Vitamin D - Possible Heart Disease Risk Factor
We know Vitamin D is important for bone health but the latest research suggests that Vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of heart disease. Studies have found that low levels of Vitamin D are associated with high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and chronic blood vessel inflammation.

An article recently published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported a survey of studies on the link between Vitamin D deficiency and heart disease. Researchers concluded that Vitamin D deficiency is much more common than previously thought, affecting up to half of apparently healthy adults and children in the U.S. It is obvious there is a need for practical advice when it comes to screening and the treatment of Vitamin D deficiency.

The major source of Vitamin D is of course from the sun. However, Vitamin D deficiency is becoming a growing concern due to the fact most people spend the majority of their time indoors and even when we are outdoors, we are encouraged to use sun block because of the increasing risk of skin cancer. Sunscreen with an SPF of only 15 will block approximately 99% of Vitamin D synthesis by the skin. A small amount of Vitamin D may also be obtained from foods such as salmon, sardines, cod liver oil, and Vitamin D enriched cereals and milk.

Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that is converted to Vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol which is the active form of Vitamin D utilized by the body. Vitamin D may also be found in the form of D2 however this is an inactive form and cannot be utilized by the body. Not only is Vitamin D3 important for bone and cardiovascular health, but it also plays a major role in nerve health, strong immune function, insulin metabolism, balancing moods, pain reduction, kidney health, and even lowering the risk of cancer. It has also has been found to protect the brain against toxic chemicals that we are exposed to from our environment on a daily basis.

One myth about Vitamin D is that it is highly toxic. The RDA (Recommended Daily Dose) is currently 200 - 600 I.U. per day. Most experts have concluded however that these doses are too low and that optimal health requires levels of 1,000 - 2,000 I.U. daily. Vitamin D levels can be measured by a simple blood test. Optimal blood levels are between 40 and 80 ng/dL. In order to raise individual blood levels, therapeutic doses as high as 5,000 I.U. daily may safely be taken for 2 - 3 months before retesting.

Choosing a high quality, highly absorbable Vitamin D supplement is vital for optimal health. It is also recommended that testing be conducted before any supplementation is given in order to know the proper dosage. If you feel you are at risk and would like to have your Vitamin D levels checked, please contact Dr. Bereliani's office today.

Written by Kristine Reyes, C.N.C.

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Are Your Supplements Toxic?
Quality control of supplements manufactured both in the United States and internationally is quickly becoming a major concern in our booming health industry. JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association) reported a study in August 2008 on the prevalence of lead, mercury, and/or arsenic in Ayurvedic medicines available via the internet that where manufactured in the United States and compared them to the medicines (rasa shastra and non-rasa shastra) that where manufactured in India.

New FDA regulations and current Indian policies do not specify any maximum acceptable concentrations or daily dose limits for metals in dietary supplements for domestic use. The grade, form, purity, bioavailability, and third party verification, make a huge difference as to whether the nutrients are of the highest quality.

Ayurvedic medicines are divided into 2 major types: herbal only and rasa shastra. Rasa shastra is an ancient practice of deliberately combining herbs with metals (eg, mercury, lead, iron, zinc), minerals and gems. It is believed that when properly prepared according to ancient protocols these medicines are rendered non-toxic and therapeutic.

230 products were selected and ordered online during August-October 2005. Manufacturers claiming Good Manufacturing Practices, were members of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA), or performed metal testing were noted. For Indian manufacturers, membership in the Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers' Association (ADMA) was similarly noted. Membership in ADMA was not associated with a lower likelihood of metal presence. However, AHPA members were less likely to contain metals.

Rasa shastra medicines manufactured in India were more than twice as likely as non-rasa shastra products to contain detectable metals including lead and/or mercury causing ingestions of 100 to 10,000 times greater than acceptable limits. The prevalence of metals in non-rasa shastra medicines was still substantial (17%) and could be a consequence of environmental contamination of the herbs or incidental contamination during manufacturing. In contrast, US-manufactured rasa shastra medicines did not contain detectable mercury and had lower lead concentrations.

Overall, the study found that nearly 21% of the supplements tested contained detectable levels of lead, mercury, and/or arsenic, and the prevalence of these potentially toxic metals did not differ significantly between US and Indian-manufactured products except in the case of rasa shastra medicines as reported above. Lead was the most commonly found metal, followed by mercury and arsenic. It's no wonder that a 2006 National Institutes of Health state-of-science conference stated that "public assurance of the safety and quality of [dietary supplements] is inadequate."

The FDA has divided supplements into basically two categories:

• Cosmetic Nutritional Grade: These are often not tested for purity, dissolution, or absorption and often do not actually contain the concentrations of nutrients listed on the label. This category includes nutrients sold at Costco, CVS, Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.
  
  
• Medical/ Pharmaceutical Grade: This grade meets the highest regulatory requirements for purity, dissolution and absorption. The finished product must undergo post-production analysis by independent laboratory evaluation.

Dr. Bereliani is commited to providing only the purest and most effective nutrients from companies that sell only to licensed healthcare professionals. Therefore, Pharmaceutical Grade supplements are the only grade of nutrients provided at Dr. Bereliani's office.

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