Vitamin D And Alzheimer's: Study Shows How The Nutrient Can Help The Brain Ward Off Amyloid Plaques

Vitamin D has been lauded in past research for its possible beneficial effect against the amyloid plaques that are key in Alzheimer's disease, but a new study shows just how they may work in clearing the plaques.

Research published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease shows that vitamin D3 may work by activating certain genes and cell signaling networks to ramp up the immune system, which then clears away a key component of amyloid plaques called amyloid-beta protein.

"This new study helped clarify the key mechanisms involved, which will help us better understand the usefulness of vitamin D3 and curcumin as possible therapies for Alzheimer's disease," study researcher Dr. Milan Fiala, of the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, said in a statement.

Researchers conducted the study by taking blood samples from people with and without Alzheimer's disease, and isolating particular immune cells from the blood that are responsible for clearing away the amyloid-beta protein.

The scientists have conducted past research on vitamin D's role against Alzheimer's, also published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease in 2009. In that study, they found that vitamin D3, together with the spice curcumin, work together to get the immune system to have its effects against amyloid-beta protein in the brain. They reported that vitamin D3 mainly comes from sunshine.

Another study, published in 2010 in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, showed that people with low vitamin D blood levels have a higher risk of cognitive decline, WebMD reported.

Comments

[Jenny Michaels]

02:11 PM on 07/26/2012

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[Chuck Bluestein]

02:18 PM on 03/14/2012

They continue to find new things that getting enough vitamin D can do. Andrew Weil M.D. says: "Increasing the amount of vitamin D in the body can prevent or help treat a remarkable number of ailments, from obesity to arthritis, from high blood pressure to back pain, from diabetes to muscle cramps, from upper respiratory tract infections to infectious disease, and from fibromyalgia to cancers of the breast, colon, pancreas, prostate and ovaries."

In the last 3 years 7 MDs have written 7 books on vitamin D. In 2007 Time Magazine chose vitamin D as one of the top 10 medical breakthroughs of the year. In November 2010, they actually tripled the RDA of vitamin D. http://bit.ly/yArK4U The Cancer Treatment Centers of America check everyone's vitamin D levels and supplements if needed. This is the time of the year to get free vitamin D from the sun-- 6 days until spring.

[mater]

11:38 AM on 03/11/2012

As long as I keep remembering what it is and that I need to take it, I guess it's working.

[IndyvoterRob]

04:17 PM on 03/09/2012

I've been taking some D3 and started feeling better. Everyone around me it seems is suffering from a cold and even though I'm touching the same handles and breathing in their sneezes I have yet to suffer a cold this winter.

I read some article saying Vitamin D supplements were dangerous and caused health problems so stopped taking it for about three days but I suddenly felt tired at work and kind of down. I have since started taking my liquid D3 again and I feel happy and well again.

Just one person's account. I live in the Great Northwest so we do not get much sun around here and I'm inside mostly.

[Charles Sangston]

12:06 PM on 03/11/2012

Who said vitamin D supplementation up to 10,000 i.u./day was dangerous?

[IndyvoterRob]

04:17 PM on 03/11/2012

Not sure the exact article I read but there are negative reviews of Vitamin D with them saying we produce all we need naturally and overloading the body causes disease.

I think that is true in tropical or desert environments but in the Northwest we need supplements.

[klbf]

08:42 AM on 03/09/2012

Be careful of petri dishes...this study did not give oral vitamin D and measure 25D and 1,25D. Vitamin D was originally misnamed because it was discovered around the same time as vitamins A, B and C and, at that time, it was thought to be a vitamin. That misnomer still gives people an erroneous impression today, because a vitamin is, by definition, an organic compound essential for normal growth and nutrition that is required in small quantities IN THE DIET. This is not a vitamin because 1) the human body makes plenty of vitamin D precursor when skin cells are exposed to ultraviolet light and 2) when specific immune system cells are activated to fight infection, they make an uncontrolled supply of this secosteroid hormone which can have DELETERIOUS effects on the body. Normal ranges for D have been skewed because of supplementation and increasing undiagnosed chronic inflammatory illnesses in the general population. "Low" vit. D is the result of disease, not the cause. MUST check 1,25D, which in high amounts turns off your genes. This is very seriously misunderstood. The D industry is making incredible profits, Holick himself is tied to the tanning bed industry. Here's a study where they gave oral D3 and it did not affect flu. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22026455

[Pete59]

02:57 PM on 03/09/2012

The immune system makes compounds from 25(OH)D that function as part of the immune response but they will not be UNCONTROLLED and normally never move away from the point of production. The only exceptions are some lymphomas and in those with sarcoidosis. There is plenty of evidence that 25(OH)D levels are low because of low supply NOT disease. I have followed evidence produced by those who believe in the Marshall Protocol for 7 years and I see no more evidence that it is true now as I saw then Basically none.

[Pete59]

03:47 PM on 03/09/2012

I had a very long conversation on Gather.com http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977207835 about vitamin d and the Marshall Protocol (in 2007) they said that vitamin d would only work and keep me healthy for a short while and then I would get very ill. Well it is 5 years later and it still works.

[Emm Snn]

07:24 AM on 03/09/2012

Much of Alzheimer's can be reversed in many people by using a specialized diabetes diet. This was proven in Scandinavia. You may not have diabetes but Alzheimer's is related to blood sugar. Alzheimer's and diabetes has risen at the same exact level over the last 30 years. A specialized diabetes diet in Denmark was shown to improve memory in Dementia and Alzheimer's sufferers. This was reported on MSNBC Newsvine see here http://type2diabetesdiet.newsvine.com/_news/2012/03/03/10571390-how-a-diabetes-diet-is-helping-people-with-dementia

[Charles Sangston]

12:09 PM on 03/11/2012

Diabetes is a vitamin D deficiency disease.

It is a symptom of chronic vitamin D deficiency.

[left4infinity]

11:19 PM on 03/08/2012

Excellent news, and the evidence for even more benefits keeps piling up. It would seem that the sun is good in small doses and that the adage of "all things in moderation" was good advice all along.

[Dan Marsh]

10:30 PM on 03/08/2012

Vitamin D is a very important additions to your health. Why do you think everyone seems unhappy in the winter because we do not get Vitamin D. It seems like Vitamin D has a lot of the same benefits that Omega 3 has. It seems they both work on anti inflammation. I personally take both Vitamin D3 and a Krill Oil to Increase my Omega 3 levels. To Learn More about Vitamin D check this site out www.vitamin-d-deficiency-symptoms-blog.com about Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms. To learn More about Omega 3 Check this site out www.omega-3-for-your-health.com Thanks and good health to you.

[Charles Sangston]

09:32 PM on 03/08/2012

Vitamin D is not a vitamin at all.

It is the human body's most potent steroid hormone by a factor of billions in comparison to similar molecules testosterone and estrogen.

It is to a true vitamin as an aircraft carrier is to a canoe.

If even 1/10 of research associations hold true, vitamin D health will be more important than the discovery and widespread use of antibiotics.

Hyperbole?

Hardly!

Suppose vitamin D cuts cancer and heart disease diagnosis by 50%?

Not to mention viral (and bacterial) infection, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, etc etc etc.

Those most familiar with the research INSIST on a blood level of 50 ng/ml.

Only 30 ng/ml WILL NOT achieve repletion and thus understate the effect of vitamin D health.

[Pete59]

03:03 PM on 03/09/2012

The version of vitamin d that is a hormone is 1,25(OH)D and this is very carefully controlled. The level you are trying to increase is 25(OH)D used for storage and supply. Low levels of 25OH)D leads to higher levels of 1,25(OH)D in the blood.

[dmike5000]

08:07 PM on 03/08/2012

Mother always said, drink your milk!

[DrNatural]

10:57 PM on 03/08/2012

Milk only has 400 units/quart. That doesn't make much difference. Not only that its D2 that they add to milk, which only has one-third to one-fourth the activity of D3. So forget the milk, and go out in the sunshine!

[Pete59]

05:20 PM on 03/11/2012

What sunshine? We do not leave the vitamin d winter for another month, assuming it is not cloudy.

[manicore]

08:15 PM on 03/11/2012

There is Nothing good about pasteurized milk.

[Mickey1]

06:45 PM on 03/08/2012

25(OH)D test get one. I tested at 27ng/ml last fall. I now test 67ng/ml. 8000 units a day and sun for 30min a day during the summer. Without the sun it took 1000 to 1200 units to get to 67ng/ml. I'll take 8000 a day for three months and test again. You do not want to go over 100ng/ml side effect is not good.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2002/02/23/vitamin-d-deficiency-part-one.aspx

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