Tag: vitamin D

Will vitamin D supplementation ameliorate diseases characterized by chronic inflammation and fatigue?

Abstract:

Chronic NF-κB activation has been supposed as a key event in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and many other better-defined pro-inflammatory diseases. Knowledge about the impact of deficiency vitamin D on chronic NF-κB activation could open a new disease approach. Whereas NF-κB activation leads at first to a pro-inflammatory immune response, later on a vitamin D-dependent anti-inflammatory response ensues. Binding of the active vitamin D metabolite 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) to vitamin D receptor (VDR) yields a transcription factor which represses NF-κB activation, and additionally modulates and down-regulates adaptive, but enhances innate immune responses, and improves redox balance, thus counterbalancing inflammation on multiple levels. However, this built-in late counterbalance against inflammation works only when stores of calcium and 25(OH)D(3) are abundant. Therefore a connection between lowered vitamin D-metabolism and persistent NF-κB activation, augmented nitrosative-oxidative stress, redox imbalance, chronic inflammation, and concomitant fatigue can be postulated. In order to confirm this hypothesis, randomized controlled clinical studies about the clinical effects of supplementation of calcium and vitamin D(3) would be necessary in diseases characterized by persistent NF-κB activation and chronic inflammation and fatigue.

Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

 

Source: Hoeck AD, Pall ML. Will vitamin D supplementation ameliorate diseases characterized by chronic inflammation and fatigue? Med Hypotheses. 2011 Feb;76(2):208-13. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2010.09.032. Epub 2010 Oct 25. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20980105

 

Tired with all those supplements?

A 37 year-old patient, who had a history of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), was referred to the Clinical Immunology clinic by her general practitioner (GP). Her chief complaint was of severe fatigue following a viral illness 3 months previously. Concerned by her slow recovery she had sought the advice of a private health professional, who performed a series of blood tests and told her that she had insufficient levels of several vitamins and recommended a variety of supplements. In addition to sertraline prescribed by her GP, she was taking eight nutritional supplements. Her weight was stable and she had no history of cough, night sweats, lymphadenopathy, abdominal pain, joint pain, skin rashes or change in bowel habit. Physical examination was unremarkable.

A worsening of her CFS was considered the likely reason for her increased fatigue, but a range of blood tests were requested to exclude other causes (Table 1). These showed a grossly elevated adjusted calcium (3.93 mmol/l), elevated phosphate (1.65 mmol/l) and high urea and creatinine (10.6 and 162 µmol/l, respectively) with normal alkaline phosphatase (48 u/l), and reduced parathyroid hormone (<5 pmol/l). Calcium and creatinine had been normal in blood processed by the laboratory 10 months previously (2.25 and 77 µmol/l, respectively). The patient was admitted under the care of the acute medical team and treated with intravenous fluids and 90 mg of intravenous pamidronate. Her creatinine normalized within a few days and serum calcium over 3 weeks (Figure 1).

You can read the rest of this report here: http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/104/6/531.long

 

Source: Manson AL1, Chapman N, Wedatilake Y, Balic M, Marway H, Seneviratne SL, Holloway P. Tired with all those supplements? QJM. 2011 Jun;104(6):531-4. doi: 10.1093/qjmed/hcq140. Epub 2010 Aug 13. http://qjmed.oxfordjournals.org/content/104/6/531.long (Full article)

 

Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in chronic fatigue syndrome: a retrospective survey

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) may be at risk of osteoporosis due to their relative lack of physical activity and excessive time spent indoors, leading to reduced vitamin D synthesis. We hypothesized that serum 25-OH vitamin D levels are lower in CFS patients than in the general British population.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective survey of serum 25-OH vitamin D levels in 221 CFS patients. We compared this to a group of patients attending the hospital for other chronic conditions and to a large British longitudinal survey of 45-year old women, using a variety of appropriate statistical approaches.

RESULTS: 25-OH vitamin D levels are moderately to severely suboptimal in CFS patients, with a mean of 44.4 nmol/L (optimal levels >75 nmol/L). These levels are lower and the difference is statistically significant (p<0.0004) than those of the general British population from a recent national survey, but similar to those in patients with other chronic conditions.

CONCLUSIONS: This data supports the recommendation made in recent NICE guidelines that all patients with moderate to severe CFS should be encouraged to obtain adequate sun exposure and eat foods high in vitamin D. Oral or intramuscular vitamin D supplementation should be considered for those whose levels remain suboptimal.

 

Source: Berkovitz S, Ambler G, Jenkins M, Thurgood S. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels in chronic fatigue syndrome: a retrospective survey. Int J Vitam Nutr Res. 2009 Jul;79(4):250-4. Doi: 10.1024/0300-9831.79.4.250. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20209476

 

Phosphate diabetes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Abstract:

Phosphate depletion is associated with neuromuscular dysfunction due to changes in mitochondrial respiration that result in a defect of intracellular oxidative metabolism. Phosphate diabetes causes phosphate depletion due to abnormal renal re-absorption of phosphate be the proximal renal tubule. Most of the symptoms presented by patients with phosphate diabetes such as myalgia, fatigue and mild depression, are also common in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, but this differential diagnosis has not been considered.

We investigated the possible association between chronic fatigue syndrome and phosphate diabetes in 87 patients who fulfilled the criteria for chronic fatigue syndrome. Control subjects were 37 volunteers, who explicitly denied fatigue and chronic illness on a screening questionnaire.

Re-absorption of phosphate by the proximal renal tubule, phosphate clearance and renal threshold phosphate concentration were the main outcome measures in both groups. Of the 87 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, nine also fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for phosphate diabetes.

In conclusion, we report a previously undefined relationship between chronic fatigue syndrome and phosphate diabetes. Phosphate diabetes should be considered in differential diagnosis with chronic fatigue syndrome; further studies are needed to investigate the incidence of phosphate diabetes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and the possible beneficial effect of vitamin D and oral phosphate supplements.

Comment in: Chronic fatigue syndrome. [Postgrad Med J. 1998]

 

Source: De Lorenzo F, Hargreaves J, Kakkar VV. Phosphate diabetes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Postgrad Med J. 1998 Apr;74(870):229-32. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2360873/ (Full article)