Thanks to a discovery by Korean researchers, the number of weapons in the arsenal to fight Parkinson's disease has just gotten bigger. According to research, a biologically active form of vitamin D, known as 1,25(OH)2 D3, works like a natural anti-inflammatory to prevent the disease.
However, 1,25(OH)2 D3 wields most of its actions only after it binds to its specific nuclear receptors.
A Vitamin D Discovery
Researchers set out to determine if vitamin D receptor gene (VDRG) BsmI polymorphisms were markers for the susceptibility to Parkinson's in Korean patients. The study involved 85 Parkinson's patients (30 men and 55 women) and a control group of more than 200 healthy patients:
Those in the Parkinson's group were evaluated by a neurologist and diagnosed with idiopathic Parkinson's disease on the presence of two or more chief characteristics of the disease (i.e. tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia), as well as by the lack of signs not related to Parkinson's.
Patients in the control group were screened to ensure they had no history of neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Each polymorphism was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based restriction analysis; the relationship between the BsmI polymorphisms and the clinical manifestations of Parkinson's was also evaluated.
The results of the study showed that overexpression of the b allele and homozygote bb caused the VDRG of Parkinson's patients to react differently than those in the control group--thus making them more susceptible to this devastating disease.
Journal of Korean Medical Science June 2005;20(3):495-98 (Free Full-Text Article)
While the anti-inflammatory effects of vitamin D have recently become better understood, our full appreciation of this vital nutrient's far-reaching importance in health is still in its infancy.
Thus far, vitamin D is known to play an important role in the prevention of:
It is well known that a long-term deficiency of vitamin D will almost certainly result in disease. I am so convinced of its importance that I routinely check blood levels of it on practically all of my patients, especially during the winter months or for those who don't get sun exposure in the summer.
I believe it is medical negligence, bordering on malpractice, to check a person's blood and not screen for this easily detectable, highly prevalent vitamin deficiency.
Of course, the most effective and safest way to ensure that your body has optimal levels of vitamin D is to get daily sun exposure. The key, though, is to not be deceived by conventional medical wisdom that sun will cause cancer. As long as you are getting safe doses of sunshine the exact opposite is true.
Insufficient sun exposure causes far more deaths than too much sun exposure.
If, for whatever reason, you are unable to get enough sun, it is vitally important that you supplement your diet with vitamin D. One of the best ways to do this is with high-quality cod liver oil.
Finally, if you want to reduce your risk of developing Parkinson's disease, add vitamin D to the growing list of natural treatment options available to help you do so:
Start an exercise routine today.
Reduce your exposure to environmental toxins like solvents, pesticides and insecticides.
Maintain balanced iron levels.
Eat foods high in folic acid.
Resolve issues that spur poor emotional health by learning the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
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