Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

I was happy to see this well written article on Vitamin D Deficiency and the symptoms explained from Natural News. I take about 5,000 IU daily in supplement form as I think Vitamin D is very important for the immune system and bone strength which helps maintains good joint health. A good quality Vitamin D supplement is actually pretty cheap and easy to take (small tablet). I'd like to see more senior citizens being placed on Vitamin D by their primary care managers. I'll just bet it would help reduce bone injuries related to falls and other trauma, as well as good for heart disease, blood pressure and joint pain.

I'm 55 years old with a usual BP in the range of 118/74.  I am told by my Doctor that I am in the bottom 1/6th of the population for risk of heart disease.  I haven't been sick in 9 years.  So even a skeptic would have to believe that there is a benefit to consuming high quality supplements which would include Vitamin D.        

The importance of vitamin D is well known. As far back as the 1930s, doctors first recognized the link between a vitamin D deficiency and the skeletal disease called rickets. Rickets causes a softening of the bones and teeth. Even if someone's diet has adequate levels of calcium, without enough vitamin D to properly control calcium and phosphate levels in the blood stream, demineralization of the bones can take place. The symptoms of rickets include bowed legs, bone pain, dental problems, a widening of the wrists, frequent bone fractures and skull deformities.

Because rickets is seldom seen in first-world countries, it's easy to think that vitamin D deficiencies are a thing of the past. However, new research has recently shed light on other, more subtle, symptoms of a vitamin D deficiency. Many illnesses which, at first glance, seem totally unrelated to something as physically obvious as rickets actually may have their roots in a lack of vitamin D.

Just what is vitamin D?

The term vitamin D, according to the Mayo Clinic's Drugs and Supplements site (1), actually refers to several different forms of the vitamin, including D2, which comes from our diet, and D3, which is manufactured by our skin when exposed to sunlight. Vitamin D's main purpose in the body is to regulate blood levels of calcium and phosphorous.

The sunshine vitamin?

It's actually hard to get enough vitamin D from a normal diet. It's found at the highest concentration in fatty fish such as tuna, mackerel and salmon. Some mushrooms are also high in D, and their level of the vitamin actually increases when exposed to ultraviolet light.

While our skin does manufacture some of the vitamin D that we need daily, sun exposure alone is usually not enough. Factors such as the time of year, the angle of the sun, cloud cover, pollution levels and even the use of sunscreen can greatly limit the amount of D made by our skin.

Vitamin D deficiency symptoms explained: the top 9 warning signs

Some people who have a vitamin D deficiency have no immediate symptoms. Those who do have symptoms may experience restless sleep, muscle cramps, general fatigue, joint pain, muscle pain or weakness, inability to concentrate, headaches, constipation or diarrhea, and bladder problems. Here are nine other serious medical conditions that have been linked to a vitamin D deficiency.

1.  Asthma - Vitamin D supplementation of 1,200 IU daily has been shown to lessen asthma attacks and reduce their severity.

2.  Depression - Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to depression and other psychiatric illnesses. Even a woman getting enough D during pregnancy has been shown to lessen the chances that her unborn child will develop mental illness later in life.

3.  Heart disease - An article published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research (2) reports that cardiovascular disease is much more common in people deficient in vitamin D. Some children, according to the article, with severe heart failure have also responded well to vitamin D treatment.

4.  High blood pressure - High blood pressure has been associated with deficiencies in calcium, magnesium, potassium and vitamin D.

5.  Rheumatoid Arthritis - RA is a devastating disease that causes systemic inflammation, severe pain and joint damage. Studies have shown that vitamin D can ease the pain and stiffness associated with RA.

6.  Multiple sclerosis - Studies have shown that geography matters when it comes to the odds of getting MS. The farther from the equator you live -- and the less sun exposure you get -- the more likely you are to develop the disease. This suggests a strong link between MS and vitamin D.

7.  Cancer - Several different kinds of cancer have been linked to D deficiencies, including breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer. The causal link is so strong, in fact, that the Mayo Clinic  lists separate recommended dosing levels of the vitamin for both cancer prevention and prostate cancer treatment.

8.  Periodontal disease - This inflammation of the gums can cause pain, bleeding and tooth loss. Vitamin D helps in the formation of defensins and cathelicidins which, in turn, can lower the number of harmful bacteria in the mouth.

9.  Diabetes - An article from World's Healthiest Foods (4) lists poor blood-sugar control as a symptom of vitamin D deficiency. This, in turn, can increase the risk of developing diabetes.

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A Couple Concerned About Their Health

I have been talking to a couple, slightly younger than me, but becoming more and more interested in their health as they have several relatives and friends afflicted with cancer, diabetes, menopause, arthritis and other degenerative diseases. I helped them understand the need for a low glycemic diet, a physically active life, taking quality supplements and avoiding toxins where they can.

The couple asked me how I knew so much (in their minds) about health and nutrition and I replied that each individual has to be responsible for their own health - they have to be students of health and life. That their Doctor(s) are advisors, not decision makers for this couple's health.  They asked for a list of reading material, so I sent them some pdf files on health studies and gave them a two lists of books to read. This is the second list, reading for their stated issues and concerns.



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Warning Signs of Arthritis

I have many friends, co-workers and even some clients who have told me they have Arthritis. I say 'how do you know?' and they usually respond "because I have pain in my joints." How do you explain Arthritis over the phone or a conversation in a crowded hallway? People invariably ask me if I know what drugs best serve to minimize Arthritis symptoms, especially the pain. I always tell them that for me personally, prescription meds are my last option (if even then) and that they need to see a physician if they are in pain, but at least now I have a really good Arthritis article, recenty posted on the Yahoo Health net, written by Paula Spence Scott, that does a good job explaining Arthritis. While I'll continue talking to people about Healthy Lifestyle choices (choosing low glycemic foods, avoiding toxins in a toxic world, taking quality nutritional supplements and living a physical lifestyle/exercise), now I can also send them this article. 7 Warning Signs of Arthritis, by Paula Spencer Scott Think arthritis is just for the old? Half of those who get it are under age 65. One in five adults -- 50 million Americans -- has been diagnosed with arthritis. Most wait to see a doctor until pain interferes with daily life -- but pain isn't the only sign of trouble. "Early is better with arthritis diagnosis," says Arthritis Foundation Vice President Patience White, a professor of medicine and pediatrics at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, D.C. Treating the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthritis (RA) within the first months of onset, for example, can minimize joint deformities and even put the disease into remission, thanks to the latest treatments. With osteoarthritis (OA), a degenerative joint disease that's the most common kind of arthritis, the sooner you start behavioral changes, the better you may be able to manage pain and preserve mobility, White says. Here's what to watch for. Morning Stiffness. Look for: Waking up and being unable to move about easily for half an hour or longer. Everybody has some morning stiffness, but normally it fades as you stretch and start moving. "With rheumatoid arthritis, it can take 30 minutes or more to loosen up -- sometimes hours, or even all day," says Chaim Putterman, chief of rheumatology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center in New York City. "People affected say they feel encased, like prisoners, and the feeing of being unable to move can be even more burdensome than the actual pain." Why pay attention: Stiffness after inactivity is a hallmark symptom of rheumatoid arthritis. It can recur later in the day when you've been sitting still for awhile -- after watching a movie, for example. With osteoarthritis, the more you use your affected joints, the worse they tend to feel; with rheumatoid arthritis, the more you move, the better it feels, Putterman says. Pain when climbing stairs. Look for: Your knee joint locking or sending stabs of pain when you bend it, as when going up or down stairs. Added red flag: Knee pain if you're overweight. "Every extra pound you gain feels like four pounds across your knees," White says. Excess weight raises your risk of developing arthritis, which some 60 percent of obese people develop. Related types of painful physical function include limping, being unable to extend your elbow, changes in how steadily you can stand or walk, and trouble standing on tiptoe. Why pay attention: The knee is the largest joint in the body and the second-most common site for osteoarthritis, according to White. (A bow-legged "cowboy" walk can result from osteoarthritic knees.) Other key targets: the hips, the back, the ankles, the thumbs, and the hands. "People really don't go to the doctor until they can't do what they want to do -- lift a baby, walk a block, get out of bed easily -- and pain is the number-one reason why," White says. Caregivers should beware of a debilitating cycle in loved ones with arthritis, Putterman says. If activity is painful, you avoid it, you stay inside more, you sit home and eat, you gain weight, which makes you even less able to get out -- and before you know it, you're on a path to losing independence. Fatigue, Flu Like Symptoms. Look for: Chronic tiredness, loss of appetite, weight loss, anemia, and/or fever that persists for weeks (longer than a bout of flu). Some combination of these symptoms usually appears, along with stiffness and pain. You might even notice changes in nonjoint tissue, such as eyes that feel dry and sore and may be red. These symptoms can come on gradually or suddenly. Why pay attention: Having these mild, flu-like, across-the-body symptoms, along with stiffness and pain, points to rheumatoid arthritis. RA is a disorder of systemic inflammation, meaning the entire body is affected (as opposed to the problem being isolated in a particular joint). "You shouldn't just take two Tylenol and sleep the discomfort off," Putterman says. These symptoms warrant a physical exam soon. Sudden, Excruciating Pain in Big Toe. Look for: A joint that suddenly hurts like crazy -- many sufferers give it a "ten" on a pain scale of one to ten, likening the pain to kidney stones, White says. The joint is likely also red, hot to the touch, and tender. Although this pattern can happen to other joints, the big toe is the most common site. Usually only one joint is affected at a time. While the vast majority of cases have a sudden onset, some people notice a joint becoming hot, red, and tender, but the pain is bearable. It clears, then recurs. Some people can connect the onset of pain to eating a lot of protein or drinking more alcohol than usual. Why pay attention: Sudden, excruciating pain, especially in the large toe, is likely an attack of gout, the second-most common form of arthritis and the most common type of inflammatory arthritis. Gout occurs when uric acid, a natural waste product that circulates in the blood, builds up in body tissue as needle-shaped crystals. This happens either because the body produces too much uric acid or doesn't dispose of it well through the urine. Men in their 40s and 50s are affected most by gout, though by the 60s, it affects both genders equally. Left unmanaged, attacks of gout can strike more often. Odd Looking Bumps on Fingers. Look for: Bony spurs (small enlargements) on the joint of fingers. One may appear on the last joint, where it's known as a Heberden's node, or on the middle joint, where it's called a Bouchard's node. Sometimes the knobby bump appears at the base of the thumb (though this bump wasn't named after the doctor who studied it). The joint is probably also stiff to move, although not necessarily painful. To the touch, the bump feels more like a bone than like a sponge. Some toes can also be affected. Why pay attention: Doctors use this visual information to help diagnose arthritis, along with the rest of physical exam, a history, and, sometimes, X-rays and lab tests. Heberden's nodes and Bouchard's nodes, seen in osteoarthritis, tend to run in families, especially through women, White says. Farmers and others who engage in a lot of manual labor are especially prone to OA of the lower extremities. Pain That Interferes with Sleep. Look for: Being unable to fall asleep because you're so focused on joint pain, or being awakened in the middle of the night by joint pain. Some sufferers begin to avoid family and other activities they enjoy because they feel ground down by chronic pain; the very prospect of visiting grandchildren or going to a social outing feels overwhelming. Why pay attention: Osteoarthritis pain is caused by eroding cartilage, which eventually causes bone to rub against bone -- and yes, it can really hurt. Everyone has a different threshold for pain. But pain that interferes with your ability to enjoy the most basic, restful activities of life like sleep or enjoying your family? That's a different animal. "It shows that what you've been doing before is not adequate and that the pain should be taken care of," Putterman says. What's more, when chronic pain saps your joie de vivre, depression can evolve. Achy, Hard to Use Hands. Look for: Trouble managing fine-motor skills: buttoning a shirt, tying shoelaces, using a fork and knife, turning a key in a lock, grasping a doorknob, snapping fingers. Affected joints can be redder than surrounding skin, warm to the touch, and tender. Why pay attention: "Trouble with these activities of daily living all suggest something worrisome is going on," Putterman says. Many different joints in the hands and wrists tend to be involved with rheumatoid arthritis, making these hand and finger tasks so frustrating. Rheumatoid arthritis is also a symmetrical disease, meaning both sides of the body (and hands as well as feet) tend to be affected simultaneously. (In osteoarthritis, the joints affected usually aren't symmetrical.) Notice which part of the hand is affected. Rheumatoid arthritis tends to afflict the knuckles and the next joint up, White says. In osteoarthritis, the top joints and the base of the thumb are more affected, and not necessarily all of the digits at once. For Information on the Products I recommend, click here, to contact me.

Omega 3 - Where Art Thou?

I received a question from a reader, Jack in Oregon, asked: "Can you explain why you think Omega 3 oils are beneficial for your joints? I use Flax Seed oil in my food and think it's a good thing and can't find anything that shows to take Omega 3 for joint pain."

MyAchingKnees reply: Omega 3 Fatty Acids are found in Flax Seed Meal and Oil. It's great for a person to use with their foods, if they are getting a whole source. I buy Flax Seed and use a coffee grinder to grind up and use in Steel Cut Oats for Breakfast or Lunch most of the time.

There are many sources that claim not only the joint pain reduction benefits of adding a good source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids to your diet, but link Omega 3 to other degenerative disease fighting benefits and energy transfer between cells especially in cognitive functions.

I don't think Omega 3's are the end all to nutritional supplements, but I think they are an essential optimizers to a balanced daily nutritional supplement. I think there is truck loads of information that you bring a person to believe that there are amazing changes in your health that can be brought about from taking a quality (read pharmaceutical grade) nutritional supplement and optimizers, especially combining that eating good foods and avoiding bad foods, getting physical exercise and avoiding a toxic lifestyle. I am convinced of that and will be taking the supplements I do for the rest of my life, including the Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Glucosamine, which I attribute to not only reducing, but eliminating my knee pain.

Below is a recent article (you have to do your diligence to find these articles) on Omega 3 Fatty Acids and the link to slowing arthritis and osteoarthritis both degenerative diseases and causes of sometimes unrelenting joint pain. The article from Natural News can be found here.

Omega-3 fats from fish oil and supplements prevent and slow arthritis progression

Humans have been consuming omega-3 fats from natural fish, nut and seed sources for countless generations. Our core genetic structure depends on a regular supply of the long chain omega-3 fats EPA and DHA to form cell wall structures and perform millions of metabolic functions that we normally associate with vibrant health. Imbalance of omega-3 to omega-6 fats cause a surge in inflammatory cytokines that can lead to the painful and debilitating condition known as osteoarthritis.

New research published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage has shown for the first time that omega-3 fats supplied by fish oil could "substantially and significantly" reduce the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis as we age.

Researchers from the University of Bristol in England tested the effect of omega-3 fats on a breed of guinea pigs that are genetically predisposed to develop arthritis. Guinea pigs were chosen for this study as they develop osteoarthritis in a similar manner to humans. Anecdotal reports over the years provide support for the beneficial effect of fish consumption on joint health. Dr. John Tarlton from the Matrix Biology Research Group and his team set out to confirm the impact of omega-3 fatty acids, either sourced from fish oil or flax oil, in preventing or slowing down the progression of osteoarthritis.

Omega-3 Fat Supplementation Slashes Osteoarthritis Disease Progression by Half

The team fed one group of guinea pigs a diet including full-spectrum omega-3 fats (EPA and DHA) and compared the results to a second control group of non-supplemented animals. Typical degradation of collagen in cartilage and the loss of molecules that give it shock-absorbing properties were both reduced in the omega-3 supplemented group. Researchers noted that omega-3 fats reduced disease by
50 per cent compared to the control group.

Upon examination of the results, Dr. Tarlton explained: "there was strong evidence that omega-3 influences the biochemistry of the disease, and therefore not only helps prevent disease, but also slows its progression, potentially controlling established osteoarthritis." This is a critical finding, as most people suffering from arthritis are prescribed a plethora of ineffective pain medications that
dramatically increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease or of suffering a heart attack.

Omega fat imbalance from a poor diet causes excessive joint inflammation and needless suffering. Researchers performing this study concluded "Most diets in the developed world are lacking in omega-3, with modern diets having up to 30 times too much omega-6 and too little omega-3. Taking omega-3 will help redress this imbalance and may positively contribute to a range of other health problems such as heart disease." Many health-minded individuals will want to supplement with a
molecularly distilled form of fish oil (minimum 1200 mg EPA/DHA content) each day to combat inflammation and osteoarthritis.


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Digestive Health affects Everything Else

Bottom line up front - without an effective and healthy digestive system, your body can't breakdown and absorb the nutrients that your body needs to combat degenerative diseases to include oxidative stress and the inflammation that affects your joints.

A strong digestive system is necessary to also detoxify your body and includes everything from the mastication (chewing) of food to prepare it for the esophagus, to the breakdown of foods in the stomach and the absorption of nutrients in the large intestine.

An unhealthy stomach can create many chronic health conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic joint pain, lupus, Crohns disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and many others.

If you are interested in learning more about Digestive Wellness, then contact me through the "contact me" icon and put "Digestive Wellness" in the comment block. I will send you a four page pdf version of an excellent article on Digestive Health.

The article on Digestive Health is one that you'll want to share with everyone you know.

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Arthritis - Information from Doctor Ray Strand

Readers of this site are no stranger to Doctor Ray Strand, author of several books including "Living by Design" and "What Your Doctors Don't Know About Nutritional Medicine May Be Killing You". Dr Strand specializes in Nutritional approach to degenerative diseases like Chronic Joint Pain, Arthritis, Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis among a host of all degenerative diseases. His recommendations are what I go by in addressing my and my families nutritional needs to combat the oxidative stress that causes degenerative disease. Here is wisdom from Ray Strand on Arthritis.

www.raystrand.com

Arthritis is a degenerative process of the joints. Though it is not a disease that will typically shorten one's life, it will certainly cause significant pain if left untreated. Rheumatoid arthritis can be severely disabling as well.

There has been great interest among researchers for the past 20 years involving the role of oxidative stress in the development of arthritis. Most studies have not separated rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis (degenerative arthritis) when looking at free radical reactions and these diseases. Information provided here is consistent with a comprehensive review article written by Dr. Henrotin in 1992 regarding oxidative stress and how it is involved in inflammatory joint disease. Several recent studies have further established oxidative stress as being the plausible cause of these diseases, thus supporting my recommended treatment.

When researchers study joint fluid extracted from an inflamed joint, they note a significant increase in the number of excessive free radicals. In contrast, fluid from a normal joint, has no free radicals present. Studies have shown a significant increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis in those individuals who have low levels of vitamin E, beta-carotene, and selenium. Research has further indicated low levels of vitamin D and vitamin C in patients suffering severe joint disease and in those whose disease progresses much more rapidly than the norm.

Many different factors may be contributors of increased oxidative stress within the inflamed joints. One such factor is a significant inflammatory response within the joint space, especially in those with rheumatoid arthritis. This is an autoimmune disease wherein one's own immune system is essentially attacking the joints. It is this inflammatory immune response that creates all the destructive oxidative stress within the joint. Neutrophils (a type of white cell) are a predominate cell in this inflammatory response and has been shown to release a significant amount of free radicals within the joint space. This causes a marked rise in oxidative stress.

The destruction of the joint in rheumatoid arthritis is also due to the release of certain enzymes within the joint space. These enzymes are under the control of certain cytokines called IL-1 and TNF-a (interleukin 1 beta and tumor necrosis factor alpha). The levels of IL-1 and TNF-a in the joints of rheumatoid arthritis patients are very high. They too create tremendous amounts of oxidative stress. Certain cells from the cartilage of an inflamed joint (called chondrocytes) have also been found to actively generate free radicals. These different sources of increased free radical production cause heightened oxidative stress within the inflamed joint. This overloads the antioxidant defense system of the joint space. The synovial fluid (joint fluid), which is usually very thick becomes thin and all components of the cartilage become damaged as the process of joint destruction begins taking place.

I was taught in medical school that autoimmune diseases were the result of an overactive immune system since the body was essentially attacking itself. Consistent with my training, almost all of the medical therapies that physicians offer patients with an autoimmune disease are based on this premise. This is why most of these patients are placed on chemotherapeutic medications, which primarily suppress the immune system. Medications like Methotrexate, Plaquinil, and Immuran are just a few of the potent medications that are used. Corticosteroids like Prednisone are also used not only because of its strong anti-inflammatory qualities but also because they suppress the immune system. Even though these therapies may help to slow down the damage caused by this autoimmune process, they have serious side effects and can cause significant harm to the patient.

Since specializing in Nutritional Medicine, I have seen amazing results in my patients with autoimmune diseases who are using an aggressive nutritional supplementation program. My only explanation for such unbelievable results in my patients is the fact that they are not dealing with an overactive immune system, but rather a confused immune system.

The immune system is intended to be our reliable protector. It is always checking for self (one's own body) while it is looking for non-self (any foreign substance or abnormal cell). When the immune system finds a virus, bacteria, or foreign body it destroys and eliminates it from the body. However, in autoimmune diseases the immune system actually attacks itself rather than a foreign substance. If it attacks the joint space, a person is diagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis. If it attacks the bowels, it manifests as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. When the connective tissue is attacked, a person might end up with scleraderma or lupus. If the myelin sheath around the nerve is the target, multiple sclerosis (MS) ensues.

In the case of autoimmune diseases, I believe one's immune system is not able to distinguish self from non-self. Being confused, the body is essentially destroying itself. In addition to treating my patients who are usually already taking traditional medicine with attempts to suppress and shut down the immune system, I administer potent nutritional supplements. In doing so, I am not only building up their NATURAL antioxidant defense systems, but also I am building up their own NATURAL immune system. I find this helps my patients on both sides of the disease.

I believe their immune system becomes less confused and begins to recognize "self" again. This means the immune system more readily identifies outside invaders--not attacking "self" as much. In addition, my patients' antioxidant defense system is also built up to balance out the tremendous number of free radicals being produced. This brings the root cause of the damage--oxidative stress--back under control. Therefore, it is absolutely critical that I place my patients on the most potent antioxidant combination available.

Am I promoting alternative medicine? Absolutely not. I never take my patients off of their medications until they've experienced significant improvement. Nutritional supplementation is always used in tandem with their present medical regimen. They not only tolerate their medications better, but I believe the nutritional supplements actually enhance the pharmaceutical effect the drugs.

My goal is to have patients improve so much that their rheumatologist or primary care physician is able to decrease or eliminate some or all of their medications. I can't emphasize this enough. No one should stop taking the medications that have been prescribed to him or her by the specialist. Almost all physicians desire to get their patients off of these potent and potentially dangerous medications. However, this decision must involve the personal physician.