447 Vitamin K2 Update [20 Nov 2017]

Back in 2012 I wrote a series of columns on vitamin K2 [#148-151] and in June 2015 [#323] showed that taking statin drugs inhibits the synthesis of K2 making supplementation even more critical. It’s time for a review and update.

Vitamins K1 and K2 are different nutrients with entirely different functions. K1 is found in leafy green vegetables and plays a role in blood clotting. K2 is found in fat products (including egg yolks and butter) from grass fed animals. K2 activates two different proteins: osteocalcin to attach to calcium and move it into our bones and teeth; and matrix Gla protein (MGP) to keep calcium out of our arteries, kidneys, heart, breasts and brain.

K2 works with calcium, magnesium and vitamin D to promote strong bones and teeth. Studies from Japan and the Netherlands found that K2 supplementation reduced bone fractures by 60-80% and actually reversed bone loss in people with osteoporosis.

Vitamins D and K2 are both needed for MGP which prevents calcium deposits on the lining of our arteries. A 2015 study showed that taking 180mcg of K2 prevented and even reversed hardening of the arteries. A previous 10 year study from the Netherlands found that increased consumption of K2 significantly lowered risk of cardiovascular disease and death from all causes.

Another role of K2 is in activating a protein that controls cell growth and helps protect us from some cancers. Research is also investigating potential roles of K2 in preventing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and MS.

K2 deficiency is very common in Canada as very little is found in our diets and only a small amount is synthesized by our gut bacteria. There is still no readily available lab test for K2 levels but researchers estimate that an “overwhelming majority” of adults in North America get only about 10% of the vitamin K2 needed to prevent osteoporosis and cardiovascular heart disease. We don’t need to wait – every adult should be supplementing with 100-200 mcg (I take 200 daily). And it’s non-toxic so we needn’t worry about taking too much – just too little. We certainly shouldn’t be taking calcium and vitamin D supplements without also supplementing K2. One caution – anyone taking a blood thinning drug like warfarin should talk to their doctor before starting K2 as the drug’s dosage will need to be adjusted.

There are two forms of K2 available in supplements: MK-4 and MK-7. MK-4 is the one found in animal fats but has a short biological half-life (the length of time it stays active in our bodies) so needs to be taken several times a day. MK-7 is only found in certain (awful-tasting) fermented foods so is best taken as a supplement. It has the advantage of a longer half-life so only needs to be taken once a day. Some of the better calcium-magnesium supplements have added vitamins D3 and K2.

Source: Mercola 13 Nov 2017 Vitamin K2 for Heart Bone Health

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

406 Collagen Supplements [6 Feb 2017]

In August 2014 [#280] I wrote about collagen and the silica supplement sh-OSA (BioSil) that stimulates our body’s production of this important protein. A few months later in October 2014 [#289] I discussed the benefits of bone broth, one of which is to promote collagen production. This week I want to revisit the topic and discuss collagen supplements.

Collagen is important for our health for many reasons:
• It is the most abundant protein in the body making up 25% of our body weight (yes, that’s one quarter!)
• It is an essential component of bone, skin, muscle, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and the lining of the digestive tract
• It provides the “glue” for bone minerals, keeping bones strong & resilient
• It is essential for repairing broken bones or soft tissue injuries
• It keeps skin elastic, smooth and wrinkle free

Taking collagen supplements provides the amino acids you need to produce collagen in your body. It also provides these amino acids for other vital functions that, if in short supply, our bodies will steal from the collagen in our joints and bones. Thus collagen supplements can prevent osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.

In summary, you should take a collagen supplement to:
• prevent or reverse osteoporosis
• prevent or reduce joint pain or stiffness
• promote healing of broken bones or injuries
• increase performance and reduce joint pain in athletes
• heal the digestive tract and prevent leaky gut syndrome
• have supple and younger looking skin

Collagen supplements come in powder, liquid and capsule form. The best type is called hydrolyzed collagen, meaning that the large collagen molecules are broken down into smaller more easily digested pieces called peptides.

Hyaluronic acid [#15 June 2009] and vitamin C are also required for collagen production. Both are available as supplements. Anthocyanins, flavonoids found in dark fruit and berries, assist collagen in forming strong connective tissue.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner. Find this article on my website for links to sources and further reading.

397 Vitamin D Deficiency Pandemic? [28 Nov 2016]

With the evidence piling up that the RDA for vitamin D is too low and the concern about the increasing deficiencies of the world’s population (a 2010 article in International J of Health Sciences estimated 1 billion people worldwide), it was inevitable that there would be some pushback. It came earlier this month in a paper published in the NEJM “Vitamin D Deficiency – Is There Really a Pandemic?”

This paper argues that vitamin D deficiencies are overestimated because they are based on the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 600iu per day for ages 1-70 and 800iu for 70+ which correspond to a blood status of 20ng/ml (75 nmol/L in Canada). Instead (the authors argue) they should use the Estimated Average Intake (EAR) of 400iu and 600iu respectively, which brings half the population to 16 ng/ml, the minimum level to maintain adequate bone health.

A critique of this paper was published on the Vitamin D Council’s website November 18 by A. Tovey and Dr. J.J. Cannell. They made the following points:
• Even for bone health, the RDA is based on faulty statistics and is set too low
• Studies have shown that vitamin D provides many other benefits at much higher levels, so the RDA should be increased significantly
• A March 2013 paper in the Eur J Nutr concluded that vitamin D levels should be over 30 ng/ml to achieve the beneficial effect on chronic diseases.
• People living outdoors near the equator produce levels of 40-80 ng/ml which appears to be the optimum level for good health
• Blood levels of >40 ng/ml are associated with a 65% lower cancer risk
• A 2016 study found that raising blood levels of MS patients from 28 to 84 ng/ml by taking 10,000 iu per day resulted in significant improvements in quality of life scores
• Vitamin D supplementation of 6,400 iu/day safely supplied breast milk with adequate D for the nursing infant
• Raising D levels from 16 to 36 ng/ml improved depression in Swedish adolescents
• The latest data from the US shows that 70% of the population fails to meet even the very conservative 16 mg/ml.

So rather than being overestimated, the rates of vitamin D deficiencies are likely still highly underestimated. Do you know what your blood vitamin D level is?

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

289 Bone Broth [14 Oct 2014]

Wait - don’t throw out your Thanksgiving turkey carcass! You can use it to make an easy, inexpensive and nutritious food called bone broth.

Bone broth is a very healthful addition to our diet for many reasons. Bone broth:
• is very easily digested
• is a good source of minerals, especially calcium, magnesium & phosphorus
• is a good source of amino acids, particularly arginine and glycine
• contains collagen, gelatin, glucosamine & chondroitin which reduce joint pain and inflammation
• promotes healthy bones, skin, hair and nails
• calms the stomach and is healing for the digestive tract
• helps heal leaky gut and reduce food allergies
• is a staple of the GAPS diet (see my columns #147, 172-175)
• boosts the immune system

Bone broth is made by simmering bones and vegetables to make a broth or soup stock. You can use bones from beef, poultry and even fish. Place about 2 lbs. of bones per gallon of water in a crock pot or stock pot. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar (white vinegar will do) to pull the minerals out of the bones. Add vegetables like onions, carrots, celery, parsley, etc. (since you discard the vegetables after cooking, use the peels, ends and any scrap that isn’t moldy). Bring to a boil and skim off the foamy scum every 20 minutes for 2 hours. Simmer for 24 hours for poultry, 48 hours for beef and 8 hours for fish. For extra flavor add herbs & spices like parsley and garlic for the last half hour. Cool and strain and store broth in the fridge or freezer.

You can now use the broth to make soups, stews, gravy & sauces, and for cooking rice, millet or quinoa. Or simply heat and drink a cupful every day like tea. There is a good reason Grandma fed us chicken soup when we were sick.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

280 Collagen – Healthy Skin, Hair, Nails & Bone [11 August 2014]

The key to healthy skin, hair, nails and bone is collagen. Collagen is a strong flexible protein that acts as the main structural component of connective tissue. We need a lot of it to maintain optimum health: it makes up 70% of our skin and 30% of our bones. But collagen production slows as we age, beginning at age 21.

Collagen and another protein, elastin, give skin its elasticity and a firm smooth appearance. As we age and produce less collagen and elastin, the skin thins and develops wrinkles, giving us our “mature” look.

Our hair and nails are made of another protein called keratin. Keratin production also slows as we age so our hair grows thinner and weaker and our nails become brittle.

As you know, bones are made of calcium and some other minerals, and bone mineral density is a measure of its strength. But it is collagen strands within the bone that the minerals are bound to. As we age there is less collagen and the bones become thinner and less flexible no matter how much calcium we consume.

What can we do to increase collagen? When we eat collagen-containing foods and supplements they are broken down in digestion into the required amino acids but don’t guarantee that they will be used to produce collagen. Fortunately a particular silica compound called choline-stabilized orthosilicic acid (ch-OSA) has been found to stimulate our body’s production of collagen.

Clinical studies have shown that ch-OSA supplements will:
- increase skin collagen and elastin, improving elasticity and reducing wrinkles
- increase hair thickness and body
- increase nail strength and break-resistance
- increase healthy joint cartilage
- increase bone mineral density, strength and flexibility

The compound ch-OSA is available in Canada as BioSil in both liquid and capsule form.

I wrote about the health and beauty benefits of Silica in April 2013.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

253 How Vitamin D Prevents Falls [3 February 2014]

In a recent post to the Vitamin D Council website Dr. John Cannell wrote “to the best of my knowledge, all studies of daily OTC vitamin D3 in significant doses point to effective prevention of falls in the elderly”. He then refers to several examples that showed that vitamin D3:
• reduced falls by 46% in elderly women in a 2001 German study;
• with calcium reduced falls by 49% compared to calcium alone in a 2003 Swiss study;
• reduced falls by 27% and body sway by 28% in a 2009 German study of the elderly;
• at least 10 randomized controlled clinical trials have shown that daily D3 supplementation over 800 IU prevents falls while lower doses often do not.
• Meta-analyses of studies using 400 IU/day showed a range of reduction in falls from 13% to 24%; studies of 800 IU or more showed reductions above 24%.

I had assumed that vitamin D prevented falls by increasing bone strength (which it does) but was surprised to learn that it also works in other important ways:
• increases muscle fiber diameter and muscle strength (at 4,000 IU/day)
• improves balance and reduces body sway
• improves neuromuscular reaction time

These are all important factors in preventing falls, especially in the elderly. So if you are in that age bracket, or have family members who are, supplementation is critical. Then the question is how much. At least 800 IU, but is more better? The one study which showed increased muscle strength used 4,000 IU. The Vitamin D Council recommends 5,000 IU for adults including seniors (which is what I take) while most government health organizations are more cautious. If you take much more than 5,000 you should have your blood levels [25(OH)D] tested every few months. Toxicity could occur if you were to take 40,000 IU daily for several months.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

225 Preventing Post-Menopausal Fractures

A wipe-out on my bicycle last week makes this topic timely. I didn’t break any bones but easily could have. A study from the U. of Buffalo published in June looked at the effectiveness of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and supplementation with calcium and vitamin D (CalD) in preventing fractures in post-menopausal women.

The study “Women’s Health Initiative clinical trials: interaction of calcium and vitamin D with hormone therapy” found that HT and CalD together reduced hip fractures by 50% over placebo, and that the combination was more effective than either alone. Curiously bone mineral density was unchanged in the lower fracture group. Personally I suspect that if a better form of calcium than carbonate was used, vitamin D3 was given at 4,000iu instead of 400iu, and vitamin K2 was added, the fracture rate would be much lower and a bone mineral density increase would be measurable, with or without the HRT.

Hormone Replacement Therapy has fallen out of favor since the publication in July 2002 of a study by the Women’s Health Initiative which linked it to increased risk of breast cancer, heart disease and stroke. One year later breast cancer rates, which had been climbing steadily, dropped by 7% overall and by 12% in women over age 50. See Mercola's post on this topic for additional information.

Fortunately there is a safer alternative – bio-identical hormones. Because of patent laws, the hormones used in HRT are synthetic, similar but not exactly like the ones produced in our bodies. Bio-identical hormones are just that – the exact same molecules, so they work better without the side effects. Ideally all of the hormones should be measured and balanced – estrone, estradiol, estriol, progesterone, testosterone and DHEA – not just one or two. It takes all of your hormones, in balance, to keep you healthy. Periodic hormone testing is also important to ensure that your hormones stay in balance. For information on bio-identical hormone therapy, contact Cindy Johns at 306-463-4565.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

216 Magnesium Bisglycinate [13 May 2013]

Since I wrote about magnesium a month or so ago (#209 Magnesium – A Crucial Mineral; and #210 Magnesium – Getting Enough) I have learned about a new form of this critically important mineral.

Magnesium bisglycinate – magnesium attached to two glycine molecules – has several advantages over other forms of magnesium. It is absorbed faster and more efficiently than other forms. It is better utilized by the body and hence more effective in filling magnesium’s many roles. And it avoids the laxative effect of magnesium, especially at high doses. It is available in powder or capsule form.

To review, you should consider supplementing with magnesium if you:

• are pregnant or breastfeeding to prevent pre-eclampsia, reduce risk of gestational diabetes, and prevent muscle cramps
• suffer from Fibromyalgia or Chronic Fatigue
• have ADD or ADHD – to reduce symptoms
• have Type 2 diabetes – to improve insulin response
• want to increase bone strength – to convert calcium to hydroxyapatite, the form found in bones and teeth
• want to reduce cholesterol (without side effects)
• have high blood pressure, heart disease or abnormal heart rhythms
• suffer from headaches or migraines
• are stressed out and need to relax
• have trouble sleeping
• suffer from PMS – to reduce cramping and other symptoms
• have loss of appetite or nausea
• have muscle spasms and cramping
• are taking more calcium than magnesium (check your cal:mag ratio)
• are taking vitamin D – Mg is required for proper metabolism of D

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

212 Silica – the Health and Beauty Mineral [15 April 2013]

Silicon is the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust after oxygen. It commonly occurs as silicon-dioxide, also called silica. Silicon is a useful mineral to man. Glass is about 75% silica. Silicon’s semi-conductor property created the electronics revolution. And it’s a component of silicone rubber, famous for its flexibility and heat resistance.

But silica’s most important use to man is as a nutrient.. Silica promotes the synthesis of the proteins collagen (Type 1) and elastin. Collagen is an abundant protein in mammals, making up the majority of connective tissue like cartilage, tendons, ligaments, gums and skin. Elastin is a stretchy protein, important for healthy skin, lungs and arteries (especially the aorta). Silica also promotes stronger thicker hair, stronger nails, and stronger bones. Although silica only makes up a tiny proportion of bone, it’s important for promoting re-calcification of bone and speeding healing of fractures. As we age the silica content of our tissues decreases, especially for post-menopausal women.

Clinical trial results have shown that a silica supplement:
• increased hair diameter by 12.8%
• increased hair strength by 13.1%
• reduced facial wrinkles by 30%
• increased skin elasticity by 89%
• strengthened nails making them more resistant to breaking
• increased collagen formation and mineral density in bones.

Although silica is abundant in the earth, it is less common in our food. Silica is abundant only in grass-related foods such as the bran or hulls of oats, wheat and rice, which is almost entirely eliminated from our foods by processing. There are several different silica supplements formulated to provide this nutrient in an easily absorbable form for your body to use:
• aqueous extracts of horsetail or oatstraw – orthosilicic form of silica
• silica gel – a colloidal solution from quartz crystals
• silicon as orthosilicic acid – probably the most effective form

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner

205 Calcium, Vitamin D & Fractures [25 February 2013]

Last week we looked at certain built-in bias that favors drugs being tested. I have previously discussed how studies and/or their news reports can be slanted to discredit natural health products (#112 A Sabotaged Cancer Study, #176 Nutrition in the News). In August 2012 (#177 Preventing Fractures) I reported on a critique of the 2012 USPSTF meta-analysis study which concluded that calcium and vitamin D supplementation at RDA levels provided no benefit and were best avoided due to slightly increased risk of kidney stones. Among the noted flaws were the low dosage of vitamin D; the poorly-absorbed form of calcium used; and missing cofactors for bone formation including magnesium, vitamin K2, and various trace minerals. A similar study with similar conclusions was recently re-analyzed leading to a completely different conclusion.

The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI), a large controlled study of more than 36,000 post-menopausal women over 7 years, examined the effects of supplementation with 1000mg calcium and 400iu vitamin D on bone density and fractures. The original analysis, published in the New England J. of Medicine in 2006, concluded that the supplementation provided no significant reduction in hip fractures and only a small improvement in bone density.

A recent re-analysis of the WHI data by Dr. Ross Prentice and colleagues from the Fred Hutchinson Research Center in Seattle, published in Osteoporosis International 24(2) in February 2013, came up with a different conclusion. The authors found that the original analysis didn’t account for women who were taking supplements prior to the study and for women who quit partway through. After adjusting for these data, the researchers found significant reductions of fracture risk: 29% and 38%. They concluded “…long-term use of calcium and vitamin D appears to confer a reduction that may be substantial in the risk of hip fracture among postmenopausal women”. Just imagine the benefits they might have found had they used optimum supplementation levels and included all the co-factors!

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

197 Bones & Belly Fat [31 December 2012]

If you were thinking of slimming down as a New Year’s resolution, here is another reason to lose that belly fat. Visceral obesity (fancy name for a big fat gut) is now associated with osteoporosis and increased fracture risk in men.

The Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study was designed to determine risk factors for osteoporosis in men. Their report in November 2012 to the 98th Scientific Assembly of the Radiological Society of North America included the surprising news that “…obesity in men does not protect against osteoporosis, as previously thought. And visceral fat is detrimental to bone strength.” This is considered surprising because it was believed that obese people would have stronger bones resulting from the additional stress load.

It shouldn’t have come as too big a surprise though. Visceral fat had previously been linked to osteoporosis in women, and another study found that adolescent girls with high visceral fat had reduced bone strength and mineral density. This was the first study looking at men.

Other health risks associated with visceral fat include diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even a higher risk of Alzheimer’s later in life. For more on the health risks of belly fat see my column #192 November 19, 2012.

So if you are carrying around a “spare tire” why not make slimming down your New Year’s resolution? We can help turn your dream weight into reality. The 35 dieters that have been on the Ideal Protein program at the Rosetown clinic to date have lost a total of 801 pounds. Stop in and ask for a free Body Composition Analysis (BCA) reading and discover what your body fat % and risk category are.

Sources: “Visceral Obesity May Increase Risk for Osteoporosis in Men” www.medscape.com 30 Nov 2012; and “Belly Fat Bad for Men’s Bones” www.mercola.com 15 Dec 2012.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

178 Vitamin D & Fractures [13 August 2012]

Last week I critiqued a study that concluded that calcium and vitamin D were useless in preventing fractures. Among the many oversights of the study was the low dose of vitamin D used, averaging 400 IU daily. The critique suggested that 5,000 would be a better place to start. A new study has just confirmed the significance of dosage to vitamin D’s effect on fracture prevention.

The new study, published in the N Engl J Med in July, analyzed 11 controlled studies of oral vitamin D and hip fractures. Overall those taking vitamin D had a statistically insignificant 10% reduction in fractures, agreeing with the previous study which found no benefit. However, when analyzed by dosage, those taking the highest amount of D (800 or more) had a 30% reduction in fractures which is significant but not as good as it could be. While the researchers called this “high-dose vitamin D supplementation” many still consider it to be far below optimum.

As frustrating as it is to wait for research to be carried out in the optimum range of supplementation, at least these studies are contributing something to our nutritional knowledge. What really annoys me though is the news articles reporting on such studies. Seeking sensation rather than education, journalists jump to conclusions never intended by the researchers. For example one of the headlines for the story of the former analysis read: “Panel’s Thumbs Down to Calcium/Vitamin D supplements” [Philadelphia Inquirer, June 13, 2012]. A more accurate and helpful headline would have been: “RDAs of Calcium and Vitamin D Too Low to Prevent Fractures”.

Having established, once again, the importance of adequate vitamin D levels, how can we take advantage of the last month of summer sunshine and get our vitamin D without increasing the risk of skin cancer? In short, expose skin for a short time during peak UVB period, then cover up. Details next week.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

177 Preventing Fractures [7 August 2012]

In last week’s column, I warned that when it comes to nutritional advice, not to believe everything you read in the news, and mentioned two items. I discussed a flaw in an otherwise excellent study that found that a synthetic form of vitamin E increases prostate cancer, but then concluded that high doses of all vitamin E should be avoided. Now let’s look at the other study in more detail.

In June 2012 the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) published a statement, reported in the New York Times that, based on their analysis of 137 studies, low doses (RDAs) of calcium (1,000mg) and vitamin D (400iu) do not prevent fractures in healthy post-menopausal women and are better avoided due to a slight increased risk of kidney stones.

Not so fast! There are several problems with this analysis, pointed out in a critique by Dr. Allan Spreen of Health Sciences Institute:
• the carbonate form of calcium used in the studies is poorly absorbed so the amount may be insufficient, especially if stomach acid is weak
• the amount of vitamin D is much less than the 5,000 – 10,000 iu that we now know is optimum, especially for the elderly
• magnesium is necessary for healthy bones in about 2:1 ratio of cal:mag
• vitamin K2 is essential to direct the calcium into the bones (and along with magnesium will reduce the risk of kidney stones)
• vitamin C and trace minerals manganese, silica, zinc, copper, strontium, molybdenum and boron are also necessary for healthy bones
• a natural progesterone supplement is recommended for post-menopausal women
• finally, weight bearing exercise is essential to build and maintain healthy bones

To this list I’ll add my own observation that preventing fractures is only one of many functions of calcium and vitamin D, and not the most important one either. So even if they don’t prevent fractures there are good reasons for taking optimum amounts of both nutrients. Another factor not mentioned is that of systemic acidity which leaches minerals from the bones to maintain a healthy pH. Eating more alkalizing foods and or taking alkalizing supplements in addition to calcium will help maintain strong bones.

The last word in the New York Times article is given to a member of USPSTF, Dr. Bibbins-Domingo, whose quote reveals her lack of nutritional knowledge: “For most people there is no need for these supplements and good reason for many not to take them. Vitamin D and calcium are part of a healthy diet. Most people can achieve sufficient doses with a healthy diet”. That might be true for calcium, but unless you regularly eat fish liver, you will never achieve a “sufficient dose” of vitamin D in your diet!

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

170 Lysine – the “Cold Sore Cure” [18 June 2012]

Lysine is one of the eight essential amino acids, meaning that we must obtain all our daily needs in our diet. That is usually not a problem as lysine is found in meat, fish, poultry, eggs, pulses (lentils, beans and peas) and dairy. A vegan diet depending on grains for protein would be deficient in lysine, so it is commonly added to animal feed.

Lysine is an essential building block for all protein in the body, including hormones, enzymes and antibodies. It is important for increasing muscle and in the healing of wounds or surgery. Lysine plays a role in calcium absorption and is essential in the production of collagen, a protein found in skin, tendons and cartilage. Lysine also helps regulate serotonin, one of the anti-anxiety neurotransmitters I discussed in column #167.

Lysine is sometimes taken as a supplement to help fight infections of herpes simplex virus which causes cold sores. For this purpose, lysine is often taken in a formula along with zinc, vitamin C, bioflavonoids, and immune-supporting herbs like garlic, echinacea and goldenseal. Studies have found that a diet high in lysine and low in arginine reduces the frequency and severity of herpes outbreaks.

Lysine appears to inhibit herpes infections by suppressing arginine, the amino acid I wrote about last week, which is essential for the virus to replicate. Arginine and lysine compete with each other for absorption, so increasing lysine will create a relative deficiency of arginine. So if you are taking lysine for this purpose, you should avoid supplementing with arginine and temporarily reduce consumption of foods high in arginine (see list in last week’s column). Because arginine is also important to our health, long-term supplementation of lysine is not recommended.

Speaking of arginine, two functions that I missed mentioning last week are:
• arginine enhances the immune system by stimulating the thymus gland to increase production of B and T cells
• arginine stimulates the pituitary gland to produce human growth hormone (HGH)

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

168 L-Carnitine – the Energy Booster [4 June 2012]

Continuing the series on amino acids, this week we will look at carnitine. Carnitine is synthesized in our livers from two other amino acids, lysine and methionine. It occurs in two forms, D- and L-, with L-carnitine being the biologically active form.

An important function of L-carnitine is to facilitate the breakdown and transport of long-chain fatty acids from the cell plasma into the mitochondria where they can be burned for fuel, creating energy in the form of ATP. Studies have also found that carnitine:

·           reduces fat mass and increases muscle mass

·           increases energy & endurance

·           reduces fatigue, including those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

·           reduces triglycerides and cholesterol levels

·           increases osteocalcin, the hormone responsible for building new bone

·           acts as a strong antioxidant protecting the brain and spinal cord

·           improves mental alertness, memory, and mood

·           improves insulin resistance

·           improves male fertility by increasing sperm count & motility

·           is often deficient in vegetarians

·           may need to be supplemented in pregnancy.

Carnitine is found in most muscle meats, but is particularly high in lamb and beef. It is a popular supplement for weight loss and body building. Carnitine has only recently (December 2011) been approved by Health Canada for sale in Canada without prescription. Caution: people on prescription blood thinners should only take carnitine under medical supervision.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner. 

150 Vitamin K2 Deficiency [30 January 2012]

In last week’s column I wrote that it was only recently that Vitamin K2 deficiency was recognized as widespread. Why are most North Americans deficient in this critical vitamin and why was it only recently recognized?

Only recently have we realized that K1 (phylloquinone) and K2 (menaquinone) are two entirely different nutrients with different physiological functions. K1 is relatively easy to obtain in leafy green vegetables and is recycled in the body, so deficiencies are rare. A deficiency of K1 results in bruising and bleeding from abnormal blood clotting, so is quickly identified. K2 is not as easily obtained, is not recycled, and deficiencies are not as obvious. A K2 deficiency results in osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and dental cavities, which are slower to develop (and usually blamed on something else).

Our gut bacteria produce some K2 for us and we convert a small amount of K1 to K2 in our liver, but we must depend on dietary sources for most of our K2 requirement. K2 is found in natto (a Japanese fermented soybean dish), goose liver, and the fat (egg yolk, butter and lard) of grass-fed animals. The highest food source of K2, natto, is a smelly disgusting food and hardly a staple in our diets. Goose liver is a rare delicacy at best. And what used to be our best source – animal fats – is now almost entirely lacking in K2 because of the diet of commercially raised animals. The animals need the chlorophyll in grass or other green food to convert K1 to K2 for us (hint: yellow animal fat/butter/yolk has more beta-carotene and likely more K2). Need I mention the advocates of the cholesterol theory who have been warning us for years to reduce animal fat for our heart health?

Another reason for K2 deficiency is increased hydrogenated fats in our diet. When oils containing K1 are hydrogenated, the K1 is transformed into DHP, an unnatural form of vitamin K which lacks the ability to regulate calcium. Another of many reasons to avoid hydrogenated fats (read labels of processed foods).

Source: Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox by Kate Rheaume-Bleue, Bsc. ND, John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Watch a 15minute interview with Dr. Rheaume-Bleue here.

Next week we’ll look at different K supplements and who can safely take them.

For more information on this or other natural health topics, stop in and talk to Stan; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

149 The Rediscovery of Vitamin K2 [23 January 2012]

Vitamin K2 was first discovered 70 years ago but it is only in the last few years that its full significance is being appreciated.

In the early 1930s Danish biochemist Henrick Dam discovered a nutrient that was essential for the blood clotting process. He named it Vitamin K for “koagulation”. A decade later an American researcher Edward Doisy isolated this nutrient and identified its structure. The two researchers shared a Nobel Prize in 1943 for their discovery.

Dam and Doisy recognized two forms which they named K1 and K2, but believed them to be variations of the same nutrient with the only known function of blood clotting. It was 30 years after that, in 1975, that the K2-dependent enzyme osteocalcin was discovered. And it was another 20 years, in 1997, before researchers understood that osteocalcin was essential for deposition of calcium in bones and prevention of calcium deposits in arteries. So why haven’t we been hearing about it for the last 15 years?

The reason is that it was assumed that a K2 deficiency was rare. K1 is readily available in leafy green vegetables in sufficient amounts for clotting purposes. It was only 5 years ago, in 2007 that the extent of K2 deficiency became known. Confusion between the two forms continues, though it is now known that they are two different nutrients with entirely different functions, not just different forms of the same vitamin. Research is still coming in showing how important K2 is for our health and its role in preventing atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, dental caries, diabetes, cancer and more.

Ironically the importance of K2 and the significance of its deficiency were first written about in 1939 by dentist and nutritional researcher, Weston A. Price. He discovered that a nutrient he called “Activator X” was deficient in modernized diets, causing changes within a generation of deformed dental arches, dental caries, and other chronic diseases. From his observations we now know Price’s “X” is K2.

Source: Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox by Kate Rheaume-Bleue, Bsc. ND, John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Watch a 15 minute interview with Dr Rheaume-Bleue here.

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

117 Child Abuse or Rickets? [6 June 2011]

Families are being torn apart because of misdiagnosed infantile rickets. Dr John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council documents several cases where infants with broken bones that the parents cannot explain result in the children being taken from their parents and charges being laid.

Often the infant is asymptomatic (has no evidence of external injury like bruises or swelling) but the fractures must be explained somehow and the parents are the most likely suspects. Social workers have not always been trained to consider the possibility of vitamin D deficiency rickets. Even if the infants are tested for vitamin D and calcium levels, the tests may be normal or even high because by this time they are healing from damage done before birth due to the vitamin D deficiency of their mothers. Vitamin D is necessary for the development of strong healthy bones during gestation as well as throughout life after birth.

The pain suffered by the babies with broken bones is bad enough, but the emotional trauma to the parents and the infant from the forced separation and false allegations may be worse. The stories related on the Vitamin D Council’s website are heart-wrenching. Fortunately more cases are arriving at the truth, and hopefully social services in the northern latitudes where D deficiencies are more common are learning about this phenomenon. Even more importantly, physicians are encouraging mothers to supplement with vitamin D during pregnancy so these situations are prevented from ever occurring.

For more information on this topic see www.vitaminDcouncil.org and search for rickets.

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

108 Bones & Vitamin K [4 April 2011]

My last two columns looked at four bone builders and how our body’s pH affects bone health. Continuing this theme, let’s examine the role of vitamin K in calcium metabolism.

To simplify the amazingly complex physiology of bone formation, vitamin D helps us absorb calcium while vitamin K directs it where we want it - into our bones, not our arteries and joints. Taking high doses of calcium has been associated with increased heart attacks, likely because of arterial calcification due to insufficient vitamin K. Vitamin K activates a bone-forming protein hormone called osteocalcin, allowing it to bind calcium into the bone matrix. At the same time, vitamin K assists vitamin D in promoting the production of Matrix GLA Protein which prevents calcium from attaching to artery walls. Studies have confirmed that increased vitamin K is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease.

Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) goes to the liver where it is used in the blood clotting system. A diet high in raw vegetables should provide all the K1 you need. Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) is the form that helps builds strong bones and protects your arteries. K2 is produced by good bacteria in your colon; however, little is absorbed before being expelled from the body. The liver will convert some K1 to K2. Supplementing K2 will ensure that your bones will benefit from the calcium you ingest. The RDA of 120mcg for men and 90mcg for women is sufficient for blood clotting purposes, but for bone and heart health Dr. Mercola recommends 150 - 300mcg. There is no known toxicity with high levels of K1 and K2. The synthetic form, Vitamin K3, is toxic and should be avoided. Note: if you are taking a blood thinner like warfarin, you should consult your doctor before taking vitamin K.

For more information on Vitamin K see my column #76 from August 17, 2010 and Dr Mercola’s article of March 26, 2011 “The Missing Nutrient…” at http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/03/26/the-delicate-dance-between-vitamins-d-and-k.aspx

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.

107 Bones & pH [28 March 2011]

Last week we looked at the four things which research has proven to increase bone formation: MCHC calcium, strontium, Milk Basic Protein, and exercise. This week I want to discuss how our bodies’ pH (acidity) affects our bones.

Most people are too acidic as a result of a diet high in animal protein and grains, and low in fruits and vegetables. Chronic stress adds to the acid load.

The pH of the blood must be kept within a narrow range to maintain life. If our diet is acid producing, our bodies pull calcium and other minerals from the bones to act as buffers and neutralize the acid. It does this by both increasing the breakdown of bone and inhibiting the building of bone. A simple home test for saliva and urine pH will indicate if acidity is a concern for you.

So how can we alkalize ourselves to preserve our bones? Avoid excess animal protein (ironically including calcium-rich cheeses) but don’t eliminate them since protein is necessary for bone growth as well as many other functions. Reduce all grain products – bread, cereal, rice, pasta and baking. Oatmeal is one of the highest acid producing grains but is beneficial for other reasons. Balance the protein and grains you do eat by increasing fruits and vegetables. Fats and sugar are pH neutral. If diet doesn’t bring your pH back in line, there are alkalizing supplements available that can help. See my column # 26 from August 24, 2009 for more on pH.

To keep your bones strong and healthy, get adequate calcium and its cofactors from diet and supplements, and take Vitamin D. Keep your pH in balance by eating more fruits and vegetables and less animal protein and grains. And exercise regularly, particularly weight-bearing exercise.

This article is intended for educational purposes only; for medical advice consult your licensed health practitioner.