My diet & detox journal

PCOS Treatment: Vitamin D & Calcium Success!

I believe in Vitamin D as an alternative treatment to support insulin senstivity, I not only take a daily supplement in liquid form, I prefer to get lots of it direct from the sunlight…much of the final ’stages’ of my PCOS management came through my time in the tropics. I was living simply, and getting sunshine on my body everyday. Done properly, sunning can be a healthful part of anyone’s lifestyle. For some great information on Vitamin D, I encourage you to read on the Weston Price website HERE.

Here’s a quote from the Weston Price site:
“During the last ten years, researchers have made a number of exciting discoveries about vitamin D. They have ascertained, for example, that vitamin D is an antioxidant that is a more effective antioxidant than vitamin E in reducing lipid peroxidation and increasing enzymes that protect against oxidation. Vitamin D deficiency decreases biosynthesis and release of insulin.21 Glucose intolerance has been inversely associated with the concentration of vitamin D in the blood. Thus, vitamin D may protect against both Type I and Type II diabetes.”

[For the record, all statements above, as shared on the Weston Price site are cited, so feel free to visit and that way you can check it out yourself. If you’re like me, you like to see the science! ]

For those of you asking about the relationship between dietary supplements and PCOS management, you’ve probably heard me speak of the benefits of vitamin D as a means of supporting insulin sensitivity.  Since many experts link insulin resistance (IR) and PCOS symptoms, ANYTHING I can do to address my IR is high on my list . Several studies have shown how important it is for our health. I’m including several of them here. I will be adding the one about how Vitamin D is being tested as a natural substitute for Metformin, as soon as I can get the abstract…

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Article one is available online HERE.

Steroids. 1999 Jun;64(6):430-5.
Vitamin D and calcium dysregulation in the polycystic ovarian syndrome.
Thys-Jacobs S, Donovan D, Papadopoulos A, Sarrel P, Bilezikian JP.
Department of Medicine, St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, New York, NY 10019, USA.

Over the past 30 years, numerous studies in invertebrates and vertebrates have established a role of calcium in oocyte maturation as well as in the resumption and progression of follicular development. Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCO) is characterized by hyperandrogenic chronic anovulation, theca cell hyperplasia, and arrested follicular development. The aim of this observational study was to determine whether vitamin D and calcium dysregulation contribute to the development of follicular arrest in women with PCO, resulting in reproductive and menstrual dysfunction. Thirteen premenopausal women (mean age 31 +/- 7.9 years) with documented chronic anovulation and hyperandrogenism were evaluated. Four women were amenorrheic and nine had a history oligomenorrhea, two of whom had dysfunctional bleeding. Nine had abnormal pelvic sonograms with multiple ovarian follicular cysts. All were hirsute, two had alopecia, and five had acanthosis nigricans. The mean 25 hydrovitamin D was 11.2 +/- 6.9 ng/ml [normal (nl): 9-52], and the mean 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D was 45.8 +/- 18 pg/ml. with one woman with a 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D <5 pg/ml (nl: 15-60). The mean intact parathyroid hormone level was 47 +/- 19 pg/ml (nl: 10-65), with five women with abnormally elevated parathyroid hormone levels. All were normocalcemic (9.3 +/- 0.4 mg/dl). Vitamin D repletion with calcium therapy resulted in normalized menstrual cycles within 2 months for seven women, with two experiencing resolution of their dysfunctional bleeding. Two became pregnant, and the other four patients maintained normal menstrual cycles. These data suggest that abnormalities in calcium homeostasis may be responsible, in part, for the arrested follicular development in women with PCO and may contribute to the pathogenesis of PCO.
PMID: 10433180 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Article number 2 is available online HERE.

JAMA. 2005 Nov 9;294(18):2336-41.
JAMA. 2006 Apr 19;295(15):1769; author reply 1769-70.
Relationship between serum parathyroid hormone levels, vitamin D sufficiency, and calcium intake.
Steingrimsdottir L, Gunnarsson O, Indridason OS, Franzson L, Sigurdsson G.
Public Health Institute of Iceland.

CONTEXT: Adequate vitamin D status for optimum bone health has received increased recognition in recent years; however, the ideal intake is not known. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D is the generally accepted indicator of vitamin D status, but no universal reference level has been reached. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relative importance of high calcium intake and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D for calcium homeostasis, as determined by serum intact parathyroid hormone (PTH). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional study of 2310 healthy Icelandic adults who were divided equally into 3 age groups (30-45 years, 50-65 years, or 70-85 years) and recruited from February 2001 to January 2003. They were administered a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire, which assessed vitamin D and calcium intake. Participants were further divided into groups according to calcium intake (<800 mg/d, 800-1200 mg/d, and >1200 mg/d) and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level (<10 ng/mL, 10-18 ng/mL, and >18 ng/mL). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Serum intact PTH as determined by calcium intake and vitamin D. RESULTS: A total of 944 healthy participants completed all parts of the study. After adjusting for relevant factors, serum PTH was lowest in the group with a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of more than 18 ng/mL but highest in the group with a serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of less than 10 ng/mL. At the low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level (<10 ng/mL), calcium intake of less than 800 mg/d vs more than 1200 mg/d was significantly associated with higher serum PTH (P = .04); and at a calcium intake of more than 1200 mg/d, there was a significant difference between the lowest and highest vitamin D groups (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: As long as vitamin D status is ensured, calcium intake levels of more than 800 mg/d may be unnecessary for maintaining calcium metabolism. Vitamin D supplements are necessary for adequate vitamin D status in northern climates.

PMID: 16278362 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Article number 3 is available online HERE.

Calcium and Vitamin D Status in the Adolescent: Key Roles for Bone, Body Weight, Glucose Tolerance, and Estrogen Biosynthesis
Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology, Volume 18, Issue 5, October 2005, Pages 305-311

L.S. Harkness and A.E. Bonny

Abstract
This review paper highlights a number of important public health issues related to calcium and vitamin D status in adolescents. Dietary calcium intake has declined dramatically over the past several decades among adolescents, and inadequate serum vitamin D levels have been documented in up to 54% of teens. A recent trend of decreasing consumption of dairy foods, especially milk, has contributed to this problem. Calcium and vitamin D are critically important for bone mineral accrual during adolescence, and altered calcium homeostasis can impact optimal bone acquisition. Serum and cellular calcium concentrations are controlled, in part, by the actions of vitamin D. Newer research seeks to clarify the potential functions of calcium and vitamin D in the regulation of body weight, glucose tolerance, and ovarian function. Numerous observational studies have noted an inverse association between body weight, percent body fat, and dietary calcium intake; however, clinical trials evaluating the affect of increased calcium on weight loss have been mixed. There is a reduced incidence of insulin resistance syndrome with increasing dairy intake in overweight individuals, and serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D levels are positively correlated with insulin sensitivity. Vitamin D receptor is expressed in all calcium-regulated tissues, including the ovary; thus, calcium and vitamin D appear to be necessary for full ovarian function. This review paper will examine the important role of vitamin D and calcium in the regulation of bone, weight, glucose tolerance, and estrogen biosynthesis.

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Lastly, aside from the SUN and dietary supplements, if you are looking for great food sources of Vitamin D, I found this great list offerred by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. who makes these suggestions for you:

• Wild salmon
• Atlantic mackerel
• Sardines
• Shrimp
• Skim and 1% milk
• Soy milk (vitamin D-fortified)
• Shiitake mushrooms
• Vitamin D-fortified yogurts (like Dannon Light & Fit)
• Vitamin D-fortified cereals (like Multigrain Cheerios, Post Bran Flakes, or Kashi Vive)