Epidemic Influenza And Vitamin D ~ Medical News Today

[mzmolly]

SNIP

Could vitamin D be the reason none of my patients got the flu? In the last several years, dozens of medical studies have called attention to worldwide vitamin D deficiency, especially among African Americans and the elderly, the two groups most likely to die from influenza. Cancer, heart disease, stroke, autoimmune disease, depression, chronic pain, depression, gum disease, diabetes, hypertension, and a number of other diseases have recently been associated with vitamin D deficiency. Was it possible that influenza was as well?

Then I thought of three mysteries that I first learned in medical school at the University of North Carolina: (1) although the influenza virus exists in the population year-round, influenza is a wintertime illnesses; (2) children with vitamin D deficient rickets are much more likely to suffer from respiratory infections; (3) the elderly in most countries are much more likely to die in the winter than the summer (excess wintertime mortality), and most of that excess mortality, although listed as cardiac, is, in fact, due to influenza.

Could vitamin D explain these three mysteries, mysteries that account for hundreds of thousands of deaths every year? Studies have found the influenza virus is present in the population year-around; why is it a wintertime illness? Even the common cold got its name because it is common in cold weather and rare in the summer. Vitamin D blood levels are at their highest in the summer but reach their lowest levels during the flu and cold season. Could such a simple explanation explain these mysteries?

The British researcher, Dr. R. Edgar Hope-Simpson, was the first to document the most mysterious feature of epidemic influenza, its wintertime surfeit and summertime scarcity. He theorized that an unknown "seasonal factor" was at work, a factor that might be affecting innate human immunity. Hope-Simpson was a general practitioner who became famous in the late 1960's after he discovered the cause of shingles. British authorities bestowed every prize they had on him, not only because of the importance of his discovery, but because he made the discovery own his own, without the benefit of a university appointment, and without any formal training in epidemiology (the detective branch of medicine that methodically searches for clues about the cause of disease).

MEDICAL NEWS TODAY

[Celebration]

1. interesting

I just took my cod liver oil.

[altogetherooky]

2. Do you take gel caps or loose from the bottle

They even have chery and mint flavors, LOL. Mmm...cherry cod liver oil!

[Celebration]

6. the old fashioned kind

a teaspoon from the bottle, no special flavoring..............

[altogetherooky]

10. I have actually read that mushrooms have D, or something that manufactures it

Very fascinating, given the fact that they grow underground, away from sunlight. How ironic...

[roguevalley]

11. D also makes you happy. I love mine.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

13. Mushrooms

http://articles.directorym.com/Arabinoxylane-a853073.html


Mushrooms have been recognized for their medicinal properties for over five millennia, but it was not until recently that scientists figured out a way to extract the most active components of medicinal mushrooms. Arabinoxylane is one such extract. In fact, it consists of a combination of extracts from three different medicinal mushrooms: shiitake, kawaratake, and suehirotake. All three are known for their potential ability to support the immune system. These medicinal mushrooms also show promise as a supportive therapy for conditions such as cancer and HIV.(1)

[kimmerspixelated]

14. certain mushrooms also turn on the killer cells

to attack cancer. Alternative med. has been documenting this for years.

[TalkingDog]

12. I just got 20 minutes of good old Sun. No way to overdose on D there.

However, avoid burning.

[pleah]

3. K&R That is very interesting.

[dgibby]

4. I've been reading a lot about vit. D. Looks promising.

I'm definitely going to start taking it as a supplement, even though I do eat a lot of D enriched foods. Thanks for the info.

[BrklynLiberal]

5. Thanks for this very valuable information.

I am glad that I take my Vit D every day. It is also helpful in the absorption of Calcium...which I also take every day.


BTW. I have never taken a flu shot....Most of the people I know who have taken them have gotten sick, either within the next week or so..or at some point during the winter. I have never gotten the flu, and very rarely have even a cold.


:thumbsup: :hi:

[mzmolly]

7. I've heard that D is also helpful in preventing breast cancer?

:shrug:

:hi:

[BrklynLiberal]

8. I googled "Vit D and breast cancer" and got many interesting hits.

They all seemed to support a positive link between breast cancer and Vit D. It can be a preventative and and it can help survival rate.

[altogetherooky]

9. They are showing a link between cancer prevention and D

Probably an immune-system protector.