"They didn't teach that to me in medical school (back in 1980)!"

Unfortunately vitamin d is not mentioned in med school nowadays except for osteoporosis prevention...

Dr. Davis -- thank you for your blog. I am a med student interested in REAL evidence based medicine (which makes me a bit unpopular between my teachers).

I researched vitamin D after reading your blog, and decided to mega-dose on it. It's been 4 weeks now and my "inespecified mood disorder" (never met criteria for depression, but have never been really "well" since I was 16) is GONE. Like a "veil" has fallen or something. PMS is gone as well.Now I have discovered that the periods of my life in which I felt truly well were when I spent outside most of the day (I live in the mediterranean coast).

I also had a single attack of MS some years ago, so vitamin D will help to prevent full blown multiple sclerosis.

My comment is in no way related with atherosclerosis, but I just wanted to thank you, and congratulate you for having found a way to help people outside conventional medicine. I feel greatly inspired by your work.

Regards,

Angela Nicolas

"primary care physicians are completely in the dark"

For the record, we aren't ALL in the dark. In fact, I stumbled across your website a few years ago as I was looking for supportive testimony from other practitioners who saw things clearly. In fact, I watched as you "caught up" with the idea of adding Vitamin K2 to your regimen - presumably based on the results of the 2004 Rotterdam Study.

I hate to sound defensive, but such a sweeping generalization is uncharacteristically irrational of your posts up to now. Perhaps you haven't known any primary care "grunts" without a cranial suppository.

Now you know at least one.

I guess it's just a matter of time until someone breaks the record again?

I know you have talked highly of vitamin K2, I'm wondering if you've made it a staple of the TYP program already? I think there's all reason to do so.
Below two studies using high doses of K1, but it should work via conversion to K2 (the epidemiology of K2 hints at the same phenomenon).

Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Apr 22. [Epub ahead of print]
Vitamin K supplementation and progression of coronary artery calcium in older men and women.
Shea MK, O'Donnell CJ, Hoffmann U, Dallal GE, Dawson-Hughes B, Ordovas JM, Price PA, Williamson MK, Booth SL.

One of THE most impressive studies I've ever read:
Thromb Haemost. 2004 Feb;91(2):373-80.
Beneficial effects of vitamins D and K on the elastic properties of the vessel wall in postmenopausal women: a follow-up study.
Braam LA, Hoeks AP, Brouns F, Hamulyák K, Gerichhausen MJ, Vermeer C.

Over the last year, I have seen about a dozen physicians (for a reason other than heart disease).

Be they a GP, cardiologist, pulmonologist, oncologist, or hematologist, they all tell me the same thing; we all "naturally" develop coronary plague as we age and that it can only be minimally "managed" by lowering our cholesterol with -insert your statin drug here.

Every time I reply with; there is nothing natural about having calcified plaque build up in our coronary arteries at any age and that it can be very effectively managed by following Dr. Davis' "Track Your Plaque" protocol. (As I pull out your book to show them.)

The physician then usually looks at me like I have two heads and dismisses me by standing up to signal that the visit is over.  Except for one physician, honestly, who responded by reaching for his script pad and saying that he would like to start me on an antidepressant medication right away... lmao.

I have now given up looking for any local physician who would be willing to help me in any way with the heart scan/track-your-plaque program.

Antidrugrep--

Actually, that generalization was intended principally for the sorts of primary care docs who wouldn't read a blog like this. You are clearly the exception.

If you had responded that most cardiologists are knuckleheads out for a buck, I would have agreed, too.

Kismet--

Thanks for the references. I hadn't seen the Shea study; the findings are interesting.

We haven't had enough people have pre-K2 and post-K2 heart scans, so it's hard to know what effect it ADDS to the existing battery of strategies. Nonetheless, K2 is definitely on the list of most promising. Given its benign nature, I do encourage people to add it, though dosing remains entirely uncertain.

I seem to be developing atherosclerosis at age 26 and I've been doing a lot of research. B12 and Vitamin D are related, but you should also be aware of magnesium. See the study at Comparison of Mechanism and Functional Effects of Magnesium and Statin Pharmaceuticals. In this study they basically explain how magnesium works as a natural statin and calcium channel blocker. If you do further research online you may become convinced, as I am, that magnesium deficiency is just as widespread as Vitamin D deficiency.

You need to take a chelated form of magnesium, such as glycinate, because other forms (like magnesium oxide) are poorly absorbed by the body and not worth the money.

I would predict that the cardiologist is among the conventionally-thinking, "statins drugs are the only solution" group who follows his patients over the years to determine when a procedure is finally "needed." In fact, I know many of these cardiologists personally. The primary care physicians are completely in the dark, usually expressing an attitude of helplessness and submitting to the "wisdom" of their cardiology consultants.

Worst thing you can do is use the tobacco drug, either by smoking or through spit tobacco.

Also, being exposed to toxic tobacco smoke (sometimes called second-hand or environmental tobacco smoke) is EXTREMELY Dangerous! Make sure you work to BAN SMOKING EVERYWHERE, INDOORS OR OUT!

Better yet, BAN THE TOBACCO DRUG, NOW!

Just anecdotal, but I had an experience that confirms your theory.  In the middle of a 21-day trip down the Colorado through Grand Canyon, I fell and fractured my arm.  I decided just to splint it up and continue the trip, since the pain wasn't too bad.

By the time I got to a clinic in Flagstaff, 10 days later, the doctor said everything had healed so well I didn't even need a cast.  

Needless to say, there is lots of free Vitamin D in the Grand Canyon in summer!  We were in the sun all day long.  Maybe it made the difference.

probably also has to do with the fact people are calcium deficient without vitamin d.

Isn't there evidence that the blood level vs benefit curve reverse itself ("U" shape) above around 60 ng/ml?  Maybe just under or at that safer???

Last fall I was happy with my blood level of vit D, 79 ng/ml, so I reduced my daily dose from 10,000 iu to 5,000 iu.   I just got my spring test result and my level dropped 23 points to 56 ng/ml.  I'm gonna go back to 10,000 iu, except maybe during the summer when I get a lot of sun.

How to Optimize Vitamin D Supplementation to Prevent Cancer, Based on Cellular Adaptation and Hydroxylase Enzymology" You can read Reinhold Vieth's justification for keeping 25(OH)D both high and STABLE here.
In order to regulate any system there has to be a means of both increasing and decreasing responses.
Where the upregulation and down regulation is performed by different substances both of which are derived from Vitamin D, it follows these have to be kept tightly controlled and always in balance.
Sudden rise in 25(OH)D causes a period of imbalance between those forces, during which too much immunosuppression may occur.
The further north people live the more extreme differences between Summer/winter status. It isn't surprising those flying to the tropics for short midwinter sun breaks end up catching something from recycled germs during the flight home.
Making sure your Vitamin D needs are met daily throughout the year evens out the percentage change in levels as naturally more vitamin D3 is made in low 25(OH)D skin than when 25(OH)D is high.

Correcting vitamin D deficiency BEFORE a winter sun break results in a lower increase in 25(OH)D.
Less change in status = shorter period of imbalance.

I don't have to remind readers here Ergocalciferol speeds up the catabolism of vitamin D Cholecalciferol has a longer half life. Using Vitamin D2 therefore promotes greater/faster swings in status and should be avoided.

Using Vitamin D3 supplements daily at amounts no greater than UVB exposed skin would naturally produce, most nearly replicates the changes in status human DNA would have evolved with.

Apologies to Dr Vieth for assuming the copy of the paper linked to above was non-copyright and putting it online.  I think it's important the public have access to the full text rather than just my garbled version of this important paper.

Thanks Dr. Davis for the post sharing you personal experiences.

DrStrange:

The relationship seems to follow a U-curve pattern, with very high levels being associated with hypervitaminosis D problems.

The levels mentioned by Dr. Davis seem well below the ones that can lead to toxicity. For example, a farmer in Puerto Rico had a level of 225 nmol/L (90 ng/mL), and had no signs of toxicity:

http://healthcorrelator.blogspot.com/2010/02/vitamin-d-levels-sunlight-age-and.html

From the post above, toxic doses seem to start around 50,000 IU per day. That's way more than the 10,000 IU or so that we get from sun exposure.

My only point of disagreement with Dr. Davis is about our ability to produce vitamin D from sunlight after age 40. There is research (post above too) showing that the elderly can produce as much as 80 percent vitamin D from sunlight as do 20 or 30 year olds.

Hi Dr.Davis.
I just wanted you to know that THIS PRACTIONER is running her own open label trial on 5-10 people with lp(a).  I will let you know the outcome.
I just read your trial on 45 CAC high scorers that you published in Am J of Theraputics last year.  I hear that the registration process to publish is a horrific process. I am glad you persisted,  I really wanted your raw data but...

I hope I'm not diverting from the topic here....I'm confused about the Vit D-Calcium interaction.

I believe I understand correctly that high Vit D levels allow the body to more effectively process calcium.

I don't understand how calcium requirements change with increased Vit D levels.  I have a blood level of 72 (D3) and 3 (D2).  But I haven't paid attention to my calcium intake.

Can anyone clarify the relationship between Vid D and calcium please?

Thank you in advance.

"The relationship seems to follow a U-curve pattern, with very high levels being associated with hypervitaminosis D problems."

Not hypervitaminosis D but rather reversal of D's benefits.  I had read that above 60 ng/ml the risk of prostate cancer increased again.  Just now searching for the study found on D council site, a recent article showing the likelihood that this outcome was because the research subjects had all gotten their higher D levels from Cod liver oil and the vitiman A in that is what reversed the benefits of D, not the high levels of D!  So seems I could well have been misinformed about that.

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/newsletter/vitamin-d-vitamin-a-and-cancer.shtml

Just threw out all multivitamins in the house after hearing about vitamin A interfering with vitamin D absorption.

@ Dr Strange
Tuohimaa's team claiming they have found a U shaped curve for Vitamin D is based in Tampere, Finland latitude 61N
People at that latitude with high 25(OH)D levels have experienced a greater change in level from summer to winter or if they choose to take a winter sun break will experience further re-balancing of the immune system. Vieth argues it is the length and number of periods of imbalance that drive the effects Tuohimaa reports.

Now we have greater availability of effective strength D3 it will be easier for people at that latitude to attain and maintain the levels that enabled the Inuit to survive long winters with over 6000iu daily vitamin D3 provided from traditional diet.

@ Tom
Video of Heaney explaining the calcium/vitamin D story

The Vitamin D requirement in health and disease Heaney similar information in PDF form but in greater detail.
Bear in mind when considering Vitamin D and Calcium absorption that other co-factors work in synergy with Vitamin D.
Magnesium is required to power the  production of the active hormone Calcitriol that lowers PTH and magnesium also counterbalances the role of calcium as magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker.
Each Vitamin D Receptor requires zinc.
Also Vitamin K2 mk4 is critical for healthy bone density transporting calcium from bloodstream to bone.

There has been at least one study done. Here's one with guinea pigs.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/w734p41874205516/

This is another area where common sence and experience shouldn't really require a study to initiate this course of action. Example; I saw the other day there was a "study" done on children that proved that what they saw on TV affected their actions. I'm sure many parents are glad that study "finally" came through!

New study on grains:

http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=9615&Section=Nutrition

"Published research shows eating two to four serves of wholegrain foods a day can reduce the risk of heart disease by as much as 40 percent - equal to the effect of cholesterol lowering drugs,"

To TED,

Thank you Ted for the information.  The Heaney video was very interesting and worthwhile.  It's interesting that he says optimal D3 for calcium absorbtion is between 80 and 120 nmol.  I'm at 70 nmol and thought I was fine!
The video is well worth watching.

nevertheless, I'm still trying to understand how much calcium I should be taking, assuming I get my D3 to 80 or so.

Your remarks about Magnesium, etc. are helpful.  Thank you.  But again, I struggle with how much?  

Tom

@ Jason
About Go Grains Health & Nutrition
Go Grains Health & Nutrition is Australia’s leading independent voice for grain foods and legumes in health and nutrition. Go Grains reviews the science and communicates the latest research on the nutrition and health benefits of grains and legumes in the Australian diet.

If you look at the membership of Go grains who do you see there?

Rather than being an INDEPENDENT organization wouldn't it be fairer to describe them as a TRADE ASSOCIATION.

Not surprisingly the report they are talking about reads more like an advertising promotion.
The Grains & Legumes Health Report

I haven't had time to read it all yet, but I think it may be prudent to read Stephan's blog at Wholehealth source considering how grains were traditionally grown and prepared before assuming that modern growing and milling is equivalent, safe or healthy.

Ted,
Another explanation, this one from Cannell, for the U curve found in Scandinavia is cod liver oil.  

People with the highest vit D levels may be consuming enormous amounts of cod liver oil and, thus, vitamin A.

Excess retinol may thwart the action of vit D by competing for certain nuclear receptors.

For vitamin D there is NO WAY anyone can give a precise amount because each person varies individually both in response to sun and supplement.
Take 1000iu/daily for each 25lbs you weigh for 2~3 months then get a
25(OH)D blood spot test (available from TYP)
then adjust intake less/more by 1000iu/d for each 10ng/ml you are above/below 60ng/ml.

Calcium is readily available and best used from food sources. It's better to check your Calcium Food sources at a Nutritional Database and only supplement with sufficient calcium to bring your daily total to The amount recommended for your age/sex
I would suggest a mix of calcium citrate calcium malate as probably the best absorbed.
See Calcium: Which Form Is Best? that you could take in the evening to distance it from the magnesium which is best absorbed in small amounts with each meal.
Krispin has good magnesium information she suggests up to 10mg per 1kg of ideal body weight daily she prefers albion patent chelates such as this. but Magnesium Malate is also well absorbed remember only 4% of Magnesium Oxide is absorbed so avoid any mixtures including oxide.
I've provided examples from IHERB because their UK shipping charge is cheapest. Vitacost, Swanson's Amazon etc may be cheaper for US readers depending on p&p. Code WAB666 intro $5 Iherb discount.

This is very useful information of Obesity. You can find more information about how to prevent heart diseases. I am very excited about your post, it's really amazing.

To Ted,

Thank you once more for this information.

I just read that calcium has been implicated in Prostrate cancer.  have you heard anything about this?

Specific mitochondrial calcium overload induces mitochondrial fission in prostate cancer cells.Overload of Ca(2+) in the mitochondria leads to their damage,....... our results show that combination of an apoptogenic agent and an appropriate calcium channel blocker provide therapeutic advantages.
Magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker.

There is a similar theory suggesting too much calcium and too little magnesium is a factor in Breast Cancer.
Does a higher ratio of serum calcium to magnesium increase the risk for postmenopausal breast cancer?

Recipe for Magnesium/Bicarbonate Water Magnesium Hydroxide unflavored can be bought if you search several pharmacists , in UK £3.78~500ml.
Comes in larger bottles and less expensive than brand leader mint flavored Milk of Magnesia.
I use a Sodastream to carbonate tap water.

Do you know if anything helps for soft tissue injuries? I am still not fully recovered from a foot injury 5 months after the acute phase. The orthopedist expected it to take 4 weeks to heal and I'm a little concerned about how long it will take.

The above blog post is quite informative. Having good information related to bones and its requirements. I was not knowing that Vit D is so important for our bones. But good to know about that. Want to ask what are the natural resources of Vit D in our daily diet?

Quite an informative blog post. I know that inadequate amount of vitamin D in diet can lead to osteoporosis, which is a brittle bone disease. But are there any side effects of excessive intake of vitamin D.

Great post William, my friend is really having some bone problem, so this information will be quite useful for him. Looking forward for more post on the same topic.

I know someone who was in a car accident that resulted in very serious fractures of one arm and wrist.  He is in his late 60's and his injuries were not healing.  

I came to know this person about 6 months after the accident.   He was taking about 2 grams of  calcium per day thinking that this would help his bones, perhaps because the doctor told him to talk more calcium, but no supplemental  Vitamin D.   I told him that the should be taking at least 5000UI D3  per day pointing out that Walmart has 5000UI gel caps for cheap ($5 per 100 at that time) and that he was likely taking too much calcium.  He started taking more D3 although I am not sure how much since I didn't want to be pushy.  

It has been about 9 months now since he started taking more D3 and his injuries have healed and he has had surgery to remove most of the plates and screws that had been put in place.    Was D3 the reason for this?    I don't know but I am sure that it didn't hurt either.