Don Here is the Thread We Needed Help With :)

[eileen]

OK I'm anxiously awaiting Don to help us out here. This appears to be great news. Anyway this is an open access article you can past and use it all you want.

Research
Serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha concentrations are negatively correlated with serum 25(OH)D concentrations in healthy women

Catherine A Peterson and Mary E Heffernan
Journal of Inflammation 2008, 5:10doi:10.1186/1476-9255-5-10
Published:24 July 2008
Abstract (provisional)


Background

Circulating 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH)D), an accurate measure of vitamin D status, is markedly greater in individuals with increased exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) light via sunlight or the use of artificial UV light. Aside from the known relationship between vitamin D and bone, vitamin D has also been implicated in immune function and inflammation. Furthermore, a mass of evidence is accumulating that vitamin D deficiency could lead to immune malfunction. Our overall objective was to study the relationship between vitamin D status (as determined by serum 25(OH) D concentrations) and inflammatory markers in healthy women.
Methods

This observational study included 69 healthy women, age 25-82 years. Women with high UVB exposure and women with minimal UVB exposure were specifically recruited to obtain a wide-range of serum 25(OH)D concentrations. Health, sun exposure and habitual dietary intake information were obtained from all subjects. Body composition was determined by dual-energy-x-ray absorptiometry. A fasting blood sample was collected in the morning and analyzed for serum 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (iPTH), estradiol (E2), cortisol, and inflammatory markers (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-10, and C-reactive protein).
Results

Women with regular UVB exposure (Hi-D) had serum 25(OH)D concentrations that were significantly higher (P<0.0001) and iPTH concentrations that were significantly lower (P<0.0001) than women without regular UVB exposure (Lo-D). Although IL-6, IL-10, and CRP did not have a statistically significant relationship with 25(OH)D concentrations, linear regression models revealed a significant inverse relationship between serum 25(OH)D and serum TNF-alpha concentrations. This relationship remained significant after controlling for potential covariates such as body fat mass, menopausal status, age, or hormonal contraceptive use.
Conclusions

Serum 25(OH)D status is inversely related to TNF-alpha concentrations in healthy women, which may in part explain this vitamin's role in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases. Results gleaned from this investigation also support the need to re-examine the biological basis for determining optimal vitamin D status.

SOURCE LINK: http://www.journal-inflammation.com/content/5/1/10

[eileen]

Circulating 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH)D), an accurate measure of vitamin D status, is markedly greater in individuals with increased exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) light via sunlight or the use of artificial UV light. Aside from the known relationship between vitamin D and bone, vitamin D has also been implicated in immune function and inflammation.

SOURCE LINK: http://7thspace.com/headlines/287881...thy_women.html
CREDITS: Author: Catherine A Peterson and Mary E Heffernan

[eileen]

Here is a link to a .pdf file of the complete 29 page article:
http://www.journal-inflammation.com/...-9255-5-10.pdf

[excusemesir]

Yep...looks like a very positive article. Now if someone (DON...HELP) would translate this into english we could all enjoy it. I don't think my customers would find this an "easy read".

[eileen]

Thank you Navigatin! :) I just pulled this from the full report. They used tanning beds for this study.

[eileen]

OK I hope I didn't mess up any replies. I just pulled this new thread into the original one posted over a year ago to keep them all in one place. :)

[Don Smith]

I posted a LONG reply to the TNF-alpha question but when I sent it there was a message saying something about an "invalid thread" and to "call the administrator" and then the thread went away. The "net effect" was that I lost the post (and I didn't save it before I submitted it). I'll have to put together another response when I get time.

FYI, you are mixing "apples and oranges" by combining these two subjects. The TNF-alpha story refers to role vitamin D plays in immune surveillance and the Columbia study is important because it uses a "real world" tanning bed to increase vitamin D levels. Thus, you may want to separate them again (and so I'll wait to respond for awhile-LOL).

[eileen]

I thought that might have happened! I'm very sorry. I'll separate them again. You know how much I appreciate your replies! :)

[Don Smith]

OK, let's discuss the importance of the statement "Serum 25(OH)D status is inversely related to TNF-alpha concentrations in healthy women, which may in part explain this vitamin's role in the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases." first.

TNF-alpha (Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha) is a key component of our immune surveillance system ss are other "inflammatory markers" IL-6, IL-10, and C-reactive protein. These "markers" are expressed by a variety of cells, but primarily by macrophages "in response" to a "threat" to the body. The "inflammatory response" is characterized by heat, swelling, redness (erythema) and pain.

Normally, the body is able to remove the inflammatory markers (including TNF-alpha) after the threat is neutralized but when they are not removed (for a variety of reasons), the result can be the activation of various autoimmune diseases like rhuematoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, ankylosing spondylitis, etc.

In order to treat these autoimmune diseases, a TNF-alpha "inhibitor" is given the patient in an attempt to "neutralize" and "remove" it from the body.

Thus, the "importance" of this article is that "Serum 25(OH)D status is inversely related to TNF-alpha concentrations in healthy women." which means that vitamin D naturally accomplishes the same thing as the TNF-alpha inhibitors. [Note: Which means that the pharmaceutical companies marketing TNF-alpha inhibitors will join the ranks of those opposing tanning.]

Other studies have shown the same "inverse relationship" between vitamin D and CRP (C-Reactive Protein) which is another important inflammatory marker (I wrote an article a few months ago (not sure when) for LF covering CRP and vitamin D).

Thus, individuals with high (>120 nmol/L) have a reduce RR (Relative Risk) of suffering from chronic inflammation which, in turn, can lead to an autoimmune disease.

Next, the article stated that "Results gleaned from this investigation also support the need to re-examine the biological basis for determining optimal vitamin D status." and this "ties into" the Columbia article because the best and "safest" way to make sure that you maintain an optimal (i.e., >120 nmol/L) is to utilize a UVR source that is "controlled and consistent" year-round (and we all know how important THAT is to the future of the industry).

I am in the process of writing an article (tentatively) titled "From rickets to optimal health" that will follow the history of vitamin D from the treatment of rickets; to the treatment of bone disease; to the treatment/prevention of dread diseases like cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes, MS, osteoporosis, etc.,; and now to the importance of vitamin D in maintaining a "robust" immune surveillance system and facilitating "optimal" cellular signaling (i.e., the "cross-talk" between the cells in our body). And I believe that immune surveillance and cellular signaling requires that we maintain (year-rouind) at least 150 nmol/L and 70%-90% of this total MUST come from UVR.

Controlled ultraviolet radiation exposure (CURE) will become absolutely essential to individuals who want to maintain optimal health and this is why the medical profession wants to run us out of business. In a nutshell, we are standing in the way of their making an obscene amount of money by providing a way to use UVR (under medical supervision - as if THAT was necessary) to maintain an optimal level of vitamin D. It's all about $$$$$.

[eileen]

thanks...i'll read that at least 3 times lol ;)