All Posts tagged D3

Vitamin D vs Calcium Intake

By 06 Aug, 2010 Blog, Nutrition , , , , , ,

This patient was telling me that she drinks a glass of milk every day and that the calcium in her milk was enough to help her prevent osteoporosis. I explained that I believe vitamin D is more important in preventing osteoporosis than calcium. A vitamin D deficiency trumps a calcium deficiency. The truth is that very few clients demonstrate a calcium deficiency.  American women are among the biggest consumers of calcium in the world, and they still have one of the highest levels of osteoporosis in the world. And eating even more dairy products and calcium supplements is not going to change that fact.

Vitamin D levels need to be at least 50-60. This is more effective than taking calcium for preventing osteoporotic fractures.

Eating dairy does not defend against osteoporosis, weak bones, or fractures. Eat lots of green vegetables and you’ll get calcium from that. I suggest fatty fish – such as wild salmon, sardines, and mackerel are good source of vitamin D. I recommend Iso D3 from Metagenics. They make gel capsules that contain either 2000 IU or 5000 IU. www.DrJeffreyTucker.meta-ehealth.com

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Pelvic floor disorders in women are associated with low vitamin D levels.

By 03 Jul, 2010 Blog, Female issues, Nutrition , , , , , , ,

Researchers at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse New York recently announced that pelvic floor disorders in women are associated with low vitamin D levels.

In a paper published in the April issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. Samuel Badalian and Paula Rosenbaum studied 1,961 women and found 23% of American women over the age of 20 have a pelvic floor disorder, which often leads to urinary incontinence. Women who are overweight or who have had more than one child are at an increased risk.

The researcher found that low vitamin D levels predicted pelvic floor disorders, even in younger women and that urinary incontinence was twice as likely in vitamin D deficient women compared to women with higher vitamin D levels.

The authors concluded:

“Our findings suggest that treatment of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women could improve pelvic muscle strength, with a possible reduction in the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders, including urinary incontinence.”

I recommend getting your Vitamin D3 checked. My personal daily intake is 5000 IU. I use the vitamin D3 from Metagenics. Order at www.DrJeffreyTucker.meta-ehealth.com 

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Infertility – more common in women with gluten intolerance.

By 28 Jun, 2010 Conditions, Nutrition, Treatment , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Most people don’t know they have Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance. Most practitioners overlook this disorder that causes damage to the small intestine when gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, is eaten.

On top of infertility, other gynecological and obstetrical problems may also be more common, including miscarriages and preterm births. For men, problems can include abnormal sperm — such as lower sperm numbers, altered shape, and reduced function. Men with untreated celiac disease may also have lower testosterone levels.

The good news is that with proper treatment with a gluten-free diet and correction of nutritional deficiencies, the prognosis for future pregnancies is much improved.

Sources:

 New York Times February 3, 2010

Trouble digesting gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley is actually pretty common. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that as many as one in every 133 Americans have Celiac Disease. Probably many more people have gluten intolerance. 

What is Celiac Disease?

If you have celiac disease, eating gluten triggers an autoimmune response, provoking your body to attack itself and destroy healthy tissues, especially the villi in your small intestine. This can also have a detrimental effect on your body’s ability to absorb and process nutrients.

Some of the most common symptoms of this disease process include:

  • Chronic diarrhea
  • Gas
  • Bloating
  • Acid reflux
  • Constipation

Even a small amount of gluten can trigger a response.

How Celiac Disease Can Affect Your Fertility

In the New York Times article above, Dr. Sheila Crowe, a professor in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of Virginia, provides information about a slightly lesser known side effect of celiac disease, namely infertility, which can affect both men and women with the disease.

Studies from various countries indicate that fertility problems are indeed more common in women with untreated celiac disease, compared to women who do not have it.

In addition, other common menstrual disorders that frequently affect women with celiac disease include:

  • Later onset of menstruation
  • Earlier menopause
  • Secondary amenorrhea (a condition in which menses starts but then stops)

These menstrual abnormalities, along with other hormonal disruptions they cause, can lead to fewer ovulations, which in turn results in a reduced chance of pregnancy.

Men with the disease, especially if it’s undiagnosed, can also face fertility problems due to:

  • Abnormal sperm (reduced sperm count, altered shape, and reduced function)
  • Reduced testosterone levels

How to Diagnose Celiac Disease

There are reliable blood tests that can screen for the disease. Your doctor will need to test your blood for high levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (tTGA) or anti-endomysium antibodies (EMA).

Please keep in mind that you need to continue eating a diet containing gluten, such as breads and pastas, in order to obtain an accurate test result! If you go on a gluten-free diet prior to being tested, the results may come up negative for celiac even though you might in fact have the disease.

The Case for a Low- or No-Grain Diet – Whether You Have Celiac Disease or Not

Most people simply consume far too much bread, cereal, pasta, corn (a grain, not a vegetable), rice, potatoes, snacks and junk foods, with grave consequences to their health.

A diet high in grains causes insulin resistance which causes far more problems than this dangerous autoimmune response. 

How to Treat Celiac Disease

In my experience, gluten intolerance can be treated  by eliminating gluten and most grains from your daily diet.

It’s important to realize that gluten can be hidden in many foods including soups, soy sauce, candies, cold cuts, and various low- and no-fat products, so check the labels before you eat it.

Also watch out for malt, starches, hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), texturized vegetable protein (TVP) and natural flavoring.

Some pharmaceuticals, vinegars and alcohol can also contain gluten.

If you have celiac disease, it’s imperative that you do not eat gluten in order to avoid further damage to your health. 

Remember, if you stick to a diet consisting mainly of whole foods, preferably locally-grown organics, you’ll reap all the other beneficial side effects as well, such as increased energy, an enhanced mood, and a lower risk of other chronic illnesses.

Try a gluten-free diet for 6 weeks, you’ll probably feel much better.

These 4 supplements plus the gluten free anti-inflammatory diet are my current protocol

UltraInflamX® Plus 360 — 2 scoops twice daily in a shake.

LactoFlamX™ — 1 capsule daily 

 

 

EPA-DHA 6:1™ Enteric Coated — 2 softgels three times daily.

Iso D

 

3™ — 1 tablet three times daily.

 

 

 

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Osteoarthritis supplement program

By 06 Feb, 2010 Female issues, Hip Pain, Knee pain, Laser Therapy, Low Back Pain, Male issues, Nutrition, Treatment , , , , , , , , ,

I had a question from a Doctor about what nutritional recommendations I use for patients with Osteoarthritis. Here is my response.

Make sure they are consistent for at least 3 months on an Anti-inflammatory diet. Depending on the client I use either the Mediterranean Diet or Paleo Diet.

The following are supplements from my Metagenics site (www.meta-ehealth.com/site/office/index.jsp) that I recommend:
If it is a light to moderate case:
Kaprex — 1-2 softgel twice daily
Non-responders by day 5, move to 6 softgels daily
Time to benefit: 2 to 10 days.
Kaprex is an herbal supplement that provides natural joint relief that is easy on the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It works by interfering with signals in the body that initiate the production of damaging compounds that cause minor pain and negatively impact cartilage and other joint tissues.
Chondro-Relief Intensive Care – 2-3 capsules twice daily
Chondro-Relief Intensive Care supports healthy joint function with Glucosamine HCI, Chondroitin Sulfate, Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane (MSM), P. Canaliculus, Hyaluronic Acid, and Avocado/Soybean Unsaponifiables (ASU) in addition to other antioxidants that support healthy connective tissue.
EPA-DHA 6:1 Enteric Coated — 2 softgels three times daily. Omega 3 fatty acids are important for patients with chronic inflammatory conditions.
D3 5,000 — 1 tablet two times daily. Get there blood level checked & then dose up or down.
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If it is a moderate to severe case:
UltraInflamX Plus 360 — 2 scoops twice daily. They make a shake in the morning & afternoon. It is a Medical food for inflammation and biotransformation.
Chondro-Relief Intensive Care – 2-4 capsules twice daily
EPA-DHA 6:1 Enteric Coated — 2 softgels three times daily. Omega 3 fatty acids providing a ratio appropriate for patients with chronic inflammatory conditions.
D3 5,000 — 1 tablet three times daily.

I have clients use Capsaicin cream and rub it on the involved area at least four times per day.

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