489 Liposomal Vitamin C [17 Sept 2018]

A problem with vitamin C is its low bioavailability. With oral supplements some of the vitamin C is broken down by stomach acids before it even reaches the small intestine. An active transporter is required to move vitamin C across the intestinal wall into the blood stream. This transporter is dose-dependent - at low doses of up to 180mg about 70-90% of vitamin C is absorbed into the bloodstream; at higher doses above 1000mg (1g) it is less than 50%. At doses between 5g and 10g daily, abdominal cramping and diarrhea may occur creating an upper limit to daily oral dosage of C. Even then, only a percentage of vitamin C is absorbed from the blood stream into the cells. This absorption into the cells is inhibited by high blood glucose, so is even more a problem for diabetics.

For certain therapeutic purposes much higher doses of vitamin C are required. One way around this is intravenous vitamin C (IVC). This is expensive and requires supervision by a trained health professional, so is used only for serious conditions like cancer [see #375], sepsis [#436], polio [#23], and other serious viral infections.

Now there is another form of vitamin C that allows high doses, is relatively inexpensive, and can be administered at home. It’s called liposomal vitamin C.

With liposomal C, the vitamin is encapsulated inside a tiny phospholipid ball which provides several advantages: 1) it protects the vitamin C from breakdown in the stomach; 2) it increases the absorption from the intestine into the blood stream; 3) it increases the absorption into the cells; and 4) it does so very quickly. Nearly all of the liposomal C ingested makes its way quickly into the cells where it is needed. In this regard liposomal C is superior to IVC which increases C in blood plasma but then relies on transporters to get it into the cells.

The phospholipid coating itself is used by the body to repair or build new cell membranes. It is because the coating is similar to cell membranes that it passes quickly and easily through the intestinal wall and then again through the cell membranes into the cells without the need for active transporters.

The big advantage of liposomal vitamin C is that it allows you to take, and absorb, a high dose of C when you need it, without experiencing intestinal discomfort. It’s perfect for fighting a cold or the flu, if you’re a smoker or subject to second-hand smoke, if you are diabetic, or for those days when you're under a lot of stress.

I have just found a Canadian supplier so will soon have it on the shelf. It comes in packets of 1000mg which you add to water and drink. I’ll be the first to try it and let you know what it does for me.

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

458 Vitamin D, Colds and Flu [12 Feb 2018]

This has been an unusually bad year for influenza and severe colds, collectively called upper respiratory infections or URIs. Many observational studies have found that low levels of vitamin D are associated with increased risk for URIs. But the few random controlled studies testing to see if supplementing with D could lower the risk had conflicting results.

A meta-analysis published in February 2017 in the British Medical Journal combined the data from 25 randomized controlled trials to look at the effect of vitamin D supplementation on incidence of acute respiratory tract infection. It concluded that vitamin D supplementation was safe and offered some protection against acute respiratory tract infections, but only with frequent dosing (daily or weekly – not monthly or longer).

A study in Toronto published in JAMA in 2017 compared 2000 IU and 400 IU vitamin D (daily as oral drops) in 700 children over one respiratory season. Infections averaged slightly more than 1 per child with no significant difference between the two groups. Incidence of influenza infections was reduced 50% in the high dose group but there were too few (10% of infections) to be conclusive.

Last month a recent study of infants from China reported that high dose vitamin D reduced the risk of URIs and also improved symptoms. A random controlled clinical trial published in January 2018 in Pediatr Infect Dis J studied 400 healthy infants between 3 and 12 months of age. Half were given 400 IU and half 1200 IU vitamin D daily as oral drops. The infants were monitored for symptoms of fever, cough and wheezing for four months.

Over the four months 121 cases of influenza A infection occurred – 78 in the low dose group and 43 in the high dose group. As well as having fewer occurrences, the duration of the symptoms (fever, coughing and wheezing) were all significantly shorter in the high dose group. The authors concluded “High-dose vitamin D (1200 IU) is suitable for the prevention of seasonal influenza as evidenced by rapid relief from symptoms, rapid decrease in viral loads, and disease recovery. In addition, high-dose vitamin D is probably safe for infants.”

The Vitamin D Council recommends vitamin D supplementation of 5,000-10,000 IU per day for adults and 1,000 – 2,000 for infants. Vitamin D supplementation is especially important during the winter season when URIs are most common and of course when we cannot obtain vitamin D from the sun.

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

319 Increasing Glutathione – Who Can Benefit? [18 May 2015]

Last week (#318) I showed you how to raise your glutathione levels. Which brings up the question of who would benefit from increasing glutathione.

In medicine we think of one drug for one disease, and are taught to be skeptical of “panaceas” that promise everything. But in natural healing many different nutrients must work together to improve one condition; and a single nutrient can improve many different conditions. Glutathione is a perfect example of the latter because its powerful antioxidant properties make it essential for health in every cell of the body.

You could benefit from increasing glutathione levels if you:
• want to look and feel younger – as we age our bodies produce less glutathione
• are an athlete – improves strength, endurance and reduces recovery time
• are a smoker, welder, mechanic, chemical farmer, consume alcohol, or are otherwise exposed to chemical toxins – protects your organs from damage
• use a cell phone or WIFI, are exposed to microwaves or ultraviolet radiation – protects cells from radiation damage
• have a chronic disease like asthma, Alzheimer’s, Lupus, Parkinson’s, arthritis, macular degeneration – all associated with low glutathione
• are fighting a viral infection such as a cold, hepatitis, herpes, bronchitis, pneumonia, even AIDS – strengthens the immune system to fight infections
• have impaired or diseased organs including heart, liver, kidneys, prostate, stomach, intestines, colon – all benefit from increased glutathione
• have atherosclerosis (risk for heart attack & stroke) – prevents lipid peroxidation and plaque formation
• are healing from trauma – promotes growth of healthy new tissue
• want to sleep better – promotes better more restful sleep
• are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired – supports mitochondria to produce more energy
• are healthy and want to stay that way – helps prevent all above conditions

Sources:
Immunotec website
Nutraxis website

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

198 Stress & Inflammation [7 January 2013]

Chronic psychological stress has long been known or suspected to be a factor in almost every disease imaginable – from depression to autoimmune diseases, diabetes, infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease and cancer (see my column #44 Jan. 4, 2010) but no one knew exactly how. The effects of stress were usually attributed to dysfunction of the hypothalamic, pituitary and adrenal glands, but the specific hormonal changes causing disease were not known. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences last April suggests a likely model.

The study took 276 healthy adults, measured the levels of stress they had been exposed to, tested them for glucocorticoid receptor resistance (GCR), and then exposed them to a rhinovirus and recorded cold symptoms over 5 days. Those with recent stressful experiences showed GCR and also experienced the most cold symptoms. The study also found that subjects with GCR produced the most proinflammatory cytokines in response to the rhinovirus infection.

The significance of GCR is that it prevents the neurotransmitter cortisol (the “fight or flight” hormone) from carrying out its other role of controlling inflammation. A rhinovirus was used in the study because the symptoms of a cold are caused by the body’s inflammatory response to the virus, not by the virus itself. This effect was further shown by measuring the production of cytokines –chemical messengers that promote inflammation.

In summary, it has now been shown that chronic stress interferes with cortisol’s role in controlling inflammation. Runaway inflammation is then responsible for the development and progression of the many different diseases associated with stress.

Sources: Cohen S, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2012 Apr 17; 109(16):5995-9; “How Stress Influences Disease: Study Reveals Inflammation as the Culprit” Science Daily, Apr 2, 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.

188 Vitamin D Window [22 Oct 2012]

The best way to get vitamin D is from the sun. The vitamin D synthesized in our skin in the presence of UVB rays is the sulfate form which is water soluble and therefore more physiologically active. But for most of the year in Saskatchewan unless you use a safe sunlamp or take a holiday in the tropics, supplementation is the only way to keep your D levels up.

The UVB rays necessary for vitamin D synthesis can only penetrate the atmosphere when the sun is at 50° or more above the horizon. I knew that our vitamin D season was short, but when I did the calculations (using a US Navy website) I was shocked. The last day we could make vitamin D was August 21 and the next day will be April 18. On those two days there is about a half hour “window” centered on 1:15 pm (which is the sun-noon for Rosetown’s longitude). For most of June the “window” extends from 11:00 am to 3:30 pm. On sunny days outside these time “windows”, and on cloudy days, you can still get a sunburn and increase your risk of skin cancer from UVA, but you can’t make any vitamin D.

A recent study from New Zealand published in JAMA in October found a small but statistically insignificant reduction in upper respiratory tract infections (colds & “flu”) in healthy adults with supplementation of 100,000iu D3 monthly (equivalent to 3,330 daily). The average vitamin D level of the test population was low but not severely deficient (likely due to sun exposure), which may explain the small difference. For example, two previous studies with children in Mongolia and in Japan who had severe D deficiencies, showed much more significant improvement with D supplementation. Other studies have found that people with lower levels of D had more frequent colds or missed more work due to colds, and that newborns with a D deficiency were more susceptible to bronchitis and pneumonia. In any case there are many other good reasons to keep up your D levels – this is my 23rd column on this important vitamin.

To give credit where due, the New Zealand study appears to me to be well done. It was a fairly large controlled study with over 300 people. The dose was adequate - much closer to what some researchers are calling for. Having the subjects take their vitamin D dose monthly rather than daily seems unusual but since D is a fat soluble vitamin it's not unheard of (I recently heard a Naturopathic Doctor tell us that he takes his D once a month). It may not be the best way to keep one's level consistently up, though. And their conclusion, although disappointing, was not overstated. I quote:

In conclusion, we report that monthly administration of 100 000-IU doses of vitamin D3 did not reduce the incidence or severity of URTIs in healthy, predominantly European adults with near-normal vitamin D levels. Further research is required to clarify whether there is benefit from supplementation in other populations and with other dosing regimens.

Similarly, after my previous rants about reporters exaggerating the dangers of vitamins in their news reports, I was pleased to see the Globe & Mail article actually tell people not to quit taking D:

That doesn’t mean you should stop supplementing with vitamin D. Mounting evidence suggests vitamin D deficiency may be linked to a number of diseases, most notably cancer, and that supplementation could be an effective way to reduce the risk. Although humans produce vitamin D through exposure to the sun, countries like Canada, that have lengthy winters and limited sunshine during those months, are increasingly advised to take vitamin D supplements.

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

132 Umckaloabo - A “New” Cold Cure [19 Sept. 2011]

A species of South African geranium used for centuries in Zulu medicine has become the newest remedy for the common cold. The scientific name is Pelargonium sidoides; the Zulu name for the herb is Umckaloabo (call it “Umcka” for short).

Several recent controlled studies from Europe have shown that Umcka reduced the severity and duration of both acute bronchitis and the common cold. In one study total cold symptom severity was reduced to half that of the placebo group after 5 days. This degree of improvement is superior to that of other common over-the-counter cold treatments including natural remedies like vitamin C, Echinacea and zinc.

Umcka works in three ways: it has antiviral, antibacterial and expectorant properties. It prevents bacteria and viruses from attaching to the mucous membranes. It also stimulates the body’s immune system and prevents bacteria and viruses from multiplying. Finally it loosens mucous making it easier to cough up contaminated phlegm.

Umcka appears to be a very safe herb. No significant adverse effects were noted in any of the studies I reviewed, and few have been reported in Europe despite the increasing popularity of the herb. Like most cold remedies, results improve significantly if the treatment is started within 2 days of cold onset. For more information see the Herbal Africa website. Here is the abstract on one of the studies done at the National Medical University in Kiev.

Umcka has been widely used in Germany since the 1980s (one formula is an approved drug for the treatment of acute bronchitis) and is now available in North America. That’s what I plan to use next time I start to come down with a cold.

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

032 Flu Prevention [5 Oct 2009]

The safest, and probably most effective, measure to protect yourself and your family from the flu is to ensure adequate levels of vitamins D and C. This is the conclusion of Dr. Mercola in his latest newsletter.

An analysis by Dr John Cannell of the Vitamin D Council [www.vitamindcouncil.org] of the latest Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report on H1N1 Flu deaths revealed a hidden link to vitamin D deficiency. So far this year 36 children have died of the flu in the USA. Of these nearly 2/3 had a neurodevelopmental condition including epilepsy, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation. All of these conditions are associated with Vitamin D deficiency.

A recent (2009) study at Albert Einstein School of Medicine studied the vitamin D levels of 6,000 American children ages 1 to 21. They found that 70% were deficient and 9% very deficient in Vitamin D. Children with low levels were more likely to have abnormal blood lipids (cholesterol), high blood pressure, obesity, and abnormally high parathyroid hormone levels.

Mercola writes “although studies proving vitamin D’s protective powers against the flu do not include the swine flu virus specifically (it’s too new), it’s likely that vitamin D can offer protection against swine flu as well. Flu viruses mutate each year, yet people with sufficient vitamin D levels appear immune to the seasonal flu without regard for which strain is currently in circulation.”

Remember my column about Vitamin C and polio (4 August 2009 Eagle)? Dr. Mercola related a similar case of a New Zealand farmer who picked up the swine flu in Fiji. Despite the use of Tamiflu and antibiotic treatment in an Auckland hospital, he continued to deteriorate and was put on life support. The doctors were ready to “pull the plug” saying there was nothing more they could do when the family persuaded the hospital – against tremendous resistance – to try intravenous vitamin C. He regained consciousness in a few days and within a few weeks he had fully recovered. The staff was amazed – they had never seen anything like this.

Unfortunately it is highly unlikely that this Auckland hospital, or any other conventional hospital that learns of the case, will try this again without further pressure. Sadly it seems in the current system it is safer for doctors and institutions to allow patients to die with conventional treatment than to save them with an unproven (especially natural) therapy.

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

025 Colloidal Silver [17 August 2009]

Colloidal silver (CS) is a safe natural product with amazing antibiotic properties.  CS is a solution of both silver ions (AG+) and microscopic silver particles (colloids) suspended in water. It is colorless and tasteless.

Early in the last century colloidal silver was a commonly used antibiotic. CS was produced by a number of pharmaceutical companies and used for a wide range of infectious conditions. Medical journals of the day reported successful results with bacterial, viral and parasitic infections, without any toxicity. After the discovery of sulfa and penicillin drugs, colloidal silver ran out of favor (it’s not patentable) and by 1970 was no longer produced by any major pharmaceutical company. Silver treated burn dressings and silver plated catheters are sometimes still used to reduce infection rate.

Colloidal silver has recently made a comeback and is now readily available in health food stores. Brands vary in quality and strength, but most are in the 5 to 15 ppm range. It is commonly used orally, about a teaspoon a day for prevention. It can also be applied topically to cuts, scratches and acne.

Colloidal silver is perfectly safe at normal usage. In cases of extremely high use, a condition called argyria may occur causing the skin to turn blue-gray. One man who developed this condition moved to California where he thought he would fit in better! [see www.argyria.info]

A study in 1988 at UCLA School of Medicine found that colloidal silver completely killed every bacteria, virus and fungus on which it was tested. An important property of CS is that pathogens appear unable to develop immunity to it. There has been only one case reported of bacteria developing a resistance to CS.

While there has been little recent research on the uses of Colloidal Silver, many consumers have reported a great variety of successes with everything from minor cuts to serious diseases. Thousands of people are benefiting from the use of colloidal silver. If you are one of them I would like to hear your story. If you aren’t, why not?

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

023 Nutritional Therapies Ignored [4 August 2009]

The title of the book “Every Second Child” by Archie Kalokerinos refers to the 50% infant mortality rate that plagued some Australian aborigine populations in the 1960’s.

Kalokerinos, a medical doctor working in the Collarenebri district in the Australian Outback, found the Aborigine children there suffering from malnutrition caused by their switch to a “civilized” diet (white bread, jam and sausage). Combined with a lack of immunity to European diseases, the children were dying from simple upper respiratory viral infections – what we refer to as the common cold.

Kalokerinos diagnosed infant scurvy, and discovered that with a vitamin C injection, the infants rapidly recovered. He also observed that if a child was immunized while suffering from a cold, it was almost always fatal. Despite this discovery, the immunization program continued – without the vitamin C injections – and the children continued to die.

Most of the book deals with the author’s battle with skepticism, ridicule and outright hostility in trying to share his findings with the Australian medical establishment. The story is heartbreaking to read, even more so to realize that the situation is by no means an exception.

Another example, coincidentally also dealing with Vitamin C, is the successful treatment of poliomyelitis by Dr. Frederick R. Klenner of Reidsville, North Carolina. He used intravenous Vitamin C in massive doses with the 60 cases that he dealt with in his rural district during the polio epidemic of 1948. All of these cases were successful with no lasting effects. For example, two brothers that he treated completely recovered from polio and went on to become high school and college athletic stars, while their sister treated by another physician wore braces for the rest of her life.

Dr. Klenner presented a paper describing his treatment of polio with Vitamin C at the same symposium that the Salk vaccine was first announced. The vaccine attracted all the media and medical attention and Klenner’s discovery remains forgotten in some medical archive.

Why share these stories? I want to convey two ideas:

1) that there are effective and safe nutritional therapies (Abram Hoffer’s work with schizophrenia is another that comes to mind); and

2) that there is tremendous resistance to their adoption into modern health care. This resistance has little to do with science and too much with politics and economics. I see signs that this is improving, but it is frustratingly slow.

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