapp, Jacob Teitelbaum, Dale Guyer, Michael Rosenbaum, and Mark Pellegrino.



Parkinson's Disease



Because NADH is known to help increase levels of the important neurotransmitter dopamine, there have been several studies of NADH as a possible adjunctive treatment for Parkinson's disease (which involves a slow destruction of the nerve cells in the brain that make dopamine).

• Between 1989 and 1993, Austrian scientists, led by Dr. Birkmayer, conducted a series of open label trials of NADH on more than 2,000 Parkinson's patients. Through these studies, Dr. Birkmayer found that NADH not only alleviated the impairment in motor skills caused by Parkinson's but also effectively treated their cognitive dysfunction.
  
  
• Below is a summary of the results from three of those studies. More than a 30% improvement was considered to be a very good response and up to 30% was rated as a moderate response.

No. of Participants Very Good Response Moderate Response No Response 34 61.7% 38.3% 0% 161 71.4% 17.4% 11.2% 885 19.3% 58.8% 21.8%

• The researchers found a dose of 25 to 50 mg of NADH per day to be the most effective. They also discovered that younger patients and patients with a shorter duration of disease have a better chance to gain a marked improvement than older patients and patients with a longer duration of the disease.(4-7)
  
  
• In a German study, 15 Parkinson's patients received intravenous infusions of 10 mg NADH for seven days in addition to conventional Parkinsonian pharmacotherapy. The patients all showed a significantly positive response and the scientists found that the application of NADH significantly increased the bioavailability of their plasma levodopa. They concluded that NADH "may be a potent stimulator of endogenous levodopa biosynthesis with clinical benefit for Parkinsonian patients."(8)

Although several of the Parkinson's studies have used intravenous or intramuscular injections of NADH, trials using oral NADH have shown it to be equally effective.(4)



Alzheimer's Disease



In 2004, a randomized, placebo-controlled, matched-pairs, double-blind, clinical study was conducted testing NADH as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Twenty-four patients with probable Alzheimer's disease received either 10 mg of oral NADH or a placebo.



After six months, participants treated with NADH showed no evidence of progressive cognitive deterioration. They also showed significantly higher performance scores than the placebo group in the areas of verbal fluency and visual-constructional ability as well as a trend to better performance in abstract verbal reasoning. The researchers concluded, "Consistent with earlier studies, the present findings support NADH as a treatment for AD."(9)



Need-to-Know Information



Food Sources - NADH can be found naturally in the muscle tissue of fish, poultry and cattle, and in food products made with yeast. However, it is not known whether the NADH from these food sources is efficiently absorbed or utilized by the body.



Absorption - NADH must be absorbed in the intestinal tract to be effective. Therefore, oral NADH must be formulated for stability and delivered via a coated tablet so it does not dissolve in the stomach, but rather stays intact until it reaches the intestine. ProHealth's Energy NADH is an exclusive formulation that provides improved stability for 100% guaranteed potency. And its unique cellulose matrix coating enhances absorption by ensuring that the NADH reaches the intestine where it is quickly dissolved.



Dosage -The recommended dosage is generally 5 to 10 mg per day taken in the morning on an empty stomach, 30 minutes before a meal. However, studies with Parkinson's disease patients found that 25 to 50 mg per day was the most effective dose.



Side Effects - No significant side effects have been reported. Supplementing with NADH appears to be very safe.



Drug Interactions - There are no reported drug interactions.



In Summary



NADH is a powerful cellular energy producer. Research has demonstrated the ability of supplemental NADH to promote fatigue reduction, enhanced mental clarity, and increased levels of important neurotransmitters like dopamine.



To purchase NADH visit ProHealth.com




Resources:



1. Forsyth LM, et al. "Therapeutic effects of oral NADH on the symptoms of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome." Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 1999 Feb;82(2):185-91.



2. Santaella ML, Font I, Disdier OM. "Comparison of oral nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) versus conventional therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome." P R Health Sci J. 2004 Jun;23(2):89-93.



3. "Interview: Dr. George Birkmayer on NADH for Energy, Healthy Immune Function and More." ProHealth. January 30, 2006.



4. Birkmayer GJ, Birkmayer W. "Stimulation of endogenous L-dopa biosynthesis - a new principle for the therapy of Parkinson's disease. The clinical effect of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotidephosphate (NADPH)." Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 1989;126:183-7.



5. Birkmayer JG, et al. "Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) - a new therapeutic approach to Parkinson's disease. Comparison of oral and parenteral application." Acta Neurol Scand Suppl. 1993;146:32-5.



6. Birkmayer W, et al. "The coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) improves the disability of parkinsonian patients." J Neural Transm Park Dis Dement Sect. 1989;1(4):297-302.



7. Birkmayer W, Birkmayer GJ. "Nicotinamidadenindinucleotide (NADH): the new approach in the therapy of Parkinson's disease." Ann Clin Lab Sci. 1989 Jan-Feb;19(1):38-43. .



8. Kuhn W, et al. "Parenteral application of NADH in Parkinson's disease: clinical improvement partially due to stimulation of endogenous levodopa biosynthesis." J Neural Transm. 1996;103(10):1187-93.



9. Demarin V, Podobnik SS, Storga-Tomic D, Kay G. "Treatment of Alzheimer's disease with stabilized oral nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide: A randomized, double-blind study." Drugs Exp Clin Res. 2004;30(1):27-33.



___



* Supplement research writer Karen Lee Richards is the Lead Expert specializing in Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS, for HealthCentral's ChronicPainConnection. Karen is co-founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) and was Executive Editor of Fibromyalgia AWARE magazine for four years.


Note: This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is general information and is not intended to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any illness, condition or disease. It is very important that you make no change in your healthcare plan or health support regimen without researching and discussing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.

Sunshine Vitamin Has D-lightful Health Benefits

Guest Article by Karen Lee Richards*

Source: ProHealth.com

When it comes to the family of vitamins, vitamin D stands alone. It is the only vitamin the body can produce on its own. That's because it is actually a hormone. Due to its unique status, vitamin D surpasses all other vitamins in the multitude of health benefits it offers.

Vitamin D was discovered in the early part of the 20th century. Large numbers of children were developing rickets, a softening and weakening of the bones that often caused significant deformity and multiple fractures. When a researcher found that cod liver oil could prevent rickets, he named the nutritional factor in it that promoted calcium deposition, vitamin D.

Since rickets was thought to be another vitamin-deficiency disease like scurvy or beriberi, the cure was given the next letter in the vitamin alphabet, following the already existing A, B and C. We now know that vitamin D should probably never have been labeled a vitamin at all.

Sources of Vitamin D

Vitamin D has long been recognized as the "sunshine vitamin" because it is naturally produced when skin is exposed to sunlight's UVB rays. Actually, exposure to sunlight is the only natural source of significant amounts of vitamin D. However, getting enough sun exposure to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D can be difficult. It can vary greatly depending upon the time of day, season, latitude, age, skin pigmentation and the amount of skin not covered with clothing or sunscreen.

Dietary intake is not a good option for vitamin D because, with the exception of oily fish and fish-liver oil, vitamin D does not naturally occur in food. Milk and other dairy products, orange juice and breakfast cereals have been fortified with small amounts of vitamin D, but it is virtually impossible to get adequate amounts through your diet. It would take 5 cans of tuna, 10 eggs, 10 glasses of milk, or up to 17 cups of breakfast cereal to get 1000 IU of vitamin D.

Because it is so difficult to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from natural sources, supplementation is usually the most practical solution.

Dangers of a D-ficiency

Many years ago it was thought that the only significant danger from a vitamin D deficiency was the development of rickets in children. That is why milk and other foods first began to be fortified with vitamin D as far back as the 1930s. As it turns out, rickets was just the tip of the iceberg.

Next, vitamin D deficiency was found to be a key factor in other bone diseases like osteopenia (thinning bones), osteoporosis (porous, brittle bones), and osteomalacia (a softening of bones in adults, often starting with insidious muscle weakness and aches and pains in the lower back & thighs, later spreading to arms and ribs).

In more recent years scientists have discovered that a vitamin D deficiency may contribute to an even wider variety of health problems. Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, in a 2006 report in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, stated, "Many lines of research support the concept that inadequate vitamin D may be involved in the pathogenesis and/or progression of several disorders, including cancer, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, neuromuscular diseases, osteoarthritis, diabetes, and other autoimmune diseases."(1)

Who is at Risk for Vitamin D Deficiency?

As it turns out, almost everyone is at risk of having a vitamin D deficiency. A 2009 epidemiological study found that an astounding 77% of Americans have insufficient levels of vitamin D. The numbers are even higher in Europe and higher still in the Middle East, where women especially tend to stay covered when outdoors.(2)

Although virtually everyone has some risk, following are specific groups who have an especially high risk for vitamin D deficiency:

• Adults over 50 - As we age, the skin cannot synthesize vitamin D as efficiently and the kidney is less able to convert it to its active hormone form.
  
• People with limited sun exposure - If you're homebound, wear clothing that covers most of your skin, or live in northern latitudes that get little sunlight part of the year, it's unlikely that you get adequate amounts of vitamin D.
  
• People with dark skin - The pigment melanin, which results in darker skin, also reduces the skin's ability to produce vitamin D from exposure to sunlight.
  
  
• People who have fat malabsorption problems - Vitamin D is fat soluble and therefore requires some dietary fat in the gut for absorption. Some medical conditions associated with fat malabsorption include some forms of liver disease, cystic fibrosis and Crohn's disease.
  
• Tobacco smokers - Tobacco smoking is associated with significantly reduced vitamin D levels.
  
• People who are obese - Greater amounts of subcutaneous fat sequester more of the vitamin D and alter its release into the circulation.
  
• People who have had gastric bypass surgery - Part of the upper small intestine where vitamin D is absorbed is bypassed, which may lead to inadequate levels.

http://www.anrdoezrs.net/an116cy63y5LROVPTUOLNMTVQUOO?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.prohealth.com%2Ftrack.cfm%3Fid%3D7852Measuring Vitamin D Levels

The only way to know for sure if you are deficient in vitamin D is by a blood test that measures serum 25(OH)D concentrations. 25(OH)D or 25-hydroxyvitamin D is a metabolite of vitamin D. There is considerable disagreement among experts as to exactly what 25(OH)D levels should be. Norms will vary between labs but the following chart will give you a general idea of what to look for: (3)

25(OH)D Concentrations

Severely Deficient	< 8 ng/ml
Deficient	8 - 19 ng/ml
Insufficient	20 - 29 ng/ml
Sufficient	30 - 49 ng/ml
Optimal	50 - 99 ng/ml
Excessive	100 - 150 ng/ml
Potentially toxic	>150 ng/ml

Vitamin D's Role in Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS

An important vitamin D connection that has only recently begun to be recognized and emphasized is the link between low vitamin D and chronic pain. Although a number of experts have recommended that vitamin D deficiency be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with musculoskeletal pain, fibromyalgia, and ME/CFS, this is still not known - or ignored - by many healthcare professionals.(4)

Following are just a few examples of research examining the role of vitamin D in a variety of pain conditions:

Fibromyalgia: A 2009 study looked at 139 patients with fibromyalgia and/or non-specific musculoskeletal pain. Three-quarters of them were deficient in vitamin D. Following vitamin D supplementation, clinical improvements were observed in 90% of the patients.(5)

Neuropathy (Nerve Damage): A 2008 study examined 51 patients with diabetic neuropathy. After supplementing with approximately 2000 IU of vitamin D each day for three months, there was a 50% decrease in pain scores.(6)

Migraines: Case reports have shown that two months of supplementation with vitamin D combined with calcium dramatically reduced both the frequency and intensity of migraines in post- and pre-menopausal women.(7-8)

Chronic Back Pain: In 2003 researchers studied 360 patients with chronic back pain. After three months of vitamin D supplementation, symptom improvement was seen in 95% of all subjects and in 100% of those who were severely deficient in vitamin D at the start of the study.(9)

Vitamin D Impacts a Wide Range of Illnesses

In addition to chronic pain conditions, a deficiency in vitamin D has been linked to many other illnesses, such as:

Bone Disease (Osteopenia, Osteoporosis and Osteomalacia): It is widely known that a combination of Vitamin D and calcium supplements can help decrease postmenopausal bone loss and prevent osteoporosis. A major function of vitamin D is to maintain serum calcium concentrations. When vitamin D levels are low, calcium concentrations are inadequate, resulting in bone disease. A 2005 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that oral vitamin D supplementation in the range of 700 to 800 IU/d should reduce the risk of hip or any nonvertebral fracture by approximately 25%.(10)

Colds, Flu and Other Respiratory Tract Infections: Because of reduced sunshine in fall and winter months, a study was undertaken to determine if low vitamin D levels correlated with the incidence of acute viral respiratory tract infections. The researchers found that individuals with a serum 25(OH)D concentration of less than 38 mg/ml were three times more likely to become ill with an acute respiratory tract infection.(11)

Type 2 Diabetes: According to a new study, vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in patients with Type 2 diabetes and may be associated with poor blood sugar control. The study, which looked at 124 patients with Type 2 diabetes, found that 91% had a vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Investigators also found an inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and hemoglobin A1c values - those with lower vitamin D levels had higher A1c levels. Co-author Esther Krug, MD, concluded, "This finding supports an active role of vitamin D in the development of Type 2 diabetes."(12)

Rheumatic Conditions (Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis, etc.): Two new studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency is common in patients with a range of rheumatic diseases.

• A UK study showed that 58% of individuals with a rheumatic condition had low vitamin D levels,
  
• An Italian study reported that 85% of rheumatic patients not taking vitamin D supplements had insufficient levels - as did 60% of those who were taking recommended doses of vitamin D.
  

A third study assessing response to vitamin D supplementation found that taking the traditionally recommended daily dose did not normalize vitamin D levels in rheumatic disease patients, indicating that higher doses would probably be necessary.(13)

Cardiovascular Disease: Noticing that people in sun-deprived regions suffered more heart attacks than did those in sunnier locales, scientists began to suspect that vitamin D may have some relationship to cardiovascular health. Investigating that theory, New Zealand researchers found that people who had suffered heart attacks had significantly lower vitamin D levels than controls who had no heart attacks. (14)

A few years later, UK researchers conducted an exhaustive worldwide study that demonstrated a consistent relationship between sunlight exposure and heart disease. The further north people lived, the more frequently they experienced heart attacks, suggesting that vitamin D, which is activated by sunlight, reduces the risk of heart disease.(15)

Multiple Sclerosis: Several epidemiological studies have shown that exposure to sunlight during early life may have a protective effect regarding the development of multiple sclerosis in later years. And a recent longitudinal study confirmed that vitamin D supplementation reduced the life-time prevalence of MS in women. It is thought that the white matter of the brain affected by MS contains vitamin D receptors, and that inadequate vitamin D in the early years of life may predispose these cells to an early death.(16)

A new 2010 retrospective study also found that lower vitamin D levels are associated with a substantially increased relapse rate in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis.(17)

What Kind of Vitamin D Should You Take?

There are two main types of vitamin D - D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol). The best supplement to take is vitamin D3 because it is the form that also is produced naturally in the skin from sun exposure. Vitamin D2 is produced by irradiating fungi, and is less efficient as a precursor to the active vitamin D metabolite calcitriol.(18)

How Much Vitamin D Is Enough? ...Too Much?

The recommended dosages of vitamin D are currently in the state of flux due to the abundance of new and on-going research on the subject. Ever aware of their ethical precept, "First, do no harm," clinicians often lean toward recommending the lower levels of supplementation.

The US Institute of Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board is currently revising its recommendations on Vitamin D dosing. It is generally thought that the new recommended dose will be 1,000 IU/day for healthy adults. If you have a vitamin D deficiency-associated disease, however, you will need significantly more.

In his dosing and testing suggestions, Dr. Stewart B. Leavitt of Pain-Topics.org cites the vitamin D recommendations of two practitioners with the Canadian Centre for Integrative Medicine: "Ko and Arseneau note that recommended vitamin D3 dosing for healthy adults by various authorities, such as the Canadian Cancer Society, is 2,000 IU/day.

"Other leading authorities, such as Reinhold Veith, PhD, suggest that oral supplementation is safe for infants at 1,000 IU/day, for children at 2,000 IU/day, and for adults at 4,000 IU/day. More aggressive dosing (up to 10,000 IU/day) may be useful but should be checked with more frequent lab testing (every 3 months)."(18)

There also continues to be a great deal of disagreement among medical professionals as to the maximum safe dosage. The current "official" limit is 2000 IU/day, but the Vitamin D Council insists that doses up to 10,000 IU/day are not toxic.

One protocol successfully used by many doctors if you are deficient in vitamin D is to take 50,000 IU/week for approximately three months or until your 25(OH)D levels are in the optimal range - and then switch to a maintenance dose of 2,000 IU/day. Of course, having your 25(OH)D serum levels checked regularly is the best way to ensure you are taking the right dose of vitamin D for you.

To find out more about ProHealth's comprehensive line of Vitamin D3 products (and get FREE SHIPPING thru 8/31/10), visit our online store.

Source: ProHealth.com - "Sunshine Vitamin Has D-lightful Health Benefits"

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References:

1. Holick MF. High Prevalence of Vitamin D Inadequacy and Implications for Health. Mayo Clinic Proceedings. March 2006, vol. 81 no. 3 353-373.

2. Ginde AA, et al. Demographic Differences and Trends of Vitamin D Insufficiency in the US Population, 1988–2004. Arch Intern Med. 2009;169(6):626-632.

3. Miller DW. Vitamin D in a New Light. LewRockwell.com. September 10, 2007.

4. Shinchuk L, Holick MF. Vitamin D and rehabilitation: improving functional outcomes. Nutr Clin Prac. 2007;22(3):297-304.

5. Badsha H, et al. Myalgias or non-specific muscle pain in Arab or Indo-Pakistani patients may indicate vitamin D deficiency. Clin Rheumatol. 2009;28(8):971-973.

6. Lee P, Chen R. Vitamin D as an analgesic for patients with type 2 diabetes and neuropathic pain. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(7):771-772.

7. Thys-Jacobs S. Alleviation of migraine with therapeutic vitamin D and calcium. Headache. 1994a;34(10)590-592.

8. Thys-Jacobs S. Vitamin D and calcium in menstrual migraine. Headache. 1994b;34(9)544-546.

9. Al Faraj S, Al Mutairi K. Vitamin D deficiency and chronic low back pain in Saudi Arabia. Spine 2003;28:177-179.

10. Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Wong JB, et al. Fracture prevention with vitamin D supplementation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA. 2005 May 11;293(18):2257-64.

11. Savetta JR, et al. Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and the Incidence of Acute Viral Respiratory Tract Infections in Healthy Adults. PloS One, Jun 14, 2010. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0011088.

12. Endocrine Society News Release, June 21, 2010. (Study details to be presented June 26, 2010 at The Endocrine Society’s Annual Meeting in San Diego.)

13. Vitamin D deficiency confirmed as common across a range of rheumatic conditions: Recommended supplementation is not sufficient to normalize vitamin D levels in RA and osteoporosis patients. (Studies presented June 18 at EULAR 2010, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism in Rome, Italy.)

14. Scragg R, et al. Myocardial infarction is inversely associated with plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 levels: a community-based study. Int J Epidemiol. 1990 Sep;19(3):559-63.

15. Grimes DS, Hindle E, Dyer T. PDF: Sunlight, cholesterol and coronary heart disease. QJM. 1996 Aug;89(8):579-89.

16. Chaudhuri A. Why we should offer routine vitamin D supplementation in pregnancy and childhood to prevent multiple sclerosis. Med Hypotheses. 2005;64(3):608-18.

17. Mowry EM, et al. Vitamin D status is associated with relapse rate in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis. Annals of Neurology, May 2010; 67(5):618-24.

18. Leavitt SB. Vitamin D for Pain: Dosing and Testing Suggestions. Pain-Topics.org. June 4, 2010.

___

* Karen Lee Richards is Lead Expert specializing in Fibromyalgia and ME/CFS for HealthCentral's ChronicPainConnection (www.chronicpainconnection.com). Karen is co-founder of the National Fibromyalgia Association (NFA) and was Executive Editor of Fibromyalgia AWARE magazine for four years.

Note: This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is general and is not intended to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure any illness, condition, or disease. It is very important that you make no change in your healthcare plan or health support regimen without researching and discussing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.