[iko (OP)]

Origin of life

http://www.rogerwendell.com/images/evolution/dmns_origin_of_life_09-02-2006.jpg

http://www.rogerwendell.com/images/evolution/dmns_life_in_a_lab_09-02-2006_thumb.jpg

Stanley Miller was a doctoral student working with Harold C. Urey at the University of Chicago, researching possible environments of early Earth. In 1953 he reproduced the early atmosphere of Earth by creating a chamber with only hydrogen, water, methane, and ammonia. Miller used an electric discharge to simulate lightning and, after just a week, had a residue Organic compounds settled in the system. 

Most notable of these compounds were the amino acids, the "building blocks of life," that had formed in Miller's system. Amino acids are necessary for the formation of proteins which form the structure of cells. Miller found glycine, alanine, aspartic, glutamic acid, and other amino acids in the system. Fifteen percent of the carbon from the methane had been combined into organic compounds. As amazing as his discovery of amino acids was, it was even more astonishing how easily they had been formed in the system!
Miller's work showed that compounds necessary for life could have been formed in an environment without free oxygen - similar to Earth's early atmosphere. The creation of amino acids from Earth's raw materials may been the beginning of evolution. Miller's results also suggests the possibility that similar amino acids could have formed elsewhere, in the Universe, since the Earth's early atmosphere was based on proportions of elements in the Universe...

more from:   http://www.rogerwendell.com/evolution.html   

Hey,
but even DNA structure was defined in 1953 by Watson & Crick!
Is not it a fascinating coincidence?

ikoD  []

 
http://i26.tinypic.com/2cnumgm.jpg
http://www.madisonpublicschools.org/51495715123440/lib/51495715123440/SPL_E_H400040-Watson_and_Crick_with_their_DNA_model-SPL.jpg

...even the origin of iko's life was in 1953!   []

[iko (OP)]

For the affectionate readers, here
I attach a free full-text article
about vitamin D and cod liver oil,
a precious historical perspective:

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/112/2/e132

Vitamin D, cod-liver oil, sunlight, and rickets: a historical perspective.

Rajakumar K.
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213-2583, USA. kumaravel.rajakumar@chp.edu

Rickets, a disease of vitamin D deficiency, is rarely confronted by the practicing pediatrician in the United States today. At the turn of the 20th century, rickets was rampant among the poor children living in the industrialized and polluted northern cities of the United States. With the discovery of vitamin D and the delineation of the anti-rachitic properties of cod-liver oil by the 1930s, it became possible to not only treat but also eradicate rickets in the United States. Rickets was a common disease in 17th century England. Frances Glisson's treatise on rickets published in 1650, a glorious contribution to English medicine, described the clinical and anatomic features of rickets in great detail. The exact etiology of rickets had been elusive until the 1920s. During the Glissonian era, rickets was a mysterious disease. By the late 19th and early 20th century, faulty diet or faulty environment (poor hygiene, lack of fresh air and sunshine) or lack of exercise was implicated in its etiology. Animal experiments, appreciation of folklore advocating the benefits of cod-liver oil, and the geographical association of rickets to lack of sunshine were all relevant factors in the advancement of knowledge in the conquest of this malady. In this article, the history of rickets pertaining to the discovery of vitamin D, cod-liver oil, and sunlight is reviewed.

Pediatrics. 2003 Aug;112(2):e132-5.

 

http://medicalimages.allrefer.com/large/vitamin-d-source.jpg
http://rickets.stanford.edu/images/vitamin_D_diagram004-300.jpg

[iko (OP)]

Nice old 'cody' pics here...
No reproduction allowed, so
check them by yourself:

http://www.viewimages.com/Search.aspx?mid=2661468&epmid=1&partner=Google

For more pics you have to search for 'cod liver oil' from this very website

We may be paying a very high price for our rejection of parental wisdom to take our cod liver oil.

Krispin Sullivan 2002

     

Fish oil over time

1890s   Cod-liver oil is used as a home remedy to treat rickets, rheumatism, tuberculosis and other ailments.

1930s   Fish oil is used as a key ingredient in shortening.

1950s   Dale Alexander publishes a book touting cod-liver oil as an elixir for arthritis, earning him the nickname the "codfather."

1970s   Researchers find that Greenland's Inuit have low levels of heart disease, likely because of diets rich in fish.
               It is one of the first associations between omega-3 fatty acids and good health.

1990s   As studies increase on the benefits of omega-3s, more consumers start taking fish oil pills made from a variety of fish.

2000   Aquaculture demands more and more fish oil.
              Today Fish oil begins to be injected into bread and tamales, among other foods. 

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/9374/ththpiratepenginor4.gif

ikod

[Alandriel]

This is all VERY interesting.  []I've read bitts and pieces in the press and here and there but having a thread like this to go through is really great. Cheers IKO.

Can I ask you though, about RDA's, established and proposed (reviewed?) and your take on that?

I've come across figures from anywhere between I.U. 200 (maintenance dose) to I.U. 1200, with also a mention that doses over I.U. 1000 can potentionally be dangerous.

What about people (e.g. like me) that have kidney problems and cannot convert Vit. D properly (or so I've read)?

[love the penguins!!!!! ]

[iko (OP)]

Thanks for your appreciation Alandriel,
you may have a look at Michael Holick's JCI paper previously cited:

http://www.jci.org/cgi/content/full/116/8/2062

Free full-text, easy to read plus lots of references.

This is all VERY interesting.  []I've read bitts and pieces in the press and here and there but having a thread like this to go through is really great. Cheers IKO.
Can I ask you though, about RDA's, established and proposed (reviewed?) and your take on that?
I've come across figures from anywhere between I.U. 200 (maintenance dose) to I.U. 1200, with also a mention that doses over I.U. 1000 can potentionally be dangerous.
What about people (e.g. like me) that have kidney problems and cannot convert Vit. D properly (or so I've read)?
[love the penguins!!!!! ]

I'll try to answer your questions:
RDA are being revisited and will eventually top to 1-2 thousand units per day.
Like with other cofactors, RDAs may represent only the dosage to prevent deficiency.
The amount needed for perfect health is obviously unknown for lack of clinical studies and because we all have slightly different enzymes and metabolic defects: the optimal daily dose of a specific cofactor needed for optimal metabolism may be consequently different from one person to another.

Toxicity is certainly a serious issue for a fat soluble hormone like vitamin D, so I would keep in mind a few practical recommendations:

- Get your serum vitamin D and calcium tested and talk to your doctor before
  taking 2000 I.U. per day; then recheck them after 1-2 months.

- Remember that vit D3 is almost 4 times more effective than vit D2 (cheaper).

You may forget about all this and enjoy a regular dose of cod liver oil every day, with its Vitamins A and D (+some E) plus nice omega-3 fatty acids. Historically safe, it works in the long run as a nutritional supplement of any diet all over the world.
In the evening, you may remind your kids to take some 'cod' too, even if they are perfectly healthy and will never hear the nasty word 'leukemia' in their entire life.

wisekod   [^]


P.S. :  maybe you already joined vitaminD newsletter at: http://www.vitamindcouncil.com

Cod liver oil is derived from cod livers. It is a nutritional supplement, in the past commonly given to children. Cod liver oil is one of the most effective providers of omega-3 fatty acids, and an excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin D. It is widely taken to ease the pain and joint stiffness associated with arthritis[1] but has also been clinically proven to have a positive effect on heart,[2][3] bone,[4] and brain[5] health, as well as helping to nourish skin,[6] hair, and nails.
...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cod_liver_oil

[iko (OP)]

Short note about daily recommended doses of vitamin D revisited:

Current recommended daily allowances are set at about 200 international units or I.U., yet a recent review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that the upper limits should be increased to 10,000 international units.

more from:     http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=food_coach&id=5675695

ikodnote:

you cannot reach 10000 U.I. per day safely with cod liver oil.
You'd take a risk of getting too much vitamin A and being intoxicated in a few weeks.
A bit of sunlight (or UVA-lamp) plus 'cod' would probably be good and safe enough.

     

http://www.uvfoundation.org/images/2007HolickLogo.gif
http://fittseg.hu/image.php?path=images/_hirek_upload/15556_kicsi.jpg&type=1

The UV Foundation is committed to funding educational efforts designed to increase the public awareness of the biologic effects of ultraviolet light.

http://www.uvfoundation.org/about.cfm

http://photomed.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/frau-strand-sonnenschirm.jpg

[iko (OP)]

Please allow me a Quote & Paste from the "vitamin supplement" thread:

Attention News/Assignment/Health Editors:

Vitamin D Deficiency Drains $9 billion From Canadian Health Care System
    Vitamin D Society Declares November 'Vitamin D Awareness Month' in Canada

    KELOWNA, BC, Oct. 31 /CNW/ - Research this year has left no doubt that
vitamin D deficiency - which affects an estimated 97 per cent of Canadians in
the winter - is nothing less than a Canadian crisis and a worldwide problem.
    This is why Canada's Vitamin D Society is recognizing the month of
November as the world's first Vitamin D Awareness Month.

...

        For more information on vitamin D visit:
    -  www.vitaminDsociety.org
    -  www.vitamindcouncil.com
    -  www.Direct-ms.org.
    -  www.sunarc.org
  

Up with Melinda1958 and her wonderful
vitamin D update...Oct.31!!!
It's gonna be tough anyway: vitamin D3
is cheap, already classified as a 'generic'
drug, even toxic when badly used, cod
liver oil seems a relic from the past.

http://jmachdutton.com/images/00218uncorkedelixirs356.jpg

But new, wonderful and properly priced
vitamin D3 analogues are on the way...
it seems that we have to wait just a
minute for a real,"effective" and
powerful commercial DRUG.

Fortunately, old cod liver oil is still
commonly used as a nutrient for pets,
dogs, horses, iguanas ...lucky beasts!

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=5065.75

ikod   [^]


...for your horses (if you have any):

BONE, HOOF, JOINT & MUSCLES

COD LIVER OIL

This non-heating oil for energy and mobility is high in fish Omega 3 & 6 essential oils (strictly speaking it is only suitable for carnivores as we do not often see horses fishing!) but it has been used for many years as an additive to equine feeds.  Any oil helps lubricate the joints of veterans of any species  and Cod Liver Oil also promotes a sleek coat and healthy skin as well as nutritional support for bones and hooves. 

Quality: ******* Health Cod Liver Oil is 100% pure and contains no heavy metals, it is important to find out if a cheaper version does.

Feeding: 10 to 20ml (20ml is about 1 tablespoon) per 100kg bodyweight (16.2hh is about 500kg) best divided between 2 feeds daily. Feed the lower rate for general maintenance and the higher for pregnant or lactating mares, breeding stallions, young stock and very hard working animals (eg. racehorses & highly competitive animals)  1Lt will last a general maintenance 500kg horse about 20 days and a high category 500kg horse about 10 days.

more from:   http://www.pegasushealth.com/productinfo.php?product_id=48

http://www.pegasusfirstaid.com.au/images/snuggle.jpg

...and for the birds:

********* COD LIVER OIL is a high energy oil which is palatable to all animals. The oil is derived from a cod's liver (fish), making it a pure natural product. It contains two essential fatty acids and important stabilised vitamins A and D. It is also widely known for its nutritional and therapeutic value and is used extensively on thoroughbred studs, racing, trotting and greyhound establishments and for birds.

VITAMIN A is an essential nutrient for all horses, dogs and cattle. It is necessary for general growth, bone formation and for the formation of visual purple in the eye. A deficiency of it leads to drying of mucous membranes, which makes them more susceptible to bacterial invasion. This also results in increased susceptibility to diseases in the respiratory tract. For females, during gestation and lactation, there is an increased need for vitamin A. For animals that are fed a high concentration of dry, prepared diets, vitamin A is essential as it may be lost during the food processing.

Suggested Dose Rates:
Large Animals ie. horses, cattle Age Small Animals ie. dogs, cats
15 ml Baby 1 ml
30 ml Yearling 3 ml
60 ml Adult 5 ml

VITAMIN D is important for growth of bones and teeth and it ensures the bodies right utilisation of calcium and phosphorus. A daily intake of ******** COD LIVER OIL will provide your animal with a fine healthy coat and skin. Animals housed and rugged are not able to intake natural vitamin D derived from the sunlight. Cod Liver Oil with vitamin D and two essential fatty acids helps overcome this deficiency.

more from:   http://www.equinade.com/products/facts-cod_liver_equinade.html

...it's for the birds!


http://www.seapets.co.uk/gallery/healthybird-thumb.jpg

[iko (OP)]

...It's for the birds,
and absolutely 'fishy'!

Lebistes reticulatus

http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=11329&rendTypeId=4

DEFICIENCY DISEASES

 Except for vitamin D deficiency, very little is known about fish deficiency diseases.
The very nature of their natural food almost warrants they receive all the known vitamins, but under artificial conditions they could coceivably have a deficiency.  Mineral deficiencies are doubtless common, a fact we can determine knowing the inadequate diets often fed to guppies.

Rickets.
A disease caused by a deficiency of calcium or phosphorus or vitamin D; one, two or all three. A crooked spine and the resulting bend in the fish's body is the usual evidence, although the unfortunate humpback can live and even reproduce.  It is not a pleasant sight among the fishes of the aquarium.
 Proper lighting can prevent deficiency; the active rays affect ergosterol in the skin of the fish and change it to the irradiated form which is vitamin D.
Sometimes whole aquariums will show bent spines but generally only a few of the fishes are affected. There is no treatment; it is all a matter of prevention which is primarily a matter of proper feeding, i.e. feeding of a complete diet, especially frozen brine shrimp.

L.F. Whitney, P Hanhel. in: "All about Guppies" T.F.H.Publications, London. 1964ed.  pp 104-105.

[Karen W.]

I have had my omega -3 upped to 4000mg a day is that a safe dosage.. It seems like a lot to me?

[iko (OP)]

I have had my omega -3 upped to 4000mg a day is that a safe dosage.. It seems like a lot to me?

Ask your doc: it could 'thin' your blood too much
giving easy bruising and tiny spots of bleeding
here and there...
But the anti-thrombotic effect is welcome anyway!
Cheers,

ikod

[iko (OP)]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/parsellpost/mailman.jpg

...This month's vit.D council newsletter
surely deserves to be posted right here:

The Vitamin D Newsletter

December, 2007
 

Does vitamin D prevent cancer?  If it does, will doctors who ignore the research end up with blood on their hands?  The press makes it easy for doctors to believe what they want to believe.  Below are six stories about the same scientific study; read the six different headlines.  According to your a priori beliefs, you can choose the story you want to believe and read that one.  Don't feel bad, we all do it.
As Walter Lippman once said, "We do not see and then believe, we believe and then we see."

Vitamin D cuts colon cancer death risk

Study Finds No Connection Between Vitamin D And Overall Cancer Deaths

Vitamin D protects against colorectal cancer

Vitamin D May Not Cut Cancer Deaths

Vitamin D protects against colorectal cancer
 

Scientists advise a vitamin D downgrade as there is no real proof ...

Another option is to read the study yourself.


Freedman DM, et al.  Prospective Study of Serum Vitamin D and Cancer Mortality in the United States. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2007 Oct 30; [Epub ahead of print]

What Dr. Freedman actually discovered is that when you take a very large group of people (16,818), some as young as seventeen, measure their vitamin D levels, and then wait about ten years to see who dies from cancer, you find 536 die and that a vitamin D level from ten years earlier is not a good predictor of who will die from cancer.  However, even a level drawn ten years earlier predicted that those with the lowest level were four times more likely to die from colon cancer, suggesting, as Ed Giovannucci has, that colon cancer may be exquisitely sensitive to vitamin D.  Furthermore, 28 women got breast cancer, 20 in the group with the lowest vitamin D level but only 8 in the highest.  The breast cancer findings were not statistically significant - even during a very long breast cancer awareness month - but can you imagine what critics at the American Cancer Society would be telling women if the numbers were reversed, if the 20 women who got breast cancer were in the high vitamin D group?



Another large epidemiological study appeared about breast cancer the very next day.  This time, the press passed on the story and the American Cancer Society was mum, no editorials by Dr. Lichtenfeld, their spokesman, in spite of breast cancer awareness month.
 

Abbas S, et al. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer - results of a large case-control study. Carcinogenesis. 2007 Oct 31; [Epub ahead of print]

In the above study, 1,394 women with breast cancer were case-controlled with a similar number of women without breast cancer.  The women with breast cancer were three times more likely to have low vitamin D levels.  That is a lot of women who may be dying during next year's breast cancer awareness month.

Both of the above studies were epidemiological, not randomized controlled trials.  Of course a randomized controlled trial has already shown a 60% reduction in internal cancers in women taking even a modest 1,100 IU per day of vitamin D.

 

Lappe JM, et al. Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk: results of a randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Jun;85(6):1586-91.

What is interesting is the difference in the response of the Canadian Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society.  The Canadian Cancer Society has advised all Canadians to take 1,000 IU per day - not enough but a good first step - and for immediate additional large scale clinical trials.  The Canadians simply performed a risk/benefit analysis.  What is the risk of treating vitamin D deficiency versus what are the potential benefits?  They quote the American Food and Nutrition Board, which says 2,000 IU/day is safe for anyone over the age on one to take, on their own, without being under the care of a physician.  If there is little or no risk, then the next question is what are the potential benefits of treating vitamin D deficiency?  This is not quantum mechanics.

Cancer society calls for major vitamin D trial

The Canadians acted because the Canadian government knows it could save billions of dollars by treating vitamin D deficiency.

Vitamin D Deficiency Drains $9 billion From Canadian Health Care ...

If wide spread treatment of vitamin D deficiency became the rule, ask yourself, "Who would be helped and who would be hurt."  First ask yourself that question about Canada and then about the USA.  Remember, in Canada, the government directly pays for its citizen's health insurance; in the USA, private insurance is the norm.  In Canada, the government is realizing they could save billions if vitamin D deficiencies were treated.  In the USA, a large segment of the medical industry would be hurt, some anti-cancer drug manufacturers would have to close their doors, thousands of patents would become worthless, lucrative consulting contracts between industry and cancer researchers would dry up.
 
Both Canadians and Americans are shocked to think their doctors care about money, are in the illness business.  In some ways people think of their doctors like they do their local public schools.  They know medicine is a business and know doctors do things for money but they don't think their own doctors do.  Likewise they think public schools are in bad shape but think their local schools are above average. They think their doctor is above average, like their "Lake Woebegon" kids.
 
Lake Woebegon Effect
The fact is that doctors, hospitals, regional cancer centers, and the cancer drug manufacturers are all in business to make money and all of these businesses make money off the sick, not off the well.  Just a fact, but, as Aldous Huxley once observed, "Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored."
 

Vitamin D will save the Canadian government enormous amounts of money but will cause widespread economic disruption in the USA.  Do the physicians leading the American Cancer Society have strong economic ties to the cancer industry in the form of patents, stock options, and consulting fees?  If so, what do you expect them to do?  What would you do?  It's simple.  You would believe what you have to believe, what you need to believe, that is, anything with the word "vitamin" in it is simply the latest Laetrile.  Look to Canada, not the USA, to lead the way.
 

Vitamin D may fight cancer
 
What about American physicians?  They are apparently waiting for the American trial lawyers to smell a tort.  After all, the case is quite simple.  Doctor, did you advise Mrs. Jones to avoid the sun?  Doctor, did you tell her the sun is the source of 90% of circulating stores of vitamin D?  Doctor, did you prescribe vitamin D to make up for what the sun would not be making?  Doctor, did you measure her vitamin D levels?   So you had no way of knowing if your sun-avoidance advice resulted in vitamin D deficiency?  Doctor, do you know our expert tested her vitamin D level and it was less than 20?  Doctor, did you tell her about any of the studies indicating vitamin D deficiency causes cancer?  Doctor, did you know Mrs. Jones has terminal breast cancer and will be leaving behind a loving husband and two young children?
 
And what about the American Cancer Society?  Dr. Lichtenfeld, their spokesman, quickly gave his opinion; from what I can tell the first time he ever commented on a vitamin D study.  That is, he has ignored the hundreds of positive epidemiological studies, ignored the incredible randomized controlled trial, but he jumped on this one:
 
Maybe Vitamin D Isn't The Answer After All
 
Dr. Lichtenfeld, implied the Canadian Cancer Society has acted precipitously in recommending that all Canadians take 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily.  He implied that Americans should placidly wait until more randomized controlled trials, such as Lappe JM, et al (above), accumulate before they address their vitamin D deficiency. That is, nothing should be done until more randomized controlled trials prove vitamin D prevents cancer, one randomized controlled trial is not enough; epidemiological studies are not enough, animal studies are not enough, multiple anti-cancer mechanisms of action are not enough?  If that is his position, I challenge him to point to one human randomized controlled trial that proves smoking is dangerous? 
 
If he cannot, then he must admit that the American Cancer Society's position on smoking is entirely derived from epidemiological studies, animal studies, and a demonstrable mechanism of action, not on human randomized controlled trials?  Vitamin D not only has hundreds of epidemiological studies, thousand of animal studies, and at least four anti-cancer mechanisms of action, vitamin D deficiency has something smoking does not have, it has a high quality randomized controlled trial.  If future randomized controlled trials fail to show vitamin D prevents cancer - and Dr. Lichtenfeld better hope they do - he can have the satisfaction of saying "I told you so."  If future randomized controlled trials confirm vitamin D prevents cancer, then he needs to look at his hands, the red he sees is the blood of needless cancer deaths.
 
John Cannell, MD

The Vitamin D Council

9100 San Gregorio Road

Atascadero, CA 93422

 

This is a periodic newsletter from the Vitamin D Council, a non-profit trying to end the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency.  If you don't want to get the newsletter, please hit reply and let us know. 

 

This newsletter is not copyrighted.  Please reproduce it and post it on Internet sites. 

 

Remember, we are a non-profit and rely on donations to publish our newsletter and maintain our website.  Send your tax-deductible contributions to:

The Vitamin D Council

9100 San Gregorio Road

Atascadero, CA 93422

Lake Wobegon effect

The Lake Wobegon effect is the human tendency to overestimate one's achievements and capabilities in relation to others. It is named for the fictional town of Lake Wobegon from the radio series A Prairie Home Companion, where, according to Garrison Keillor, "all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average."
In a similar way, a large majority of people claim to be above average; this phenomenon has been observed among drivers, CEOs, stock market analysts, college students, police officers and state education officials, among others. Experiments and surveys have repeatedly shown that most people believe that they possess attributes that are better or more desirable than average. The term is also used to describe a perceived tendency to treat children as "special" in order to boost their self-esteem, even though the children may only be average or even underperforming.[citation needed]


Studies
Surveying drivers, the Swedish researcher Ola Svenson found that 80% of respondents rated themselves in the top 30% of all drivers.[1] Asking college students about their popularity, Zuckerman and Jost (2001) showed that most students judged themselves to be "more popular than average".[2]

In 1987, John Cannell completed a study that reported the statistically impossible finding that all states claimed average student test scores above the national norm.

One College Board survey asked 829,000 high school seniors to rate themselves in a number of ways. When asked to rate their own ability to "get along with others," fewer than one percent — rated themselves as below average. Furthermore, sixty percent rated themselves in the top ten percent, and one-fourth of respondents rated themselves in the top one percent. Some have argued that more subjective traits like this may be more easily distorted.

The effect has been found repeatedly by many other studies for other traits, including fairness, virtuosity, luck, and investing ability, to name a few. It is similar and may be related to ingroup bias and wishful thinking. In contrast, the worse-than-average effect refers to a tendency to underestimate oneself in certain conditions, which may include self-handicapping behavior. It can be compared to the false consensus effect.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Wobegon_effect

[Karen W.]

I have had my omega -3 upped to 4000mg a day is that a safe dosage.. It seems like a lot to me?

Shes the one that upped it.They took me off the lipitor and added the two extra omega three's! Thanks IKO! I am having a lot of bleeding from my gums .. which is odd for me.. I never bleed from there..

Ask your doc: it could 'thin' your blood too much
giving easy bruising and tiny spots of bleeding
here and there...
But the anti-thrombotic effect is welcome anyway!
Cheers,

ikod

[iko (OP)]

Shes the one that upped it.They took me off the lipitor and added the two extra omega three's! Thanks IKO! I am having a lot of bleeding from my gums .. which is odd for me.. I never bleed from there..

Bleeding gums?
Enough vitamin C in your diet?
Veggies, fresh fruits and so?
...I know you know it!  []

ikod

...
What are the side effects or risks of omega-3 fatty acids?
Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil dietary supplements are generally well tolerated, but some people may experience side effects. 
 
Some common side effects of fish oil supplements include digestive problems such as nausea, loose stools, stomach upset, and unpleasant "fishy" belching. Not all people will experience these side effects. 
 
Keep track of your caloric intake since the fish oils in supplements and in whole fish provide calories. If you have diabetes or are on a calorie-restricted diet, this is important to prevent undesired weight gain. 
 
No studies have examined the long-term safety of fish oil supplements, so regular use over a long time could pose a risk. 
 
Eating a diet rich in fish may have some associated risks. If you are pregnant or are thinking about becoming pregnant, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that you limit your consumption of certain fish. Some fish may contain high levels of mercury and other heavy metals that can be harmful to your child's nervous system development. Types of fish that may contain mercury include shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. The FDA recommends that pregnant women avoid eating these types of fish during pregnancy. 
 
In some people, fish oils may reduce blood clotting and may increase the risk of bleeding.
 
 
Who may be at risk of bleeding?
The increased risk of bleeding may be observed in:

   people who take high doses -- more than 3 or 4 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per day.

   people who take "blood-thinning" medications, such as aspirin, warfarin (Coumadin), clopidogrel (Plavix),

   enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin or other related drugs.

   people who are at risk for certain types of stroke or bleeding disorders.
 
 
What can I do to minimize the risk of bleeding?
Take no more than 3 or 4 grams of fish oil supplements per day. In some cases, your physician may determine that a higher dose is right for you -- therefore, always follow your physician's instructions.
Watch for signs of bleeding while taking omega-3 fatty acids. Notify your physician if you notice nosebleeds, bleeding gums, unexplained skin bruising, or blood in your urine or stool.

more from:
  https://www.blueshieldca.com/bsc/pharmacy/askthepharmacist/browsethearchive/pharmacy_atp_browse_alt_med.jhtml
 

[Karen W.]

I have had some trouble with my appetite the last couple weeks.. am not very hungry.... vitamin c may be problem.. I'll try to boost it some but it seems that all the congestion I just don't have any appetite.. I ordered chicken last night with the coleslaw it tasted good but I couldn't hardly eat... I am sure once they get things treated my appetite will improve..Drinking plenty of liquids so maybe add some more juice.. and see .. I love my fruits and vegetables... just have no appetite for anything..

[Andrew K Fletcher]

A friend gave too much cod liver oil to her developing puppy, this became apparent when she went to the vets with her pup that at the time was experiencing some problems with a back limb. An x ray revealed that the bones on the rear of the dog were too soft for a good image. The vet had not come across this before and could not understand it. Eileen our friend asked my advice. I vaguely remembered two close friends of mine who were very short in stature having severely curved lower limbs telling me that they were told it happened because they were over dosed on cod liver oil when they were children by their mother, who believed at the time cod liver oil could be given in very large doses with no ill effects.

Putting two and two together, I asked if she had been giving the puppy cod liver oil. She said, yes, they puppy has been having plenty of cod liver oil. Asking how much, she was giving a tablespoon full every day.

Recommended dose ¼ teaspoon for a puppy. Interesting I thought, I wonder if cod liver oil could be preventing the bones from becoming solid enough to show an image in the xray?

Discontinued cod liver oil just in case it could be causing the problem and within a few weeks the problem went away. Now this could have been a normal event of a growing puppy but I doubt it was.

It could also be anecdotal evidence but I would hope anyone reading this will appreciate that it is an observation of events rather than an attempt to present a theory.

Regards

Andrew K Fletcher

[iko (OP)]

Yes Andrew,

toxicity of cod liver oil is usually due to vitamin A overload.
Vitamin A, D and K are fat-soluble and do accumulate in the body.
It's a matter of proper amounts, like with any drug and...food itself!

Vitamin D As Treatment

How much vitamin D should one take if they have cancer? We don't know as the research is far from complete. Although vitamin D may help, it should only be taken in addition to standard cancer treatment. It should not be considered a first, or only, treatment but used in addition to regular chemotherapy or surgery. Oncologists and surgeons work miracles every day. Remember, vitamin D may be toxic in overdose, although one expert recently said, "worrying about vitamin D toxicity is like worrying about drowning when you are dying of thirst".
That said, many people think "if a little is good then a lot is better". This is definitely not true about vitamin D.

http://www.vitamindcouncil.com/cancerMain.shtml

...in the meantime, waiting for scientific confirmation, a little bit of 'cod' every day should work just fine. []
Take care

ikod

...and be careful when you eat polar bear liver!  []

Polar-bear liver

The liver of top predators, notably of the polar bear is unsafe to eat because it is extraordinarily high in vitamin A. This danger has been recognized since at least 1597 when Gerrit de Veer wrote in his diary that, while taking refuge in the winter in Nova Zembla, he and his men became gravely ill after eating polar-bear liver.[3]


References
^ Hussey GD, Klein M (1990). "A randomized controlled trial of vitamin A in children with severe measles". NEJM 323: 160-164. 
^ Ellison JB (1932). "Intensive vitamin therapy in measles". Br Medical J ii: 708-711. 
^ The New England Journal of Medicine : Hypervitaminosis A and Fractures.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypervitaminosis_A

 

http://www.greenpeace.org/raw/image_full/international/photosvideos/photos/polar-bear-in-arctic

Prevalence of Vitamin A DEFICIENCY

GREEN: Vit.A deficiency under control
LIGHT BLUE: No Data Available

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Vitamin_A_deficiency.PNG

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retinol

...as you see, human beings take a higher
risk of vitamin A deficiency than overload.



ikod

[iko (OP)]

...freshly published good news for diabetic rats!  []

http://www.pet-supply-store.co.uk/prodimages/s020.jpg

Cod liver oil supplementation improves cardiovascular
and metabolic abnormalities in streptozotocin diabetic rats.

Ceylan-Isık A, Hünkar T, Aşan E, Kaymaz F, Arı N, Söylemezoğlu T, Renda N, Soncul H, Bali M, Karasu C; (Antioxidants in Diabetes-Induced Complications) The ADIC Study Group.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ankara University, Ankara, Turkey.

Abnormalities in the metabolism of essential fatty acids and the results of increased oxidative stress have been implicated in cardiovascular disorders observed in diabetes mellitus. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the effects of cod liver oil (CLO, Lysi Ltd, Iceland), which comprises mainly an antioxidant vitamin A, n:3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n:3 PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), on cardiovascular abnormalities in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rats. Two days after single STZ (55 mg kg(-1), i.p.) or vehicle injection, diabetes was verified by increased blood glucose, and non-diabetic and diabetic rats were left untreated or treated with CLO (0.5 mL kg(-1) daily, by intragastric probing) for 12 weeks. Plasma glucose, triacylglycerol and cholesterol concentrations were significantly elevated in 12-week untreated-diabetic rats; CLO provided better weight gain, entirely prevented the plasma lipid abnormalities, but partially controlled the glycaemia in diabetic rats. In isolated aorta rings, diabetes resulted in increased phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction and isoprenaline-induced vasorelaxation, impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilatation and unchanged responsiveness to sodium nitroprusside. CLO treatment completely prevented endothelial deficiency, partly corrected the phenylephrine-induced vasoconstriction and did not affect the responses to isoprenaline and sodium nitroprusside in diabetic aorta. Diabetes also produced a marked decrease in the rate of spontaneously beating right atria and a significant increase in basal contractile force of left ventricular papillary muscle. The responsiveness of right atria to the positive chronotropic effect of isoprenaline was significantly decreased in diabetic rats, and was increased in CLO-treated diabetic rats. The positive chronotropic effect of noradrenaline was markedly increased in diabetic atria, but prevented by CLO treatment. Diabetes also resulted in an increased positive inotropic response of papillary muscle to both noradrenaline and isoprenaline, which were prevented by CLO treatment. CLO treatment also resulted in lower tissue sensitivity (pD(2)) to these agonists in diabetic papillary muscle. Ventricular hydroxyproline content was found to be unchanged among the experimental groups. The ultrastructure of diabetic myocardium displayed various degenerations (i.e. intracellular oedema, myofibrillar fragmentation, condensed pleomorphic mitochondria, thick capillary irregular basement membrane, swollen endothelial cells), which were partially prevented by CLO treatment.
We conclude that the supplementation with CLO is effective in preventing cardiovascular disorders observed in experimental diabetes.

J Pharm Pharmacol. 2007 Dec;59(12):1629-1641.

Now then, is this positive effect due to
vitamin A, vitamin D3, omega-3 fatty acids,
or to the combination of all these substances?

[iko (OP)]

Happy New Year
CLOthread readers!   [8D]

Vitamin D as an immune modulator in multiple sclerosis, a review.

Smolders J, Damoiseaux J, Menheere P, Hupperts R.
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

The role of vitamin D in calcium homeostasis is well known. More recently vitamin D has become a topic of interest in immune regulation and multiple sclerosis. The main reason for this is the observed geographical distribution of multiple sclerosis. Areas with high sunlight exposure, the principal inducer of vitamin D synthesis, have a relatively low prevalence of multiple sclerosis and vice versa. Furthermore, low levels of the principal vitamin D metabolite (25-hydroxy vitamin D) in the circulation are associated with a high incidence of multiple sclerosis. Other epidemiological evidence also supports the view that vitamin D metabolites have an immune and disease modulating effect in multiple sclerosis. Experimental research in vitro and in animal models has further clarified the interaction of vitamin D metabolites with the immune system. The evidence obtained from these studies strongly supports a model in which vitamin D mediates a shift to a more anti-inflammatory immune response, and in particular to enhanced regulatory T cell functionality. In the current review we link the basic knowledge on vitamin D and immune regulation with the vitamin D related observations in multiple sclerosis. We conclude that there is a sound basis on which to initiate double-blind placebo-controlled trials that not only address the effect of vitamin D on the clinical outcome of multiple sclerosis, but also on the regulatory T cell compartment.

J Neuroimmunol. 2008 Jan 3 [Epub ahead of print]

[iko (OP)]

Vitamin D deficiency?
What a pain without 'cod'! []

from:

Medical Progress:  Vitamin D Deficiency.
Michael F. Holick, N.Engl.J.Med.  357;3 July 19, 2007.

...
Osteomalacia can often be diagnosed by using moderate force to press the thumb on the sternum or anterior tibia, which can elicit bone pain. (7,40) One study showed that 93% of persons 10 to 65 years of age who were admitted to a hospital emergency department with muscle aches and bone pain and who had a wide variety of diagnoses, including fibromialgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and depression, were deficient in vitamin D.(41)...

and here is reference number 41:

Prevalence of severe hypovitaminosis D
in patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain.

Plotnikoff GA, Quigley JM.
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minn, USA. gregory@sc.itc.keio.ac.jp

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in primary care outpatients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain syndromes refractory to standard therapies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 150 patients presented consecutively between February 2000 and June 2002 with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain to the Community University Health Care Center, a university-affiliated inner city primary care clinic in Minneapolis, Minn (45 degrees north). Immigrant (n = 83) and nonimmigrant (n = 67) persons of both sexes, aged 10 to 65 years, from 6 broad ethnic groups were screened for vitamin D status. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were determined by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: Of the African American, East African, Hispanic, and American Indian patients, 100% had deficient levels of vitamin D (< or = 20 ng/mL). Of all patients, 93% (140/ 150) had deficient levels of vitamin D (mean, 12.08 ng/mL; 95% confidence interval, 11.18-12.99 ng/mL). Nonimmigrants had vitamin D levels as deficient as immigrants (P = .48). Levels of vitamin D in men were as deficient as in women (P = .42). Of all patients, 28% (42/150) had severely deficient vitamin D levels (< or = 8 ng/mL), including 55% of whom were younger than 30 years. Five patients, 4 of whom were aged 35 years or younger, had vitamin D serum levels below the level of detection. The severity of deficiency was disproportionate by age for young women (P < .001), by sex for East African patients (P < .001), and by race for African American patients (P = .006). Season was not a significant factor in determining vitamin D serum levels (P = .06).

CONCLUSION: All patients with persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain are at high risk for the consequences of unrecognized and untreated severe hypovitaminosis D. This risk extends to those considered at low risk for vitamin D deficiency: nonelderly, nonhousebound, or nonimmigrant persons of either sex. Nonimmigrant women of childbearing age with such pain appear to be at greatest risk for misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. Because osteomalacia is a known cause of persistent, nonspecific musculoskeletal pain, screening all outpatients with such pain for hypovitaminosis D should be standard practice in clinical care.

Mayo Clin Proc. 2003 Dec;78(12):1463-70.

[iko (OP)]

Could cod liver oil use prevent or reduce
incidence of mutations during pregnancy and later on?

Vitamin D compounds: clinical development as cancer therapy and prevention agents.

While 1,25 dihydroxycholecalciferol (calcitriol) is best recognized for its effects on bone and mineral metabolism, epidemiological data indicate that low vitamin D levels may play a role in the genesis and progression of breast, lung, colorectal and prostate cancer, as well as malignant lymphoma and melanoma. Calcitriol has strong antiproliferative effects in prostate, breast, colorectal, head/neck and lung cancer, as well as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma model systems.
Antiproliferative effects are seen in vitro and in vivo.
The mechanisms of these effects are associated with G0/G1 arrest, induction of apoptosis, differentiation and modulation of growth factor-mediated signaling in tumor cells. In addition to the direct effects on tumor cells, recent data strongly support the hypothesis that the stromal effects of vitamin D analogs (e.g., direct effects on tumor vasculature) are also important in the antiproliferative effects.
Antitumor effects are seen in a wide variety of tumor types and there are few data to suggest that vitamin D-based approaches are more effective in any one tumor type. Glucocorticoids potentiate the antitumor effect of calcitriol and decrease calcitriol-induced hypercalcemia. In addition, calcitriol potentiates the antitumor effects of many cytotoxic agents. Preclinical data indicate that maximal antitumor effects are seen with pharmacological doses of calcitriol and that such exposure can be safely achieved in animals using a high dose, intermittent schedule of administration. AUC and C(max) calcitriol concentrations of 32 ng.h/ml and 9.2 ng/ml are associated with striking antitumor effects in a murine squamous cell carcinoma model and there is increasing evidence from clinical trials that such exposures can be safely attained in patients. Another approach to maximizing intra-tumoral exposure to vitamin D analogs is to inhibit their catabolism. The data clearly indicate that agents which inhibit the major vitamin D catabolizing enzyme, CYP24 (24 hydroxylase), potentiate calcitriol killing of prostate tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. Phase I and II trials of calcitriol, either alone or in combination with carboplatin, taxanes or dexamethasone, as well as the non-specific CYP24 inhibitor, ketoconazole, have been initiated in patients with androgen-dependent and -independent prostate cancer and other advanced cancers. The data indicate that high-dose calcitriol is feasible on an intermittent schedule, no dose-limiting toxicity has been encountered, but the optimal dose and schedule remain to be delineated. Clinical responses have been seen with the combination of high-dose calcitriol + dexamethasone in androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC) and, in a large randomized trial in men with AIPC, potentiation of the antitumor effects of docetaxel were seen.

from: Trump DL et al.

Anticancer Res. 2006 Jul-Aug;26(4A):2551-6.



...the 'protective effect' of cod liver oil
versus childhood leukemia suggested by the
Shanghai study in 1988 finds a support in
this more recent report about vitamin D:

Anticlastogenic potential of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in murine lymphoma.

Sarkar A, Saha BK, Basak R, Mukhopadhyay I, Karmakar R, Chatterjee M.
Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Calcutta, India.

Vitamin D3, having gained scientific interest for so long because of its role in mineral homeostasis, has now received great importance as a possible antitumor agent.
This study was undertaken in an attempt to visualize the possible anticlastogenic potential of the vitamin in an ascitic mouse lymphoma model namely, Dalton's lymphoma. Frequencies of structural type chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges and micronucleus assays have been chosen as the genotoxic endpoints in the proposed investigation. All these cytogenetic markers have been found to be markedly elevated during the progression of lymphoma in bone marrow cells.
Vitamin D3 effectively suppressed the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges in the lymphoma-bearing mice during the entire phase of tumor growth that significantly coupled with almost two-fold increase in survival time (37 +/- 2 and 68 +/- 2 days in lymphoma controls and vitamin D3-treated lymphoma-bearing mice, respectively), thus substantiating the antineoplastic efficacy of this secosteroid. The outcome of this study also is clearly reflected in the depletion of circulating (serum) vitamin D3 levels in the lymphoma control mice compared with normal (vehicle) controls while a still higher level was maintained in the VD3-treated lymphoma mice. This anticlastogenic property of the vitamin has so far been neglected and this is the first attempt to unravel the vitamin D3's effect in combating tumor development in vivo by limiting the frequencies of chromosomal aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges and micronuclei at least in transplantable murine model studied herein.

Cancer Lett. 2000 Mar 13;150(1):1-13.

...but an anti-mutagenic effect of vitamin A
had been previously reported by several investigators.
This is one example:

Antimutagenicity profiles of some natural substances.

Brockman HE, Stack HF, Waters MD.
Department of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal 61761.

Selected antimutagenicity listings and profiles have been prepared from the literature on the antimutagenicity of retinoids and the carotenoid beta-carotene. The antimutagenicity profiles show: (1) a single antimutagen (e.g., retinol) tested in combination with various mutagens or (2) antimutagens tested against a single mutagen (e.g., aflatoxin B1).
Data are presented in the profiles showing a dose range for a given antimutagen and a single dose for the corresponding mutagen; inhibition as well as enhancement of mutagenic activity is indicated. Information was found in the literature on the testing of selected combinations of 16 retinoids and carotenoids vs. 33 mutagens. Of 528 possible antimutagen-mutagen combinations, only 82 (16%) have been evaluated. The most completely evaluated retinoids are retinol (28 mutagens), retinoic acid and retinol acetate (7 mutagens each), and retinal and retinol palmitate (6 mutagens each). beta-Carotene is the most frequently tested carotenoid (15 mutagens). Of the remaining retinoids and carotenoids, 8 were evaluated in combination with a single mutagen and the other 2 were tested against only 2 or 3 mutagens. Most of the data on antimutagenicity in vitro are available for S. typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100. Substantial data also are available for sister-chromatid exchanges in vitro and chromosome aberrations in vitro and in vivo. This report emphasizes the metabolic as well as the antimutagenic effects of retinoids in vitro and in vivo.

Mutat Res. 1992 Jun;267(2):157-72.


One, two, and three!
Vitamin D, vitamin A, and even
omega-3 fatty acids have an
anti-mutagenic capability.
A natural mix of rare and precious moleculae
in a cheap, smelly, light yellow oil...

Desmutagenic and bio-antimutagenic activity of docosahexaenoic acid
and eicosapentaenoic acid in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells.

Kuroda Y, Shima N, Yazawa K, Kaji K.
National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, 411-8540, Shizuoka, Japan.

The antimutagenic activities of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were examined by studying their effects on induction of 6-thioguanine (6TG)-resistant mutations by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells.
DRA had a remarkable inhibitory effect against the cytotoxicity of EMS, when cells were simultaneously-treated with EMS, showing a blocking or scavenging activity of DHA in reduction of surviving fraction of cells. DHA had not so significant effect, when cells were treated before and after treatment with EMS. On the other hand, EPA had marked inhibiting effects against cytotoxicity of EMS, when cells were treated with EPA, before, simultaneous and after treatment with EMS. Against the induction of mutations by EMS, an antimutagenic activity of DHA was found when cells were pre-treated, simultaneously-treated or post-treated with DHA. EPA was also effective in reducing EMS-induced 6TG-resistant mutations when the cells were treated using the three different treatment procedures described above.
The results suggest that in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells, DHA and EPA may have both desmutagenic activity, which inactivates EMS chemically and/or enzymatically and bio-antimutagenic activity which suppresses mutation fixation after DNA is damaged by EMS.

Mutat Res. 2001 Oct 18;497(1-2):123-30.

One, two, and three...
and four! Cod liver oil contains
even vitamin E that has similar
antioxidant properties, and who
knows if this is the end of it...

Not long ago I read that those peculiar omega-3 so good for our brain (EPA & DHA) that
we get from sea creatures, mainly blue-fish, seem to be made by the ocean plankton itself.
Humans and even those fishlets are not able to synthesize them.
It is a wonderful hypothesis: those special unsaturated fatty acids represent a sort of vitamin
for all of us and come directly from where life originated million years ago on this Planet...
Our survival seems to be inevitably bound to the sea and the sunshine.

http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/PTGPOD/607229~Sunset-Beach-Volleyball-Posters.jpg

ikod