What is nitric oxide and
how does it work?
by Jason Clark, BSc,
MSc
What Is nitric oxide and how does it work?
Some people think it's the gas that makes us laugh at the dentist office. Some think it's the fuel racecar drivers use to speed up their cars. But it's neither. Nitric oxide is a molecule that our body produces to help its 50 trillion cells communicate with each other by transmitting signals throughout the entire body.
Some people think it's the gas that makes us laugh at the dentist office. Some think it's the fuel racecar drivers use to speed up their cars. But it's neither. Nitric oxide is a molecule that our body produces to help its 50 trillion cells communicate with each other by transmitting signals throughout the entire body.
Nitric oxide has
been shown to be important in the following cellular activities:
•
help memory and behavior by transmitting information between nerve cells in the
brain
• assist the immune system at fighting off bacteria and defending against tumors
• regulate blood pressure by dilating arteries
• reduce inflammation
• improve sleep quality
• increase your recognition of sense (i.e. smell)
• increase endurance and strength
• assist in gastric motility
• assist the immune system at fighting off bacteria and defending against tumors
• regulate blood pressure by dilating arteries
• reduce inflammation
• improve sleep quality
• increase your recognition of sense (i.e. smell)
• increase endurance and strength
• assist in gastric motility
There have been over
60,000 studies done on nitric oxide in the last 20 years and in 1998, The
Nobel Prize for Medicine was given to three scientists that discovered the
signaling role of nitric oxide.
Nitric oxide and heart disease
Nitric oxide has gotten the most attention due to its cardiovascular benefits. Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize, was prescribed nitroglycerin over 100 years ago by his doctor to help with his heart problems. He was skeptical, knowing nitroglycerin was used in dynamite, but this chemical helped with his heart condition. Little did he know nitroglycerin acts by releasing nitric oxide which relaxes narrowed blood vessels, increasing oxygen and blood flow.
Nitric oxide has gotten the most attention due to its cardiovascular benefits. Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Prize, was prescribed nitroglycerin over 100 years ago by his doctor to help with his heart problems. He was skeptical, knowing nitroglycerin was used in dynamite, but this chemical helped with his heart condition. Little did he know nitroglycerin acts by releasing nitric oxide which relaxes narrowed blood vessels, increasing oxygen and blood flow.
The interior surface
(endothelium) of your arteries produce nitric oxide. When plaque builds up in
your arteries, called atherosclerosis, you reduce your capacity to produce
nitric oxide, which is why physicians prescribe nitroglycerin for heart and
stroke patients.
Nitric oxide and erectile dysfunction
Viagra and other impotence medications work due to their action on the nitric oxide pathway. One cause of impotence is unhealthy and aged arteries that feed blood to the sexual organs. Viagra works by influencing enzymes in the nitric oxide pathway, causing a cascade of enzymatic reactions that enhance nitric oxide, causing more blood flow and better erections.
Viagra and other impotence medications work due to their action on the nitric oxide pathway. One cause of impotence is unhealthy and aged arteries that feed blood to the sexual organs. Viagra works by influencing enzymes in the nitric oxide pathway, causing a cascade of enzymatic reactions that enhance nitric oxide, causing more blood flow and better erections.
How to increase nitric oxide in your body
The most common way to increase nitric oxide is through exercise. When you run or lift weights, your muscles need more oxygen which is supplied by the blood. As the heart pumps with more pressure to supply the muscles with blood, the lining in your arteries releases nitric oxide into the blood, which relaxes and widens the vessel wall, allowing for more blood to pass though. As we age, our blood vessels and nitric oxide system become less efficient due to free radical damage, inactivity, and poor diet, causing our veins and arteries to deteriorate. Think of a fire hose as water rushes through it to put out a fire - it needs to expand enough to handle the pressure, still keeping enough force to put out the fire. Athletes and youth have the most optimal nitric oxide systems, reflecting their energy and resilience.
The most common way to increase nitric oxide is through exercise. When you run or lift weights, your muscles need more oxygen which is supplied by the blood. As the heart pumps with more pressure to supply the muscles with blood, the lining in your arteries releases nitric oxide into the blood, which relaxes and widens the vessel wall, allowing for more blood to pass though. As we age, our blood vessels and nitric oxide system become less efficient due to free radical damage, inactivity, and poor diet, causing our veins and arteries to deteriorate. Think of a fire hose as water rushes through it to put out a fire - it needs to expand enough to handle the pressure, still keeping enough force to put out the fire. Athletes and youth have the most optimal nitric oxide systems, reflecting their energy and resilience.
Another way to
increase nitric oxide is through diet, most notably by consuming the amino
acids L-arginine and L-citrulline. Arginine, which can be found in nuts,
fruits, meats and dairy, directly creates nitric oxide and citrulline inside
the cell (diagram 1).(6) Citrulline is then recycled back into arginine, making
even more nitric oxide. Enzymes that convert arginine to citrulline, and
citrulline to arginine need to function optimally for efficient nitric oxide
production. We can protect those enzymes and nitric oxide by consuming healthy
foods and antioxidants, like fruit, garlic, soy, vitamins C and E, Co-Q10, and
alpha lipoic acid, allowing you to produce more nitric oxide. Nitric oxide only
lasts a few seconds in the body, so the more antioxidant protection we provide,
the more stable it will be and the longer it will last. Doctors are utilizing
this science by coating stents (mesh tubes that prop open arteries after
surgery) with drugs that produce nitric oxide.
Nitric oxide for athletes and bodybuilders
Increasing nitric oxide has become the new secret weapon for athletes and bodybuilders. Athletes are now taking supplements with L-arginine and L-citrulline to support the flow of blood and oxygen to the skeletal muscle. They also use them to facilitate the removal of exercise-induced lactic acid build-up which reduces fatigue and recovery time. Since arginine levels become depleted during exercise, the entire arginine-nitric oxide - citrulline loop can lose efficiency, causing less-than-ideal nitric oxide levels and higher lactate levels. Supplements can help restore this loop allowing for better workouts and faster recovery from workouts.
Increasing nitric oxide has become the new secret weapon for athletes and bodybuilders. Athletes are now taking supplements with L-arginine and L-citrulline to support the flow of blood and oxygen to the skeletal muscle. They also use them to facilitate the removal of exercise-induced lactic acid build-up which reduces fatigue and recovery time. Since arginine levels become depleted during exercise, the entire arginine-nitric oxide - citrulline loop can lose efficiency, causing less-than-ideal nitric oxide levels and higher lactate levels. Supplements can help restore this loop allowing for better workouts and faster recovery from workouts.
With nitric oxide
deficiencies due to aging, inactivity, smoking, high cholesterol, fatty diets,
and lack of healthy foods, increasing your nitric oxide levels can help
increase your energy, vitality and overall wellness. The basic adage of eating
well and staying active all makes sense now.
WARNING: If you have an
existing heart condition or abnormal blood pressure, please consult your
healthcare professional before taking supplements to increase nitric oxide
levels.
References
1. Shinde UA, Mehta AA, Goyal RK. Nitric Oxide: a molecule of the millennium. Indian J Exp Biol 2000 Mar;38(3):201-10.
2. Furchgott RF, Ignarro LJ, Murad F. Discover concerning nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology 1998.
3. Guoyao W, Meininger CJ. Arginine Nutrition and Cardiovascular Function. J Nutr.2000;130: 2626-2629
4. Seidler M, Uckert S, Waldkirch E, Stief CG, Oelke M, Tsikas D, Sohn M, Jonas U. In vitro effects of a novel class of nitric oxide (NO) donating compounds on isolated human erectile tissue. Eur Urol. 2002 Nov;42(5):523-8
5. Taddei S, Virdis A, Ghiadoni L, Salvetti G, Bernini G, Magagna A, Salvetti A. Age-related reduction of NO availability and oxidative stress in humans. Hypertension. 2001 Aug;38(2):274-9.
6. Guoyao WU, Morris SM. Arginine Metabolism: nitric oxide and beyond. Biochem J 1998; 336:1-17
7. Tomasian D, Keaney JF, Vita JA Antioxidants and the bioactivity of endothelium-derived nitric oxide. Cardiovasc Res. 2000 Aug 18;47(3):426-35.
8. Wollin SD, Jones PJ. Alpha-lipoic acid and cardiovascular disease. J Nutr. 2003 Nov;133(11):3327-30 Guoyao W, Meininger CJ. Arginine Nutrition and Cardiovascular Function. J Nutr.2000;130: 2626-2629
9. Elam RP, et al. Effects of Arginine and Ornithine on Strength, Lean Body Mass and Urinary Hydroxyproline in Adult Males. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. Mar1989;29(1):52-56.
1. Shinde UA, Mehta AA, Goyal RK. Nitric Oxide: a molecule of the millennium. Indian J Exp Biol 2000 Mar;38(3):201-10.
2. Furchgott RF, Ignarro LJ, Murad F. Discover concerning nitric oxide as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology 1998.
3. Guoyao W, Meininger CJ. Arginine Nutrition and Cardiovascular Function. J Nutr.2000;130: 2626-2629
4. Seidler M, Uckert S, Waldkirch E, Stief CG, Oelke M, Tsikas D, Sohn M, Jonas U. In vitro effects of a novel class of nitric oxide (NO) donating compounds on isolated human erectile tissue. Eur Urol. 2002 Nov;42(5):523-8
5. Taddei S, Virdis A, Ghiadoni L, Salvetti G, Bernini G, Magagna A, Salvetti A. Age-related reduction of NO availability and oxidative stress in humans. Hypertension. 2001 Aug;38(2):274-9.
6. Guoyao WU, Morris SM. Arginine Metabolism: nitric oxide and beyond. Biochem J 1998; 336:1-17
7. Tomasian D, Keaney JF, Vita JA Antioxidants and the bioactivity of endothelium-derived nitric oxide. Cardiovasc Res. 2000 Aug 18;47(3):426-35.
8. Wollin SD, Jones PJ. Alpha-lipoic acid and cardiovascular disease. J Nutr. 2003 Nov;133(11):3327-30 Guoyao W, Meininger CJ. Arginine Nutrition and Cardiovascular Function. J Nutr.2000;130: 2626-2629
9. Elam RP, et al. Effects of Arginine and Ornithine on Strength, Lean Body Mass and Urinary Hydroxyproline in Adult Males. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. Mar1989;29(1):52-56.
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There are all kinds of supplements out there
that claim to build muscle faster, with nitric oxide supplements gaining a lot
of attention in particular. Men’s fitness magazines are touting nitric
oxide supplements as the way to lift heavier and even to prevent erectile
dysfunction, and while clinical results are proving that nitric oxide is
beneficial, most of these supplements aren’t the safest on the market.
Thankfully, there are far safer and natural ways to boost nitric oxide for a
better workout, sex, and heart health.
A gas naturally made by the body to aid in
neurotransmission, blood vessel dilation, reduction of blood pressure, and yes,
keeping the family jewels in working order, nitric oxide does provide numerous
benefits. Without sufficient nitric oxide, we can feel fatigued and worn
down. It has the ability to expand blood vessels for better blood flow, which
means more oxygen can reach the brain, heart, and other important organs. You
can go the supplement route, or you can just boost nitric oxide production in
the body naturally.
4 ways to Naturally
Boost Nitric Oxide:
§ 1. Eat more Beets, and
Beetroot – You can juice beets if
you don’t care for raw or cooked beets, but use organic and throw in the roots,
fruit, and even the leaves. Beets naturally boost the production of nitric
oxide in the body and help to support energy levels,
largely due to the large amount of nitrates found within the root vegetable.
Beetroot juice also supports immunity and helps to protect against cancer – two
of many health benefits of beetroot.
§ 2. Consume Hawthorn Extract – Hawthorn is
often used to prevent heart
disease because it prevents arterial walls form becoming coated with plaque,
acts as a calcium-channel blocker and helps the endothelial cells that line our
blood vessels to secrete nitric oxide.
§ 3. Exercise Every Day
– When you work harder
physically, the heart has to pump harder to supply oxygen to the body. The
additional pressure against the arterial walls – from more blood passing
through, causes more nitric oxide to be released.
§ 4. Eat more L-Arginine and L-Citrulline Amino Acids
– Nuts and fruits are the best vegetarian sources of these amino
acids, but they also exist in meat and dairy. However, the antioxidants in
fruits and nuts also protect the nitric oxide that is created by eating these
foods. Citrulline is recycled into L-arginine, which then produces more nitric
oxide.
While sports companies would have you believe
you have to take a fancy supplement to build more muscle, and your doctor will
tell you to take pharmaceutical drugs to prevent heart disease, you can just
boost your body’s own production of nitric oxide, and enjoy some better sex
while you are at it.
For more tips, check out these 10 high energy foods.
Additional Sources:
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New Study Finds Sunlight Boosts Nitric Oxide
Production
July
15, 2013 | 231,742 views
By Dr. Mercola
By now, you are probably aware
I am a strong proponent of sun exposure and its many health benefits. Most of
those benefits come from the boost in vitamin D, but a new UK study suggests
sunlight’s benefits extend far beyond vitamin D.
In fact, exposure to the sun
may be one of the most important steps you can take in preventing heart disease
and stroke. Scientists at the University of Edinburgh discovered that when
sunlight touches your skin, nitric oxide is released into your bloodstream,1 and
nitric oxide is a powerful blood pressure lowering compound.
Researchers have concluded sun
exposure may even prolong your life by significantly cutting your heart
attack/stroke risk. The abstract for the study was published online in the Journal
of Investigative Dermatology on April 15, 2013.2
The Edinburgh researchers mentioned an absolutely stunning
statistic. For every one skin cancer death in northern Europe, between 60 and
100 people die from stroke or heart disease, related to hypertension.
Knowing that your risk of dying
from heart disease or stroke is 80 times greater on average
than from skin cancer really puts it in perspective.3 While
higher vitamin D levels also correlate with lower rates of cardiovascular
disease, oral vitamin D supplements do not appear to benefit blood pressure,
and this latest study may be telling us why.
Researcher Richard Weller stated:
"We suspect that the
benefits to heart health of sunlight will outweigh the risk of skin cancer. The
work we have done provides a mechanism that might account for this, and also
explains why dietary vitamin D supplements alone will not be able to compensate
for lack of sunlight."
You Are My Sunshine
Research is illuminating a forever-growing list of sunlight’s
health benefits. This isn’t really surprising when you consider the fact that
we evolved hunting and foraging under the sun.
This team of researchers found
that your body's production of nitric oxide is separate from its production of vitamin D, so it follows that there are
two completely separate sets of benefits. Until now, increased vitamin D had
been thought to be the sole explanation for the sun's health benefits, but it
appears from these latest findings that vitamin D is only one part of the
story.4
Besides the benefits derived
from increased vitamin D, the sun also provides relief from a wide variety of
health problems from mechanisms separate from vitamin D. For a
comprehensive overview, refer to our previous article on thesun’s benefits,
but here are just a few:
·
Improved mood and energy levels through the release of endorphins
·
Better melatonin regulation and synchronization of your biorhythms
·
Suppression of the symptoms of fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis
·
Treating skin diseases (including psoriasis, vitiligo, atopic dermatitis,
and scleroderma) and antibiotic-resistant
infections, such as MRSA
·
Treating tuberculosis, neonatal jaundice, and possibly T cell
lymphoma
Why Care About Nitric Oxide?
The researchers found that sunlight triggers your skin’s
production of nitric oxide. Why is this significant? Because nitric oxide is
crucial for maintaining healthy blood pressure, helps prevent atherosclerosis,
and plays a role in modulating immune system function.
Your skin contains large stores
of nitrite and nitrate, but only the nitrite is biologically active. Sunlight
appears to prompt conversion of nitrate to nitrite and nitric oxide (NO).
Please don't confuse nitric oxide (NO) with nitrous
oxide(N2O) or "laughing gas," the anesthetic gas used by
dentists.
Nitric oxide is such an important compound that it was dubbed “Molecule of the Year” by Science magazine in 1992, followed by the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine for its discovery as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. Your blood vessels require the amino acid L-arginine for the synthesis of nitric oxide, since L-arginine is its precursor in your body.
Nitric oxide is such an important compound that it was dubbed “Molecule of the Year” by Science magazine in 1992, followed by the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine for its discovery as a signaling molecule in the cardiovascular system. Your blood vessels require the amino acid L-arginine for the synthesis of nitric oxide, since L-arginine is its precursor in your body.
By helping to regulate your blood pressure, nitric oxide enhances
blood flow. Nitric oxide signals the smooth muscle cells in your blood vessels
to relax so that your vessels dilate and your blood flows more freely, which
helps your arteries stay free of plaque. When you have inadequate nitric oxide,
your risk for coronary artery disease increases.
If your blood is flowing freely, then nearly every physiological
process will function better. If your blood is sluggish, then important cells
and nutrients can't reach the areas that need them. It's like getting the tow
truck to the scene of the accident… no tow truck means no repairs.
Not only is nitric oxide important in regulating blood pressure,
it also functions as a signaling molecule in your brain and immune system.
Besides sitting in the sun, you can increase your nitric oxide levels with a
few natural supplements and techniques:
·
Calcium and magnesium rich foods and supplements, and vitamins C
and E
·
Olive extract
·
Bitter melon
·
Electrical acupuncture
·
Taking a warm bath, or by breathing in and out through one nostril
(close off the other nostril and your mouth)
Uncontrolled High Blood Pressure, the SILENT
Killer
According to the CDC, high blood
pressure is the second greatest public health threat in the US.
According to the CDC, 36 million people in the US have uncontrolled high blood
pressure, and 14 million of them don’t even know it—quite alarming considering
uncontrolled high blood pressure can be deadly when it results in a heart
attack or stroke. But insufficient nitric oxide is just one factor contributing
to the high blood pressure epidemic.
High blood pressure is
associated with insulin and leptin resistance and elevated uric acid levels.
One of the things driving up uric acid levels is overconsumption of fructose,
and to a lesser degree, grains, beer and caffeine. Fructose breaks down into a
variety of waste products, one of which is uric acid.
Uric acid drives up your blood pressure by inhibiting nitric oxide in your
blood vessels. In fact, 17 out of 17 studies demonstrate that elevated uric
acid levels lead to hypertension.
According to the latest research, the safest range for uric acid
is between 3 and 5.5 milligrams per deciliter, and there appears to be a steady
relationship between uric acid levels and blood pressure and cardiovascular
risk, even down to the range of 3 to 4 mg/dl. The ideal uric acid level appears
to be around 4 mg/dl for men and 3.5 mg/dl for women.
Don’t Believe Everything You Hear About
Melanoma
Melanoma is the most lethal
form of skin cancer. However, your risk of dying from it pales in comparison to
your risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, as discussed earlier. And the
rates of melanoma so
often quoted by government officials may be grossly inflated, based
on recent data.
A report in the Journal
of the American Academy of Dermatology5 claims
that 90 percent of melanoma surgeries are actually unnecessary removals of
benign lesions and not melanoma at all, raising questions about the accuracy of
the “melanoma epidemic.” The lead author of the report attributed the
unnecessary excisions to an increased awareness by patients who see anti-sun
promotions, such as "melanoma awareness" campaigns, and worriedly run
into clinics demanding treatment. The report highlights the necessity of
getting a second, and perhaps even a third opinion from a specialized clinic
before going under the scalpel.
Unfortunately, what this means
is that, while the melanoma epidemic appears to be real if you
go by surgical statistics, those stats actually paint a misleading picture if
90 percent of "melanoma cases" are not really melanoma! Sensible
exposure to UVB light (adequate exposure without allowing your skin to burn)
may actually protect you from melanoma, whereas UVA radiation
is associated with skin damage. For example, indoor workers actually have a
higher risk ofmelanoma than
outdoor workers, suggesting that chronic sun exposure may indeed
have a protective effect.
Melanoma studies are just now
beginning to look at variables such as gender and affected body area. For
example, one new Journal of Investigative Dermatology study
found differences in skin cancer distribution patterns between men and women6.
We need many more studies such as this before we can draw definitive
conclusions about how the sun can increase—or decrease—your risk.
Basic Tips for Maintaining a Healthy Heart
Sunlight will provide enormous health benefits with respect to
increasing your nitric oxide production, enhancing your vitamin D levels, and
helping regulate your blood pressure, which in turn will reduce your overall
cardiovascular risk. But you cannot stop there! You must also address other
diet and lifestyle factors, starting with the basics.
·
Proper Food Choices
For a comprehensive guide about which foods to eat and which to
avoid, see my comprehensive nutrition plan. Generally
speaking, you should focus your diet on whole, ideally organic, unprocessed
foods that come from healthy, sustainable and preferably local sources. For the
highest nutritional benefit, eat a good portion of your food raw.
Most people (although there are clearly individual differences)
should strive for a diet high in healthful fats (as high as 50-70 percent of
the calories you eat), moderate amounts of high quality protein, and abundant
vegetables. Non-vegetable carbohydrates should be a fairly minimal part of your
diet. Sugar,
and fructose in
particular, can act as a toxin when consumed in excess, driving multiple
disease processes in your body including insulin resistance, diabetes,
cardiovascular disease, and systemic inflammation.
·
High-Quality Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats
If you want to increase your overall health and energy level and
prevent health conditions like heart disease, cancer, depression, Alzheimer's,
and a host of other diseases, one of the most important strategies at your
disposal is increasing your intake of omega-3 fats and reducing your intake of
processed omega-6 fats. An animal-based
omega-3 fat like krill oil is incredibly good for your heart
and brain.
·
Comprehensive Exercise Program, including High-Intensity Exercise
Even if you're eating the best diet in the world, you still need
to exercise—and exercise effectively—if you wish to optimize your health. You
should include core-strengthening exercises, strength training, and the right
kind of stretching, as well as high-intensity “burst” type activities. Consider
combining this with intermittent
fasting to supercharge your metabolism.
·
Optimize Your Vitamin D
The important factor when it comes to vitamin D is your serum
level, which should ideally be between 50-70 ng/ml year-round, and the only way
to determine this is with a blood test. Sun exposure or a safe tanning bed is
the preferred method, but a vitamin D3 supplement can be used when necessary.
According to the latest research, most adults need about 8,000 IU's of vitamin
D per day to achieve serum levels of about 40 ng/ml.
If you take supplemental vitamin D, you also need to make sure
you're getting enough vitamin K2,
as these two nutrients work in tandem to ensure calcium is distributed into the
proper areas in your body. Vitamin K2 deficiency is actually what produces the
symptoms of vitamin D toxicity, which includes inappropriate calcification that
can lead to hardening of your arteries. Fermented vegetables can be a great
source of vitamin K2 if you ferment your own using the proper starter culture.
Gouda and Edam cheese are also good sources.
·
Stress Reduction and Emotional Housekeeping
Your emotional state plays a role in nearly every physical
disease, from heart disease to depression to cancer, and yet it’s the factor
most often neglected. Stress has a direct impact on inflammation, which
underlies many of the chronic diseases that kill people prematurely every day.
Meditation, prayer, energy psychology tools, such asEmotional Freedom Techniques (EFT), and yoga
are all viable options that can help you relieve stress and clear out hidden
emotional blocks.
·
Avoid as Many Chemicals, Toxins, and Pollutants as Possible
This includes tossing out your toxic household
cleaners, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug
sprays, pesticides and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them
with non-toxic
alternatives.
·
Earthing,
or Grounding Yourself to the Earth
When walking barefoot on the earth, free electrons transfer from
the ground into your body through the soles of your feet. These free electrons
are some of the most potent antioxidants known to man. Experiments have shown
that these electrons decrease pain and inflammation, improve heart rate,
promote sound sleep, and make your blood less viscous, which has a beneficial
impact on cardiovascular health.
Lack of grounding due to widespread use of rubber or plastic-soled
shoes has contributed to the rise of modern diseases by allowing chronic
inflammation to proliferate unchecked. So the more you can walk barefoot on the
ground, the better. Ideal locations are the beach, close to or in the water,
and on dewy grass. If you spend much time indoors, you may want to consider
investing in an Earthing mat.
How Vitamin D Performance Testing Can Help
Optimize Your Health
A robust and growing
body of research clearly shows that vitamin D is absolutely critical for good
health and disease prevention. Vitamin D affects your DNA through vitamin D
receptors (VDRs), which bind to specific locations of the human genome.
Scientists have identified nearly 3,000 genes that
are influenced by vitamin D levels, and vitamin D receptors have been found
throughout the human body.
Is it any wonder then
that no matter what disease or condition is investigated, vitamin D appears to
play a crucial role? This is why I am so excited about the D*Action Project by GrassrootsHealth. It is showing how
you can take action today on known science with a consensus of experts without
waiting for institutional lethargy. It has shown how by combining the science
of measurement (of vitamin D levels) with the personal choice of taking action
and, the value of education about individual measures that one can truly be in
charge of their own health.
In order to spread this health movement to more
communities, the project needs your involvement. This was an ongoing campaign
during the month of February, and will become an annual event.
To participate, simply
purchase the D*Action Measurement Kit and follow the registration
instructions included. (Please note that 100 percent of the proceeds from the
kits go to fund the research project. I do not charge a single dime as a
distributor of the test kits.)
As a participant, you agree to test your vitamin
D levels twice a year during a five-year study, and share your health status to
demonstrate the public health impact of this nutrient. There is a $65 fee every
six months for your sponsorship of this research project, which includes a test
kit to be used at home, and electronic
reports on your ongoing progress. You will get a follow up email every six
months reminding you "it's time for your next test and health
survey."
