in AMI:
“L-Arginine Therapy in Acute Myocardial Infarction
The Vascular Interaction With Age in Myocardial Infarction”

JAMA. 2006
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/295/1/58

There was no significant change from baseline to 6 months in the vascular stiffness measurements or left ventricular ejection fraction in either of the 2 groups, including those 60 years or older and the entire study group. However, 6 participants (8.6%) in the L-arginine group died during the 6-month study period vs none in the placebo group (P = .01). Because of the safety concerns, the data and safety monitoring committee closed enrollment.

with **long term** use in PAD:
“L-Arginine Supplementation in Peripheral Arterial Disease
No Benefit and Possible Harm”

Circulation. 2007
http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/116/2/188

Conclusions— In patients with PAD, long-term administration of L-arginine does not increase nitric oxide synthesis or improve vascular reactivity. Furthermore, the expected placebo effect observed in studies of functional capacity was attenuated in the L-arginine-treated group. As opposed to its short-term administration, long-term administration of L-arginine is not useful in patients with intermittent claudication and PAD.

and a letter to the editor:
http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/117/6/e157

You were right that 7-dehydrocholesterol is made from cholesterol. Interestingly this paper:
“Provitamin D3 in Tissues and the Conversion of Cholesterol to 7-Dehydrocholesterol in vivo” from 1951 tells that 7-DHC is made mainly in the gut wall. What does this mean? Has dietary or cholesterol in bile acids a role in a production of this vitamin D precursor?

I haven’t looked into it yet. I’m not surprised to find that much of it is made in the gut wall because the gut is where a lot of cholesterol is made.

What do You think?

Could be. I need to go back and recheck all the steps in these synthesis pathways. I was under the impression that 7-dehydrocholesterol was a derivative of cholesterol and not the other way around.

Sorry, but I’ve never heard of it and have no experience with it.

Jeffrey Dach MD

I have noticed that, thanks to the efforts of Dr John Cannell, many mainstream docs in my area have begun to order Vitamin D tests and supplement when found to be low.

Satellite Maps of the Earth

Satellite maps of the earth showing UV Sunlight exposure correlate with serum Vitamin D levels, and the farther north, the lower the Vitamin D, and the higher the incidence of Cancer and Multiple Sclerosis in our population.

These NASA space satellite photos of North America color coded for UV sun exposure can be seen on Dr. Grant’s Vitamin D Web Site. Here, you will see a pattern remarkably similar to the incidence of cancer and multiple sclerosis. This is thought to be due to differences in Vitamin D levels. The farther north with less sun exposure and lower Vitamin D levels, there is an increased incidence of cancer and multiple sclerosis.

Diseases Caused by, or Associated With Vitamin D Deficiency:

Again here is the list: Osteoporosis, Hypertension, Cardiovascular disease, Cancer, Depression, Epilepsy, Type One Diabetes, Insulin resistance, Autoimmune Diseases, Migraine Headache, PolyCystic Ovary Disease (PCOS), Musculoskeletal and bone pain, Psoriasis.

Vitamin D deficiency has been reported in 57% of 290 medical inpatients in Massachusetts, 93% of 150 patients with overt musculoskeletal pain in Minnesota, 48% of patients with Multiple Sclerosis, 50% of patients with lupus and fibromyalgia, 42% of healthy adolescents, 40% of African American Women, and 62 % of the morbidly obese, 83% of 360 patients with low back pain in Saudi Arabia, 73% of Austrian patients with Ankylosisng Spondylitis, 58% of Japanese girls with Graves’s Disease, 40% of Chinese adolescent girls, 40-70% of all Finnish medical patients. (the above is from Dr Cannell newsletter)

Low Vitamin D in Florida?

Surprisingly, we have been seeing low vitamin D levels even here in sunny Florida demonstrated by serum 25-OH Vit D blood testing. These people avoid the sun for fear of skin cancer.

To read a synopsis of Dr John Cannell’s excellent work…
http://jeffreydach.com/2007/06/10/vitamin-d-deficiency–by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx

Vitamin D Deficiency by Jeffrey Dach MD

Jeffrey Dach MD
4700 Sheridan Suite T
Hollywood Fl 33021
954-983-1443
http://www.naturalmedicine101.com

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-7216110_ITM

I would be very surprised if this turned out to be the case after stringent evaluation. Statins have been touted for just about everything, it seems, until they are rigorously tested. Then you hear no more.

Almost 8 years ago, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Tamoxifen killed my liver, so I was put on Arimidex and, aside from joint issues, was happy with it until my bone density test took a nose-dive. They put me on Fosamax. After 6 months I bottomed out. No energy. Felt like I’d been run over by a truck. Read about D. Had the doctor check me at the end of December and I was at 29. Got a rescue dog. Started walking 1+ hours a day. Started taking 3000 mg of D. Heard about magnesium. Started taking 750 mg. a day. (Also taking 1400 mg. calcium.) Just read that zinc can lower copper and cause osteopenia. Have been taking 65 mg. of zinc for YEARS. Will ace that off my supplement list.

Also during this time period, my BP went up to 140/100 and wouldn’t come down and my triglycerides hit 400. I’m now on Tricor (which I despise) and Amiodipine/Benazepril which has given me a lot more energy than before. But I hate it just because I hate being on ANOTHER drug.

I can’t help but feel like all of this is connected and inter-connected. I would love to know what I can safely do, since I’m afraid to risk going off the Arimidex, but would love to get off the Fosamax, BP, and Tricor. So, here’s my actual question:

What natural remedies (i.e. ginger tea nightly and CoQ10 in the AM) can I take to lower my BP to the point that I can (slowly and with doctor’s ok) move off the BP meds?

What should I be taking for my bone density, if not Fosamax?

How do I get those tri’s under control?

Thanks!!

For medico-legal reasons I can’t give specific medical advice over the internet. It looks as though you are making the circuit of various supplements in an effort to solve your health problems. In my opinion the most efficacious steps one can take are to gain control with the underlying nutrition, i.e., food, then start fine tuning with supplements. in reading your comment, it looks like just about everything that’s troubling you could be significantly improved with a good quality, whole-food low-carbohydrate diet. I would urge you to discuss this possibility with your physician.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080125223302.htm

which says that vit D supplementation may be kind of like ingesting steroids- it shuts down the body’s own machinery for making it and all the good that comes of the natural production cycle.