The major role of vitamin D (calciferol) is to help the body absorb calcium and maintain bone density to prevent osteoporosis. But recent reports suggest new roles for this vitamin in protecting against certain chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. This vitamin is available in two forms, vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Ergocalciferol has a shorter shelf life compared to cholecalciferol and loses its potency faster.
Vitamin D2 is manufactured by plants or fungus, and it can be acquired through fortified foods such as juices, milk, and cereals. Vitamin D3 is formed when the body is exposed to sunlight. This occurs mainly through the exposure of the skin to the sun's ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. Vitamin D3 can also be obtained by consuming animal products. The biologically active form of vitamin D or calcitriol (Rocaltrol) is used to treat and prevent low levels of calcium in the blood of patients whose kidneys or parathyroid glands are not working normally.
Recently, there has been extensive research and concern about the level of vitamin D in United States citizens. This stems from increasing reports of vitamin D deficiency and the fact that an estimated 10 million Americans over age 50 years are diagnosed with osteoporosis.3 This is because vitamin D is not abundant in our usual food sources, so we get most of the vitamin from sun exposure and taking multivitamins. The problem is that the sun is not a reliable source for everyone.
Many factors, such as the season, time of day, geography, latitude, level of air pollution, color of skin, and age, may decrease the skin's ability to produce enough vitamin D. Further, the form of vitamin D found in most multivitamins is vitamin D2, which does not deliver the same amount of the vitamin to the body as the more desirable D3 form.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Curcumin and Alzheimer"s Disease
Curcumin has been used extensively in Ayurveda (Indian system of medicine) for centuries as an agent to relieve pain and inflammation in the skin and muscles. Curcumin, the active ingredient of the spice turmeric, has proven to have anticancer properties and holds a high place in Ayurvedic medicine as a “cleanser of the body.” Today, science is finding a growing list of diseases and conditions that can be healed by the active ingredient in turmeric.
Recent clinical studies reported from a number of credible institutions, such as the University of California, Los Angeles, and UCLA, Riverside medical schools and the Human BioMolecular Research Institute, have revealed that curcumin alone and in combination with vitamin D3 may help stimulate the immune system to clear the beta-amyloid plaques considered to be the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Although it is not known what starts the disease process, it is established that damage to the brain begins as early as 10 to 20 years before any problems are evident. More than 5 million Americans are believed to have AD, and by 2050, as the U.S. population ages, this number could increase to 15 million. AD is also becoming more common worldwide, with an estimated 26 million people affected. This global figure is projected to grow to more than 106 million by 2050. The emotional and financial costs of this disease alone are very significant. In this article, we will briefly revisit the causes, signs, symptoms, and treatments of AD with a focus on the alternative new findings about the effect of curcumin in prevention and treatment. These new findings were first reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in July 2009.
Recent clinical studies reported from a number of credible institutions, such as the University of California, Los Angeles, and UCLA, Riverside medical schools and the Human BioMolecular Research Institute, have revealed that curcumin alone and in combination with vitamin D3 may help stimulate the immune system to clear the beta-amyloid plaques considered to be the main cause of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Although it is not known what starts the disease process, it is established that damage to the brain begins as early as 10 to 20 years before any problems are evident. More than 5 million Americans are believed to have AD, and by 2050, as the U.S. population ages, this number could increase to 15 million. AD is also becoming more common worldwide, with an estimated 26 million people affected. This global figure is projected to grow to more than 106 million by 2050. The emotional and financial costs of this disease alone are very significant. In this article, we will briefly revisit the causes, signs, symptoms, and treatments of AD with a focus on the alternative new findings about the effect of curcumin in prevention and treatment. These new findings were first reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease in July 2009.
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