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Vitamin d and HCV response
A few months ago I posted an article about HCV and vitamin D.
I put forth some evidence and ideas that I put together from internet searches and my own gut feeling that seemed to me to say that HCV patients could be better off with Vitamin D.
I just found this... I think all in this group will be interested to read.
To be presented at the AASLD in Boston, 02 Nov.
Interim results of a study combining "high dose" Vitamin D with standard therapy.
27 patients got standard treatment plus Vitamin D. 26/27 (96%) were HCV negative at week 12.
31 patients got standard therapy. 15/31 (48%) were HCV negative at week 12.
I only found the abstract. I guess we'll have to wait for Nov 2 to find out more.
I can't wait.
Cheese
This whole vitamin D thing is making its rounds my GP told me to take 5000 IUs
because my test came back low end.
I wish the article you post would have some reference to Hep C and Vit D safety.
There are articles saying for people with liver impairment large amounts can be toxic.
If it were not for Hep C I would gladly take 5000 IUs no problem.
What to believe ? I started taking 1000IUs but that might not be enough at all.
The question really is when does become it to much and I have not seen this answered.
Any clues ?
because my test came back low end.
I wish the article you post would have some reference to Hep C and Vit D safety.
There are articles saying for people with liver impairment large amounts can be toxic.
If it were not for Hep C I would gladly take 5000 IUs no problem.
What to believe ? I started taking 1000IUs but that might not be enough at all.
The question really is when does become it to much and I have not seen this answered.
Any clues ?
Vitamin D is also used to combat flu`s including the swine flu.I take 2000 iu/day but not while on TX,just before and after.
Oops! I was so excited, I forgot to post the article. Excuse me for the multiple posts.
Ev
Long-term high dose vitamin D well tolerated
A research letter published in the October 26, 2009 issue of the American Medical Association Journal Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that treatment with 50,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D per week was safe and effective over an 8 week period, and could also be safe to use every other week as maintenance.
In their introduction to the article, the authors, from Boston University School of Medicine, note that "The worldwide prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is striking, and more than 40 percent of the population may be vitamin D deficient. Despite this, to our knowledge, there are no long-term studies of the safety and efficacy of giving pharmacologic doses of vitamin D (50,000 IU of ergocalciferol) to treat and prevent vitamin D deficiency."
"To prevent recurrent vitamin D deficiency and also to maintain adequate levels in patients who are vitamin D sufficient, we treat with 50,000 IU ergocalciferol every other week indefinitely, a regimen that, to our knowledge, has not been published to date," they write.
The researchers, including well-known vitamin D authority Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, reviewed medical records of 86 patients aged 18 to 91 who had received two or more blood tests for 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and were treated for vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Pretreatment 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of 92 percent of the patients were below 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Forty-one subjects received 50,000 IU vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) weekly for 8 weeks followed by a maintenance dose of 50,000 IU every other week for up to 6 years. The remainder of the patients received every other week maintenance therapy without the initial weekly treatment.
For the 41 patients who received the weekly 50,000 IU starting therapy, average 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels rose from 19 ng/mL to 37.2 ng/mL after 8 weeks. Maintenance therapy increased these levels to an average of 46.9 ng/mL. For the patients who received only maintenance therapy, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels increased from an average of 26.9 ng/mL to 47 ng/mL. Serum calcium levels, which could be an area of concern when high amounts of vitamin D are ingested, did not change over the course of treatment. No kidney stones or other signs of vitamin D toxicity were observed.
"Vitamin D2 is effective in raising 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels when given in physiologic and pharmacologic doses and is a simple method to treat and prevent vitamin D deficiency," noted Dr Holick, who is a director of the General Clinical Research Unit and professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine. "While treating and preventing vitamin D deficiency, these large doses of vitamin D2 do not lead to vitamin D toxicity," he concluded.
Ev
Long-term high dose vitamin D well tolerated
A research letter published in the October 26, 2009 issue of the American Medical Association Journal Archives of Internal Medicine revealed that treatment with 50,000 international units (IU) of vitamin D per week was safe and effective over an 8 week period, and could also be safe to use every other week as maintenance.
In their introduction to the article, the authors, from Boston University School of Medicine, note that "The worldwide prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is striking, and more than 40 percent of the population may be vitamin D deficient. Despite this, to our knowledge, there are no long-term studies of the safety and efficacy of giving pharmacologic doses of vitamin D (50,000 IU of ergocalciferol) to treat and prevent vitamin D deficiency."
"To prevent recurrent vitamin D deficiency and also to maintain adequate levels in patients who are vitamin D sufficient, we treat with 50,000 IU ergocalciferol every other week indefinitely, a regimen that, to our knowledge, has not been published to date," they write.
The researchers, including well-known vitamin D authority Michael F. Holick, PhD, MD, reviewed medical records of 86 patients aged 18 to 91 who had received two or more blood tests for 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and were treated for vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency. Pretreatment 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels of 92 percent of the patients were below 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL). Forty-one subjects received 50,000 IU vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) weekly for 8 weeks followed by a maintenance dose of 50,000 IU every other week for up to 6 years. The remainder of the patients received every other week maintenance therapy without the initial weekly treatment.
For the 41 patients who received the weekly 50,000 IU starting therapy, average 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels rose from 19 ng/mL to 37.2 ng/mL after 8 weeks. Maintenance therapy increased these levels to an average of 46.9 ng/mL. For the patients who received only maintenance therapy, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels increased from an average of 26.9 ng/mL to 47 ng/mL. Serum calcium levels, which could be an area of concern when high amounts of vitamin D are ingested, did not change over the course of treatment. No kidney stones or other signs of vitamin D toxicity were observed.
"Vitamin D2 is effective in raising 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels when given in physiologic and pharmacologic doses and is a simple method to treat and prevent vitamin D deficiency," noted Dr Holick, who is a director of the General Clinical Research Unit and professor of medicine, physiology and biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine. "While treating and preventing vitamin D deficiency, these large doses of vitamin D2 do not lead to vitamin D toxicity," he concluded.
I just saw this article on the Life Extension website. I was shocked at the amount given. I ran to the kitchen to look at our bottle in case I was remembering something wrong about the dose. I sure wouldn't think it a good idea to take 50,000 IU's on your own but it certainly does raise a question with the measly amounts I was giving Joe. I remember HR saying a person might need 4000 I U's daily for a while to get the amounts up. I was afraid to give Joe that much with no medical supervision but it now looks like it certainly would have been ok . I think I will go ahead and up his vitamin D for the winter.
You have certainly given me something to think about this morning,
Ev
You have certainly given me something to think about this morning,
Ev
I will be curious to see how high the dose was. I gave my husband 2000 IU's before starting Tx but after 15 months with Alinia also in the mix, he was still not negative. I had given him 1000 IU's for about 8 months prior to treating and had him tested before starting and his vit D level was on the low end of the new normal. HR had explained at one time that LabCorp had changed their values to push up the amount of Vit D to put you in the normal range. Other labs at that time had not yet made the change . HR gave a strong suggestion on one of his posts that it would be a really good idea to get tested before starting. I wonder if more could have made any difference? Joe's viral load just stalled in the low hundreds and refused to go away. It should be noted that he has cirrhosis and had never even had the 2 log drop by 12 weeks in his 2 prior attempts. He did have better results than that this last time. You would think that the improvement was from Alinia but who knows? If he gets the opportunity to try again, it will be a P.I. and I will definitely pursue the vitamin D question.
Thanks for sharing this,
Ev
Thanks for sharing this,
Ev
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