Guest guest Posted August 17, 2004 Report Share Posted August 17, 2004 > " HSI - Jenny Thompson " > <HSIResearch > Raise a Holler > Tue, 17 Aug 2004 08:15:28 -0400 > > Raise a Holler > > Health Sciences Institute e-Alert > > August 17, 2004 > > ************************************************************ > > Dear Reader, > > As the song goes: Ain't no cure for the summertime > blues. That was > true in 1958 (when Eddie Cochran first sang it on > our transistor > radios), and it's still true today. Just last night > I picked up a > touch of the summertime blues when I noticed how > much earlier the sun > is setting already. No matter how old we get, it > always seems that > summer goes too fast. > > But the wintertime blues is a completely different > matter. Because > according to a new study, there may be a natural way > to " cure " the > wintertime blues without having to raise a fuss or a > holler. > > --------------------------- > > Spirits rising > --------------------------- > > > In a recent issue of Nutrition Journal, researchers > at the University > of Toronto reported on the results of a two-part > study that assessed > the effect of vitamin D supplements on the sense of > " winter wellbeing " > in subjects who were deficient in the vitamin. > > In the first phase of the study, 46 subjects were > divided into two > groups: One group took 600 IU of vitamin D per day > (considered an > adequate intake), while the second group took 4,000 > IU per day > (considered a high intake). Each subject completed a > wellbeing > questionnaire to evaluate depressive symptoms at the > beginning of the > study period in December 2001, and again at the end > of the study in > February 2002. > > In the second phase, 51 subjects who were vitamin D > deficient were > divided into two groups to take the same doses of > vitamin D > supplements as in the first phase. This study period > ran from December > 2002 through February 2003, and the same wellbeing > questionnaires were > completed. > > In both phases of the study, blood samples showed > that vitamin D > levels were considerably raised among all the > subjects, and especially > so in those taking the higher doses. In phase one, > subjects in the > high-dose group reported a significantly greater > improvement in their > wellbeing scores compared to the low-dose group. But > in the second > phase, wellbeing results were similarly – and > significantly – improved > in both groups. > > --------------------------- > > Getting enough > --------------------------- > > > As we've seen in many previous studies, vitamin D > affects much more > than our moods. In the February 2002 issue of > Nutrition and Healing > newsletter, Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., wrote: " It's > very likely that if > you're over 40 and supplement your diet with a > generous amount of > vitamin D, you can lower your risk of prostate, > breast, and bowel > cancer, along with your risk of 'essential' > hypertension, > osteoporosis, and tuberculosis. " > > For many elderly people the vitamin D deficiency > problem is compounded > by the fact that as we age our skin becomes less > effective in > producing vitamin D from sunlight exposure. That, > coupled with > generally less sun exposure, sets the stage for a > variety of health > problems associated with low levels of vitamin D. > > But how much vitamin D should we be getting from > supplements? I asked > HSI Panelist Allan Spreen, M.D., for his thoughts on > the Toronto > study, and he was impressed that the doses were > found to be safe. And > he added, " I was taught years ago, even by some > nutritionally > 'enlightened' practitioners, that over 600 IU was > toxic. Looks like we > learn something new all the time! It's only been > relatively recently > that people have started to recognize that the > 'normal' RDA for > vitamin D of 400 IU was a paltry amount. Dr. Wright > has been pushing > for the MINIMUM daily intake to be raised to 2000 IU > for some time. " > > --------------------------- > > Hello, winter > --------------------------- > > > The supplement used in the Toronto study was a > crystalline > cholecalciferol vitamin D3 manufactured by Sigma. I > asked Dr. Spreen > for his opinion on this type of supplement (as > opposed to vitamin > D-rich cod liver oil) and he said, " Other than the > ideal way to get > vitamin D (solar exposure), which is difficult to > quantify, I'd have > no problem using the Sigma vitamin D3. And I have no > fear at all of > 2000 IU daily. I haven't tried 4000, but it looks as > if it doesn't > adversely affect hormone levels, and has no other > ill side effects > (not to mention the positive benefit of the current > study). " > > In the e-Alert " Sunny Side of the Street " > (12/22/03), I told you about > Dr. Wright's recommendations for vitamin D intake: > Between 1600 and > 2000 IUs daily, and as much as 4000 IUs for those > over 40. According > to Dr. Wright, it's impossible for most people to > get enough vitamin D > from the sun alone, and he discourages the use of > dairy products > because of the many other health concerns they > raise. Instead, he > suggests other food sources like salmon and > sardines, or cod liver > oil, which provides more than 1300 IUs of vitamin D > per tablespoon. > > So as summertime starts to slip away – and with it, > our best source of > vitamin D – it's good to know that we have several > options to help > keep D levels (and our spirits) high. > > ************************************************************ > > ...and another thing > > Is your pituitary gland slacking off? > > Don't feel bad. It happens to everyone as we age: > The pituitary gland > tends to produce less and less human growth hormone > (HGH). > > In yesterday's e-Alert ( " Jump in the Fountain " > 8/16/04), I told you > how supplementing with HGH has its pros and cons. In > the pro column, > HGH helps maintain energy levels, proper brain > function, bone tissue > and muscle mass, cell division, the repair of DNA > within cells, and > overall metabolism. But when HGH is merely added to > the mix – > bypassing the pituitary – problems can arise. A more > natural > alternative is available with the use of supplements > that stimulate > the pituitary gland to do its stuff. > > I'll call on Dr. Spreen again to help explain: " The > idea with the > pituitary stimulants is that it's safer to stimulate > the body to > increase its own production than to supply the > actual hormone from > outside the body, and I agree with this assessment. > In the case of > outside (exogenous) intake of growth hormone, you > run the risk (well > proven in past research) of what's called 'feedback > inhibition,' where > the body will cut back on its own production since > you're willing to > supply the body with the hormone from the outside > without it having to > bother. With pituitary stimulants, the body's doing > the producing, so > there's no feedback inhibition. " > > In the October 1998 HSI Members Alert we first told > you about a > formula of natural compounds (including specific > amino acids, > proteins, and botanical extracts) designed to > stimulate receptors in > the pituitary and hypothalamus glands that prompt > the release of > available stores of HGH. > > The formula, called Symbiotropin Pro-HGH, has since > been shown to be > several times more effective than the far more > expensive HGH > injections, but with zero feedback inhibition. And > according to a > study (sent to me last year by HSI Medical Advisor > Martin Milner, > N.D.), Pro-HGH was shown to significantly improve > Quality of Life > (QoL) scores in middle-aged subjects. > > The study examined 16 women and 9 men with an age > range of 41 to 78. > Questionnaires revealed that each of the subjects > began the trial with > severely reduced QoL, due to somatopause; a host of > symptoms (such as > less energy, memory loss, reduced sex drive) > associated with low HGH > output. After using Pro-HGH for a period of 3 > months, each of the > subjects showed significant improvement in QoL > scores. No adverse > events were reported. > > Dr. Milner has posted more information about > Symbiotropin Pro- HGH for > our members on his clinic's website at cnm-inc.com. > > To Your Good Health, > > Jenny Thompson > Health Sciences Institute > > ************************************************************ > > Sources: > " Randomized comparison of the Effects of the Vitamin > D3 Adequate > Intake Versus 100 mcg (4000 IU) Per Day on > Biochemical Responses and > the Wellbeing of Patients " Nutrition Journal, Vol. > 3, No. 1, 7/18/04, > ncbi.nlm.nih.gov > " High Dose Vitamin D Safe and Effective in Improving > Winter Wellbeing " > Life Extension Foundation, 7/21/04, lef.org > " Quality of Life Assessment in Adults with > Somatotropin (Growth > Hormone) Deficiency: Response to Treatment with > Symbiotropin, an > Effervescent Glycoamino Analogue " Mark Ladley, M.D., > John Sortino, > M.D., (Unpublished) > > Copyright ©1997-2004 by www.hsibaltimore.com, > L.L.C. The e-Alert may > not be posted on commercial sites without written > permission. > > ************************************************************ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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