Vitamin D Stimulates Hair Growth

Vitamin D3 analogs stimulate hair growth in nude mice

2002 Nov

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center/University of California Los Angeles School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California 90048, USA.

The active form of vitamin D3 can regulate epidermal keratinization by inducing terminal differentiation; and mice lacking the vitamin D receptor display defects leading to postnatal alopecia. These observations implicate the vitamin D3 pathway in regulation of hair growth. We tested the ability of 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its synthetic analogs to stimulate hair growth in biege/nude/xid (BNX) nu/nu (nude) mice exhibiting congenital alopecia. Nude mice were treated with different vitamin D3 analogs at doses that we had previously found to be the highest dose without inducing toxicity (hypercalcemia). The mice were monitored for hair growth and were scored according to a defined scale. Skin samples were taken for histological observation of hair follicles and for extraction of RNA and protein. Vitamin D3 analogs dramatically stimulated the hair growth of nude mice, although parental 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 had no effect. Hair growth occurred in a cyclical pattern, accompanied by formation of normal hair follicles and increased expression of certain keratins (Ha7, Ha8, and Hb3). Vitamin D3 analogs seem to act on keratinocytes to initiate hair follicle cycling and stimulate hair growth in mice that otherwise do not grow hair.

Whenever I increase or come back to my D supplementation, I notice positive effects in my hair growth. I know this may sound hard to believe, but when I increase my D, or maintain an adequate daily intake of 4K+ IUs per day, I start to see new hairs popping up in the center of my chest, most noticeably.

Interestingly, they concluded that 1,25D3 did not have any affect. It isn't encouraging to see such a conclusion about regular 1,25D3... but clearly I am proving this to be inaccurate, perhaps, as I'm supplementing with D3 and seeing hair growth, and not with D analogs. Could this mean that my body is also producing these variant analogs, or do we just convert it to regular good old 1,25D3, and this study is mistaken? Or we humans have a different reaction to 1,25D3?

I'm taking this as just another sign that I'm obviously still struggling with D deficiency symptoms when I'm not supplementing. My theory here is that growing new hairs is a sign that I am doing a better job of becoming D replete, and that my cells are desperately sucking up the activated D and engaging in long awaited differentiation activities, now that it has the raw material it needs. Here again is a clear sign that D is upregulating genes in the skin and that the skin and hair follicles harbor a large number of VDRs.

Vitamin D Could Reduce Heart Attack Risk

The mighty "sunshine vitamin" could reduce heart attacks

Dr. Douglass

More good news about vitamin D! Not long ago, I told you that the vitamin D you get from sunlight can help to battle cancer. Now there's yet another killer that this mighty "sunshine vitamin" can help to combat: heart attacks.

According to a new study, men with lower levels of vitamin D are two and a half times as likely to suffer a heart attack. Dr. Edward Giovannucci of the Harvard School of Public Health authored the study and said, "Those with low vitamin D, on top of just being at higher risk for heart attack in general, were at particularly high risk to have a fatal heart attack."

For 10 years, Dr. Edward Giovannucci studied nearly 500 health professionals between the ages of 40 to 75 who'd survived a heart attack. During the same period, he also studied about 1,000 other men who had no history of cardiovascular issues. What he found was that the men who consistently had low levels of vitamin D were the ones most at risk for heart ailments.

"Perhaps having these chronically low levels of vitamin D may be having these subtle physiological changes in a lot of tissues," Dr. Giovannucci said. He added that there are other ways vitamin D can defend against heart diseases: it might lower blood pressure, regulate inflammation, and or reduce respiratory infections in winter.

Of all the vitamins I'm always telling you to pump into your body, vitamin D is one of my all-time favorites. If you've been with me for some time, you already know the highlights of what it can d it prevents falls in the elderly, helps increase lung cancer survival, prevents multiple sclerosis, and helps treat steroid resistant asthma. I imagine the list is only going to get longer as time goes by and more research is done.

As for me, I need no further convincing. I'm heading outside right now.

One thing that is not mentioned here is the theory of association between chronic infection and microbial toxins being poisonous to the heart and circulatory tissue, and thus weakening it and predisposing the individual to cardiovascular disease.

As well as being anti-inflammatory, Vitamin D (25D) is well known to enhance the immune system. By obtaining more vitamin D3 (25D) you're allowing your body to create increasing levels of activated vitamin D (1,25D3) which are essential for producing the human cathelicidin LL-37, which has broad spectrum antimicrobial abilities in the body. It is capable of puncturing holes in pathogens and destroying them. Cathelicidins serve a critical role in mammalian innate immune defense against invasive bacterial infection.

In short, increasing your D levels will also provide you with better immunity against pathogens that could be involved in cardiovascular disease.

Below is yet another study (published June 3, 2008) that illustrates that D3 increases cathelicidin production in skin, and boosts keratinocyte's ability to destroy Staphylococcus aureus. Heard of MRSA?

1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 regulates cutaneous innate immune function

Human Cathelicidin is Vitamin D Driven

Human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) gene is a direct target of the vitamin D receptor and is strongly up-regulated in myeloid cells by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3

Adrian F. Gombart*,1, Niels Borregaard{dagger} and H. Phillip Koeffler*

The innate immune system of mammals provides a rapid response to repel assaults from numerous infectious agents including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. A major component of this system is a diverse combination of cationic antimicrobial peptides that include the - and ß-defensins and cathelicidins. In this study, we show that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ and three of its analogs induced expression of the human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide (CAMP) gene. This induction was observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), immortalized keratinocyte, and colon cancer cell lines, as well as normal human bone marrow (BM) -derived macrophages and fresh BM cells from two normal individuals and one AML patient. The induction occurred via a consensus vitamin D response element (VDRE) in the CAMP promoter that was bound by the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Induction of CAMP in murine cells was not observed and expression of CAMP mRNA in murine VDR-deficient bone marrow was similar to wild-type levels. Comparison of mammalian genomes revealed evolutionary conservation of the VDRE in a short interspersed nuclear element or SINE in the CAMP promoter of primates that was absent in the mouse, rat, and canine genomes. Our findings reveal a novel activity of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ and the VDR in regulation of primate innate immunity.

We humans only have one cathelicidin (pronounced cath-i-li-cye-den) antimicrobial peptide, which is known as LL-37 and FALL-39. CAMP is a potent antimicrobial substance that is part of our immune system that is used to destroy pathogens identified in the body, such as bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc. Another recent study I reviewed has informed me that this, our only cathelicidin, is dependent on vitamin D for its production.

Candida & Pathogens Shiver at Iodine

In vitro susceptibility of Candida albicans to four disinfectants and their combinations

Waltimo TM, Orstavik D, Sirén EK, Haapasalo MP.

NIOM, Scandinavivan Institute of Dental Materials, Haslum, Norway. tuomas.waltimo@helsinki.fi

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the susceptibility of seven strains of Candida albicans to four disinfectants: iodine potassium iodide, chlorhexidine acetate, sodium hypochlorite and calcium hydroxide. In addition, all possible pairs of the disinfectants were tested in order to compare the effect of the combination and its components. METHODOLOGY: Filter paper discs were immersed in standardized yeast suspensions and then transferred to disinfectant solutions of different concentrations and incubated at 37 degrees C for 30 s, 5 min, 1 h and 24 h. After incubation the filter paper discs were transferred to vials with PBS and glass beads that were then vigorously shaken for dispersal of the yeast cells. PBS with resuspended yeasts was serially diluted 10-fold. Droplets of 25 microL from each dilution were inoculated on TSB agar plates and incubated in air at 37 degrees C for 24 h. The number of colony-forming units was then calculated from appropriate dilutions. RESULTS: C. albicans cells were highly resistant to calcium hydroxide. Sodium hypochlorite (5% and 0.5%) and iodine (2%) potassium iodide (4%) killed all yeast cells within 30 s, whilst chlorhexidine acetate (0.5%) showed complete killing after 5 min. Combinations of disinfectants were equally or less effective than the more effective component. All C. albicans strains tested showed similar susceptibility to the medicaments tested. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that sodium hypochlorite, iodine potassium iodide and chlorhexidine acetate are more effective than calcium hydroxide against C. albicans in vitro. However, combining calcium hydroxide with sodium hypochlorite or chlorhexidine may provide a wide-spectrum antimicrobial preparation with a long-lasting effect.

There are some people that believe that cancer is actually a result of fungal infection. I'm on the fence about this proposal, but if these were to be true, it could partially explain the reason that the mainland Japanese who reportedly consume up to 100x the US RDA of iodine daily (from seaweed, ocean foods, etc.) suffer from some of the lowest levels of breast cancer and cancer of female reproductive organs.

Iodine is a known potent antimicrobial substance against yeast, fungus, bacteria, and viruses.

The End of Antibiotics and the Rise of Iodine as an Effective Alternative

Iodine offers a serious and potent replacement for much of the antibiotics that are literally destroying people's lives and can be used safely with children. Parents, who chose not to dose their kids with dangerous vaccines will be glad to know that iodine can be very effective against a host of viral infections that medical officials insist threaten children.

Though it kills 90 percent of bacteria on the skin within 90 seconds, its use as an antibiotic has been ignored. Iodine exhibits activity against bacteria, molds, yeasts, protozoa, and many viruses; indeed, of all antiseptic preparations suitable for direct use on humans and animals and upon tissues, only iodine is capable of killing all classes of pathogens: gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, fungi, yeasts, viruses and protozoa. Most bacteria are killed within 15 to 30 seconds of contact.

Iodine is by far the best antibiotic, antiviral and antiseptic of all time - Dr. David Derry

Dr. Derry says that iodine is effective "for standard pathogens such as Staphylococcus, but also iodine has the broadest range of action, fewest side effects and no development of bacterial resistance." There is a world of difference between using an antibiotic – anti-life substance – and an antibiotic, antiviral and antifungal substance like iodine, which is life serving because it is a basic and most necessary nutritional substance.

Iodine kills single celled organisms by combining with the amino acids tyrosine or histidine when they are exposed to the extra-cellular environment. All single cells showing tyrosine on their outer cell membranes are killed instantly by a simple chemical reaction with iodine that denatures proteins. Nature and evolution have given us an important mechanism to control pathogenic life forms and we should use it and trust it to protect us in ways that antibiotics can't.

Additionally...

Iodine: The Candida Killer

Perhaps the world's cheapest, most traditional, and best anti Candida agent is the simplest. It is iodine. Yes, I am describing the same iodine found in "tincture of iodine" that your mother used to treat your cuts and scratches when you were a child. Because Big Pharma drug companies have re-educated us to believe that the fancy new (expensive) antibiotics are better and safer than (dirt cheap) iodine, we have lost sight of the one truly miraculous and completely natural antiviral, antibiotic and antifungal agent. Nothing is likely to beat iodine in this regard.

Iodine is like the complete package! Information like this is one of the reasons I've become very interested in iodine.

Vitamin D Strongly Influences Colonic Gene Regulation

D-hormone and the immune system

Cantorna MT, Mahon BD.

Department of Nutritional Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA. mxc69@psu.edu

D-hormone [1,25(OH)2 D3] is an important immune system regulator that has been shown to inhibit development of autoimmune diseases including experimental inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), multiple sclerosis (MS), and type 1 diabetes. Paradoxically, other immune mediated diseases (experimental asthma) and immunity to infectious organisms were not found to be affected by D-hormone treatment. The effectiveness of D-hormone treatment of autoimmune diseases is due to inhibition of the development and function of Th1 cells and the induction of other Th cells including Th2 cells. We report results of microarray analysis of colons from D-hormone treated mice with experimental IBD. Two hundred thirty-nine genes were inhibited and 298 genes were upregulated in the colon by D-hormone treatment of mice with IBD. Of interest was the D-hormone mediated inhibition of 3 tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha, lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha factor, and TNF receptor) related genes in the colon. It is likely that the effectiveness of D-hormone treatment of experimental autoimmunity is due in part to the inhibition of the TNF family of genes. D-hormone is a selective regulator of the immune system, and the outcome of D-hormone treatment depends on the nature (infectious disease, asthma, autoimmune disease, etc.) of the immune response.

That's a lot of gene controlling going on there. Vitamin D works by influencing certain genes to work properly by flipping them on and off.

Also of interest is the inhibition of three tumor necrosis factors. This has huge implications for cancer development and treatment. I wasn't quite sure what TNFs were until I looked it up in Wikipedia:

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF, cachexin or cachectin and formally known as tumor necrosis factor-alpha) is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation and is a member of a group of cytokines that all stimulate the acute phase reaction.

TNF causes apoptotic cell death, cellular proliferation, differentiation, inflammation, tumorigenesis, and viral replication.

TNF's primary role is in the regulation of immune cells.

Dysregulation and, in particular, overproduction of TNF have been implicated in a variety of human diseases, as well as cancer.

Now, I know I'm no scientist, but Ds ability to regulate TNF production seems like a beneficial activity, at least at first glance. This could be one of the underlying mechanisms of Ds known, powerful anti-inflammatory activity. It seems reasonable to conclude that someone with a chronic inflammatory disease (like is proposed for autism, IBD, etc.) would benefit from the TNF inhibition, and thus inflammatory reduction induced by activated D hormone.

Iodine Influences Rat Hippocampus & Cerebral Cortex

Local blood flow in the dorsal hippocampus and cerebellar cortex in progeny of iodine-deficient rats

March 2006

Gabrichidze GO, Lazrishvili NI, Metreveli DS, Bekaia GL, Mitagvariia NP.

Experimental studies show depressive behavior in rats caused by hypothyroidism and antidepressant effect of thyroid hormones. The present study analyses changes in the hippocampal and cerebellar cortex local blood flow in the progeny of rats suffering from iodine deficiency before mating and during the whole period of gestation. The diet with very low iodine content results in a decrease of local blood flow in both brain structures, but the greatest changes were observed in hippocampus. Addition of the iodine to the diet eliminates the above blood flow changes.

I've recently become very interested in iodine and its relationship with human health. The hippocampus is known for its involvement in memory and learning, as well as mood. It is known that and encouraging to see that iodine is at work in many different part of the body, including the brain, and not just in the thyroid. Whether these effects mentioned in the above study are from increased thyroid hormone (indirectly) or a more direct influence of iodine in the brain itself is not known from the abstract above; However, I've come across other articles that indicate that iodine is in fact present in large quantities in the brain.

In Alzheimer's disease, the hippocampus is one of the first regions of the brain to suffer damage; memory problems and disorientation appear among the first symptoms.

Additionally...

The cerebral cortex is a structure within the brain that plays a key role in memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thought, language, and consciousness.

Jason

It's... nothing?

I seem to have stumped the doctor once again. I heard back from them today regarding my biopsy results:

Negative for cancer, negative for Ulcerative Colitis, negative for any type of infection.

I'm so baffled.

As terrible as it is to want to have one of those diagnoses, I almost due, just so that I know that exactly is going on with me!

The doctor has now requested blood work that will be shipped to San Diego, California to further test for Crohn's disease. Thank goodness! This whole time UC partial diagnosis wasn't holding much water for me. I realize there is inflammation in my colon, but my big hunch is that it's because my food isn't being digested and absorbed properly in the small intestine, which will of course go on to cause a lot of problems in the colon.

So the doc. said it didn't look like Crohn's from my colonoscopy, because he made it all the way into my small intestines when performing the proc.; However, all my symptoms are so much more closely aligned with Crohn's than UC.

If my blood work comes back indicating that there is no Crohn's, then I just won't know what to think. It will make me go back to the whole Candida idea again, which isn't very encouraging.

The doctor has prescribed me something called 'Questran', which sequesters bile, and is supposed to help diarrhea. This doesn't sound like a treatment for the cause of the malabsorption, but a band-aid to reduce symptoms of the bile that isn't being reabsorbed from getting into my colon and causing osmotic reactivity, and thus diarrhea. But, it isn't just bile that isn't being reabsorbed, it's the fat and protein and all the other stuff as well. So taking this stuff would render my bile more useless it seems. One listed side effect is increased malabsorption of nutrients, noteably fat soluble nutrients.

With that said, I think I'm going to wait to get my blood work results back in the near future before deciding whether to give the powder medication a try. I don't feel very comfortable taking it without sitting down and having a discussion with the doctor first. His assistant called and told me he wanted me to start taking it, but I guess I just don't feel comfortable with that until my blood work comes back and we can better rule out other diseases, which might be treated with a different medication.

I'm scheduled to see the doctor again in three weeks. I'm concerned he may not be happy that I've decided to hold off on the medication for now, but perhaps something will come to light before then regarding my blood work results.

"Here's to looking forward"

Jason

Partial Diagnosis

06/23/2008

Diagnosis: Indeterminate Colitis. Moderately active involving the recto-sigmoid (the rectum and the part above it... the lower portion below the descending colon).

In the rectum the mucosa was granular, congested and erythematous. Moderate congestion and erythema seen from the rectum to 30cm. Findings could be compatible with mild to moderate U.C. Vs infection.

For years they told me it was just IBS. For years I've struggled and watched my energy and health decline, not knowing what is wrong with me, although all my reading and education on the matter of digestive health lead me to believe I had Crohn's, UC, or both. I think that this is only part of the story though.

Awaiting the biopsy results now for a more formal diagnosis.
Jason