No More Heart Disease » Heart Disease

Endothelial Health!

Dan Hammer — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:21:17 +0000

Endothelial Health Webinar

According to ABC News, 45% of the American adult population is at significant risk for heart and cardiovascular disease. This is at an all time high and it centers on three major areas: High Blood Pressure, Cholesterol Concerns, and Diabetes

Staggering numbers that also offer great hope when you understand that there is one common factor to all of these diseases. That common factor is your cardiovascular system. While most people concentrate on your heart as the central focus of cardiovascular health, I’m here to tell you that there is another organ that is equally important, and some believe even more important, than your heart.

The Importance of Endothelial Health!

Unfortunately, most people have never heard of this organ. Yet the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how this organ produces a gas that actually regulates your entire cardiovascular system. The organ is called the Endothelium and the gas is Nitric Oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. This health information webinar will teach you how to effectively nourish your endothelium for proper nitric oxide production, which has the potential to significantly improve cardiovascular health.

Endothelial Health Is Key To Good Health!

You must learn how to properly nourish your endothelium – the largest secreting organ in your entire body – if you want to improve your cardiovascular health and overall wellness. Watch the above YouTube video to learn how and why! Over the next couple of days I’ll be posting additional webinars showing you specifically how endothelial health affects high blood pressure, cholesterol concerns, and diabetes. Even cognitive function is effected by endothelial health.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicago area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about endothelial health has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Lipoic Acid and Cardiovascular Health!

Dan Hammer — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 20:12:45 +0000

In researching information about endothelial cell health and function I stumbled across information regarding lipoic acid and cardiovascular health. Sometimes referred to as alpha lipoic acid this vital “co-factor” for enzymatic reactions is critically important for optimizing energy conversion in your mitochondria.

What are Mitochondria?

These are the energy factories of your cells and play a huge role in the aging process. At least in theory. First proposed in 1972 by Denman Harman, the mitochondrial theory on aging centers on accumulated damage to the DNA of mitochondria. This leads to increased free radical stress coupled with a decrease in cellular energy production.

So how does this relate to lipoic acid and cardiovascular health?

Researchers have been working to delay mitochondrial aging through a variety of nutrients. One of those nutrients is lipoic acid and the following benefits have been noted:

Lipoic acid helps to optimize mitochondria function and reverses cell aging.
Lipoic acid may help to prevent cardiovascular disease, obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetic complications.
Lipoic acid protects against nerve and brain cell damage.

It was the “may help to prevent cardiovascular disease” that caught my attention. Further investigation led me to a couple of important insights about lipoic acid and cardiovascular health.

The Connection Between Lipoic Acid and Cardiovascular Health!

One of the recent discoveries shows how lipoic acid enhances the effects of insulin. This benefits glucose metabolism by lowering blood sugar levels. This has two potential effects on cardiovascular health. First, it reduces the potential for oxidative stress or damage to the endothelium. Second, it reduces the potential for the pathological cross-linking of glucose and protein to form Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs). These AGEs have been shown to accelerate many of the aging processes, especially those associated with cardiovascular disease.

Research is also showing how lipoic acid suppresses the production of inflammatory cell-signaling molecules. This helps to protect the endothelium, which lines all of your cardiovascular system, from plaque formations. It’s these plaque formations that lead to the disease process know as atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis results in the narrowing of the vascular opening, which leads to an increased risk for strokes and heart attacks.

The following risk factors lead to atherosclerosis: high levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL or Bad Cholesterol), smoking, high blood sugar levels, and high blood pressure. All of these factors cause direct damage to the endothelium leading to inflammation and the potential for plaque formations.

We’ve already seen how lipoic acid can help reduce high blood sugar levels to prevent oxidative damage to the endothelium. Research also shows how lipoic acid lowers total cholesterol and LDL or bad cholesterol. Both of these actions help to reduce the size and number of potential atherosclerotic plaque formations.

Additionally, lipoic acid enhances the effectiveness of endothelial nitric oxide synthase or eNOS. That’s a long word for the enzyme that the endothelium uses to create nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Nitric oxide keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together to prevent strokes and heart attacks. Nitric oxide also relaxes the smooth muscle of the vascular wall to keep your blood pressure in a normal range. Thus, nitric oxide is the body’s natural pathway for the prevention of high blood pressure.

When you add it all up, lipoic acid’s antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-lowering capabilities make it an ideal nutritional supplement to help protect the endothelium while enhancing the endothelium’s ability to properly produce nitric oxide. All of this results in helping to improve blood flow while reducing the risk for cardiovascular disease. This is why there is a deep connection between lipoic acid and cardiovascular health.

How to Supplement to Obtain the Benefits of Lipoic Acid and Cardiovascular Health!

The consumption of lipoic acid can occur naturally if we choose the right types of food. If you’re looking for animal sources rich in lipoic acid then you need to choose those organs that are high in metabolic activity such as the heart, liver, and kidney. I don’t know about you but I’ve never eaten any of these sources and I don’t ever want to. If you’re not into organ consumption, then steak would be another good option but the leaner the cut the better.

Another alternative is to choose plant based sources like spinach, broccoli, tomato, garden peas, brussels sprouts, and rice bran. These are better food sources since they also help you with other antioxidant properties, which can make a big difference in the aging process.

If you choose to use supplementation to obtain additional lipoic acid then make sure you use the “Right” form of lipoic acid. Lipoic acid comes in what are termed “mirror image” forms labeled “R” and “S.” Only the “R” form is produced and used by the body. However, inexpensive chemical manufacturing will produce equal amounts of “R” and “S” lipoic acid, which is then packaged as either “R/S Lipoic Acid” or “Alpha Lipoic Acid.”

Product manufacturers now have newer precision techniques that allow for the pure “R” lipoic acid to be produced. This has a much higher potency and in many cases it provides twice the active ingredient as you would find in alpha lipoic acid. If you decide to supplement then make sure that you choose a manufacturer that provides you with only the active “R” molecule. This will allow you to use a lower dose and get better results.

A growing trend among cardiac surgeons is the recommendation of lipoic acid and CoQ10 prior to surgery. The thought process is that these two substances help to protect delicate blood vessels during the surgery. The preliminary result has been improved physical and mental quality of life that can last up to a month or more after surgery. Hopefully, these same cardiac surgeons will begin to understand the importance of nourishing the endothelium with the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline for improved nitric oxide production and endothelial cell health. This is critically important since the endothelium is involved in wound healing.

If you want to reduce your risk for multiple cardiovascular risk factors then you need to seriously consider lipoic acid. Not only can it be a benefit to cardiovascular health but emerging research shows it to be beneficial to diabetic health, brain health, and a potential anti-cancer help. And, if you want more information on the connection between lipoic acid and cardiovascular health, then I please click here for an article written by the Healthy Fellow.

Together we can work to save a million lives by sharing this information about lipoic acid and cardiovascular health!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about lipoic acid and cardiovascular health has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Walnuts and Heart Health!

Dan Hammer — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:12:12 +0000

Who would have thought there could be a connection between walnuts and heart health. Yet recent research shows that not only is there a strong connection between walnuts and heart health but that this connection also benefits the endothelium, which lines and regulates your cardiovascular system.

If you’ve been following my articles you know that I’m a firm believer in endothelial health and function for improved cardiovascular health. Now organizations like WebMD and Life Extension are highlighting the benefits of walnuts and heart health. Here are excerpts from recent publications from these two outstanding organizations.

What WebMD Says About Walnuts and Heart Health!

“Walnuts are the No. 1 nut for heart health, says a researcher who presented his findings Sunday at the American Chemical Society annual meeting. That’s because walnuts were found to have more antioxidants – and better-quality antioxidants – than other popular nuts tested, says Joe Vinson, PhD, a researcher at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania.”

According to Dr. Vinson, “Twenty-eight grams of walnuts (an ounce) have more antioxidants than the sum of what the average person gets from fruits and vegetables.”

According to Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center, “Studies show that walnuts improve cardiac risk factors and enhance blood flow.”

Click here to read the complete WebMD March 28, 2011 article entitled “Walnut May be Top Nut for Heart Health”

What Life Extension Says About Walnuts and Heart Health!

In the August 2011 issue of Life Extension, William Faloon discusses the health impact of walnuts in his editorial entitled “FDA
Says Walnuts Are Illegal Drugs!” Specific to walnuts and heart health, William Faloon had this to say:

“The March 4, 1993, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine published the first clinical study showing significant reductions in dangerous LDL and improvement in the lipoprotein profile in response to moderate consumption of walnuts. Later studies revealed that walnuts improve endothelial function in ways that are independent of cholesterol reduction.

One study published by the American Heart Association journal Circulation on April 6, 2004, showed a 64% improvement in a measurement of endothelial function when walnuts were substituted for other fats in a Mediterranean diet.

As most Life Extension members are aware, the underlying cause of atherosclerosis is progressive endothelial dysfunction. Walnuts contain a variety of nutrients including arginine, polyphenols, and omega-3s that support the inner arterial lining and guard against abnormal platelet aggregation. These favorable biological effects explain why walnut consumption confers protection against coronary artery disease.

The US National Library of Medicine database contains no fewer than 35 peer-reviewed published papers supporting a claim that ingesting walnuts improves vascular health and may reduce heart attack risk.”

For the complete editorial by William Faloon from the August 2011 issue of Life Extension please click here.

Walnuts and Heart Health – An Ideal Snack!

Given the above information it makes sense to use walnuts as a heart healthy snack. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture an ounce of walnuts contains 185 calories, 4 grams of protein, nearly 2 grams of fiber, and 18 grams of “heart-healthy” fat.

The most popular snack in America is potato chips. According to the Fat Secret website one ounce of potato chips contains 155 calories, 1.86 grams of protein, 1.2 grams of fiber, and 10.6 grams of fat.

Comparing the two snacks, walnuts are going to give you twice as much protein, almost twice as much fiber, and healthy fats that benefit cardiovascular health. Plus the extra protein and fiber will help to hold your appetite over a longer period of time. This will result in better energy and less hunger going into your next meal.

I also want to thank Life Extension for confirming what I’ve been talking about for a very long period of time. According to William Faloon of Life Extension, “the underlying cause of atherosclerosis is progressive endothelial dysfunction.” Atherosclerosis is the development of plaque formations in the interior of the vascular system leading to a narrowing of the vascular pathway. This can reduce blood flow and increase the potential for blood clots to form. It’s one of the major contributing factors for cardiovascular disease.

Implementing a nutrition program that nourishes and supports a healthy endothelium is critically important to your overall health and wellness. Your nutritional program needs to increase your endothelium’s ability to properly produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.

As the saying goes “an apple a day will keep the doctor away”. Well, maybe “an ounce of walnuts a day will keep the cardiovascular surgeon away!” Don’t minimize the value of walnuts and heart health. They could help reduce your risk for the number one killer of men and women worldwide, which is cardiovascular disease.

Together we can work to save a million lives by teaching people about walnuts and heart health benefits!

Dan Hammer

Dan Hammer has a background in biology, chemistry, and exercise physiology. He used to run one of the largest health club operations in the Chicagoland area and has been helping people with their wellness issues for more than 25 years.

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about walnuts and heart health contained in this article has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Nitric Oxide Foods!

Dan Hammer — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:39:20 +0000

Nitric Oxide Molecule

The core of a good cardiovascular program is learning how to choose nitric oxide foods and supplements that will enhance your endothelium’s ability to create nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Just in this first line I introduced you to several key physiological terms that will absolutely reduce your risk for heart disease if you know how to maximize the benefits of nitric oxide foods.

Let’s start with your endothelium. This organ is now considered to be the largest secreting organ in your body. Unfortunately, most people have never heard of it, yet your endothelium lines all of your cardiovascular system. The inside of your heart, arteries, and veins are all lined by this one-celled thick organ. Your capillaries are just extensions of your endothelium. Most vascular researchers today believe that your endothelium ultimately controls most of your cardiovascular system. And one of its functions is to take nitric oxide foods and convert them into nitric oxide.

Nitric oxide is your body’s most powerful vasodilator. This means that it relaxes the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to properly control your blood pressure. Nitric oxide is a short-lived gas that contains a single nitrogen and oxygen atom that, when combined together, act as a signaling molecule. A signaling molecule is used by your body to cause something else to occur. In addition to helping you maintain a normal blood pressure, your cardiovascular system uses nitric oxide to keep your blood platelet cells from sticking together to prevent strokes and heart attacks. Nitric oxide is also used to heal and repair damage to the endothelium.

But it doesn’t end there. Your nervous system uses nitric oxide as a neurotransmitter to transmit impulses between nerve cells. Your immune system uses nitric oxide to destroy infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, and tumors. In fact there is not a cell, tissue, or organ in your body that is not directly or indirectly impacted by nitric oxide. You could not live without it and the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelium produces this life-saving and live-enhancing gas called nitric oxide.

Given this information wouldn’t it make sense to learn which nitric oxide foods will nourish your endothelium for improved nitric oxide production?

Nitric Oxide Foods – What Are They?

When we look at nitric oxide foods we’re looking for foods that contain the amino acids L-arginine and L-citrulline. Technically speaking your endothelium uses L-arginine to create nitric oxide. The reason why I include L-citrulline is because this amino acid will recycle L-arginine to turbo charge your production of nitric oxide. We’ll talk about this in just a little bit.

To help you better understand which foods are good nitric oxide foods I’ve created a popular YouTube video. Just click here to watch! For those who would prefer to read let me share the following information:

Most research indicates that for you to receive a therapeutic benefit from L-arginine you need to consume at least 5 grams of this amino acid at one time. So I selected 4 nitric oxide foods that I thought would be common food choices. I did the math conversions to look at how much of these nitric oxide foods you would need to eat to take in 5 grams of L-arginine. I also looked at the number of calories and grams of fat it would bring into your body. Peanuts provide the smallest quantity of food but they pack on 70 grams of fat and 918 calories. Beans, tuna, or chicken breasts are your better choices but you would need to consume at least:

one can of beans or
two cans of tuna or
almost 1 pound of chicken to get a therapeutic benefit.

The other amino acid is L-citrulline. There is not much of a choice in nitric oxide foods for this amino acid. Watermelon is your one and only good food choice. Unfortunately, 60% of the L-citrulline is contained in the rind portion of the watermelon which most people never eat. You would have to eat over a pound of watermelon to get even close to the amount of L-citrulline your body would need for a therapeutic benefit.

When people realize all the food they need to eat, and the limited menu they have to choose from, they begin to ask the question:

Is it better to get these critical amino acids through nitric oxide foods or supplementation?

Comparing costs between nitric oxide foods and supplementation, your total daily food cost could range from $2.50 to $7.00 depending on whether it’s organic or processed food. Your supplement cost is usually around $2.00 or less.

So supplementation costs you less and doesn’t have the added concern of fat grams and calories to your diet. You just need to make sure you choose a good supplement company because the quality of the L-arginine and L-citrulline makes a huge difference. To help you better understand this please click on my YouTube video.

How Long Will Nitric Oxide Foods Provide a Benefit?

Now, I need to make one more important point about nitric oxide foods and supplements as it applies to these two amino acids.

When you bring in a therapeutic level of L-arginine, it typically results in a 30 minute to 2 hour window of improved nitric oxide production. When you combine your L-arginine with L-citrulline, you increase this therapeutic production of nitric oxide to 24 to 36 hours. This has huge health benefits in helping you to control your blood pressure and repairing the damage done to the endothelium.

This is so important that the 1998 Nobel Laureate Dr. Louis J. Ignarro had this to say in his 2005 bestseller NO More Heart Disease:

“Any supplement program that does not contain L-citrulline and antioxidants to augment the L-arginine – and most on the market do not – is missing out on a major piece of the potential of nitric oxide to improve your cardiovascular health.”

Learning how to properly nourish, heal, and support your endothelium through proper nitric oxide foods and supplements is a much more cost effective way in reducing the risk factors for cardiovascular disease. This is especially important for those who have high blood pressure. Since 33 percent of the American adult population has high blood pressure, and 25 percent are in the pre-hypertensive condition, choosing nitric oxide foods and supplements could be a tremendous health strategy for the prevention of heart disease.

Together we can work to save a million lives by teaching them the benefits of nitric oxide foods!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about nitric oxide foods has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Nitric Oxide and Cardiovascular Health!

Dan Hammer — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:35:27 +0000

If you want to improve your overall health, and the health of your loved ones, then you need to understand the relationship between nitric oxide and cardiovascular health. It’s absolutely critical because you could not live without nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.
You’ve most likely never been counseled by your physician about the importance of nitric oxide and cardiovascular health. Yet there is an overwhelming amount of research that validates the tremendous role nitric oxide plays in your body. Here is just a sample of several prominent physicians and researchers with their comments about nitric oxide and cardiovascular health:

Dr. John Cooke – Director of Vascular Medicine at Stanford University and author of the book, The Cardiovascular Cure:

“This book will introduce you to the magic that is inside your blood vessels. It comes in the shape of a molecule, one of the simplest molecules found in nature. This molecule is nitric oxide, or NO, a substance so powerful that it can actually protect you from heart attack and stroke. Best of all, your body can make it on its own. NO is your body’s own built-in, natural protection against heart disease.”

Dr. Louis J. Ignarro – 1998 Nobel Laureate in Medicine and author of the book, NO More Heart Disease:

“Though NO’s structure is simple, nitric oxide is now regarded as the most significant molecule in the body, absolutely crucial to your well-being. I am convinced that nitric oxide can age-proof your cardiovascular system, keeping it much fitter than your chronological age would indicate.”

“Repairing the damage wrought by cardiovascular disease without risky and often ineffective surgery had long been considered impossible. I was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for making that thinking obsolete. Now we know we can reverse cardiovascular impairment naturally – with the body’s internally manufactured ‘wonder drug,’ nitric oxide.”

Dr. Jonathan S. Stamler – Professor of Medicine at Duke University Medical Center:

“It does everything, everywhere. You cannot name a major cellular response or physiological effect in which [nitric oxide] is not implicated today. It’s involved in complex behavioral changes in the brain, airway relaxation, beating of the heart, dilation of blood vessels, regulation of intestinal movement, function of blood cells, the immune system, even how fingers and arms move.”

Three of the most prominent doctors in America all talking about the importance of nitric oxide and cardiovascular health. How this amazing molecule plays such a significant role in your overall health. The production of nitric oxide is a vital function of your endothelium, which lines all of your cardiovascular system. In fact, the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelial cells produce nitric oxide from the amino acid L-Arginine. Since its discovery much has been learned about nitric oxide. For example:

Nitric oxide regulates the muscle tone of blood vessels to have a major impact on controlling blood pressure.
Nitric oxide stops blood platelet cells from grouping together in a clot to help prevent blockages in the blood vessels.
Nitric oxide controls the action of almost every orifice from swallowing to defecation.
Nitric oxide helps the immune system fight viral, bacterial and parasitic infections as well as tumors.
Nitric oxide causes penile erections by dilating blood vessels to help in erectile dysfunction.
Nitric oxide transmits messages between nerve cells.
Nitric oxide seems to be associated with the process of learning, memory, sleeping, feeling pain, and maybe even depression.
Nitric oxide has been shown to be a mediator in inflammation and rheumatism.
Nitric oxide promotes vascular reparative mechanisms when injury occurs. It is one of the keys to reversing atherosclerosis.

To help you understand the significance of nitric oxide and cardiovascular health, let’s focus on two key cardiovascular issues.

Nitric Oxide and Cardiovascular Health – High Blood Pressure!

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 31.3 percent of the U.S. adult population has high blood pressure. That represents almost one out of every three adults. Add to this fact that another 25 percent of American adults have prehypertension – blood pressure numbers that are higher than normal, but not yet in the high blood pressure range – and you have over half the American adult population affected by this cardiovascular disease.

This represents a staggering cost in human life and a significant financial drain. In 2006, high blood pressure was listed as the primary or contributing cause of death for 326,000 Americans. The estimated cost in 2010 for health care services, medications, and missed days of work was $76.6 billion.

The typical treatment program for most people with high blood pressure can be a combination of diet, exercise, stress management techniques, and medication. For many who opt for the medication route, it’s estimated that 26 percent still do not have their hypertension under control. Since many medications also have some form of side effect it can be a frustrating journey trying to get your blood pressure under control.

Enhancing the body’s ability to produce nitric oxide is seldom considered yet Nobel Prize Laureate in Medicine Dr. Louis Ignarro makes the following statement regarding nitric oxide and cardiovascular health:

“More effective than any other factor in the body, nitric oxide can dilate the smooth muscle of the blood vessels. With this dilation, the vessels can relax and allow blood to flow easily through them – and quite possibly lower the blood pressure.”

Nitric oxide is the body’s most powerful vasodilator and causes the smooth muscle of the vascular wall to relax. This regulates your blood pressure and the health of your endothelium controls this process. Properly nourishing and repairing your endothelium so that it can properly produce nitric oxide is a natural way to help maintain normal blood pressure.

Nitric Oxide and Cardiovascular Health – Strokes and Heart Attacks!

When you have a blood clot that causes a blockage in the brain we call it a stroke and when that blockage occurs in the heart it’s called a heart attack. According to the American Heart Association’s website 87 percent of all strokes are ischemic strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot forms in the bloodstream. This blood clot then lodges within an artery of the brain causing a blockage. This blockage reduces the necessary blood flow to that section of the brain leading to damage or death to those brain cells. The amount of damage determines the severity of the stroke. This same scenario applies to your heart. Add to this the following statistics:

77% of Americans treated for a first stroke had high blood pressure!
69% of Americans who experienced a first heart attack had high blood pressure!

As you can see the prevention of strokes and heart attacks really centers on addressing high blood pressure and reducing the potential for the formation of blood clots. Your body does this naturally through nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Nitric oxide causes two very specific events or reactions to occur.

Nitric oxide keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together. This helps to prevent blood clots from occurring in the vascular system, thereby reducing the risk for strokes and heart attacks.

Nitric oxide is your body’s most powerful vasodilator to relax the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to properly control blood pressure. This improves blood flow and directly addresses the number one risk factor for strokes and heart attacks. Additionally, your endothelium is a critical component in the regulation of your blood pressure by controlling the response of your vascular wall to the changing pressures within your cardiovascular system.

Nitric Oxide and Cardiovascular Health – Conclusion!

While there is much more that can be said about nitric oxide and cardiovascular health it is very evident that many of the cardiovascular issues facing the American population could be addressed through the proper production of nitric oxide.

Learning how to properly nourish, heal, and support your endothelium through proper nutritional supplementation, diet, and exercise would be a much more cost effective and life enhancing way then the current approach taken today. As stated at the beginning of this article, nitric oxide is critical to your cardiovascular health.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about nitric oxide and cardiovascular health has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Endothelial Health Equals Cardiovascular Health!

Dan Hammer — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 17:05:06 +0000

When was the last time anyone ever asked you about your endothelial health?

NEVER!

It’s estimated that there are approximately 60,000 miles of blood vessels in the adult body. These blood vessels include arteries, veins, and capillaries. They are all protected by a microscopic inner lining of endothelial cells, which are commonly called the endothelium. It’s important to note that these cells line the entire circulatory system from the inside of your heart all the way down to your smallest capillary. When added up, the volume of these endothelial cells would cover the surface area of 4 to 8 tennis courts depending upon the size of the individual. That’s amazing since the endothelium is only one cell thick and can’t be seen by the human eye.

Once discovered the endothelium was classified as an inert membrane whose primary function was to keep the blood in the circulatory system and out of the body’s tissues and organs. Research over the last 25 years has shown that your endothelium is an active, multi-functional organ that plays a vital role in metabolic, immunologic, and cardiovascular health. Your endothelium is now considered to be the single largest secreting organ in the body.

Endothelial health is so important that the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelium converts the amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.

Endothelial Health and Its Life Enhancing Functions!

Because endothelial cells line every blood vessel they play an important role in the proper function of every organ in your body. The following is a list of the known functions of the endothelium. Each function plays an important role in endothelial health, cardiovascular health, and your overall wellness:

Angiogenesis – The formation of new capillaries is called angiogenesis and is regulated in part by the endothelium. Endothelial health is extremely important in wound healing. It also plays a significant role in muscle creation and in the heart’s ability to develop collateral vessels. These collateral vessels can help lessen the impact of a blood vessel blockage in the heart by providing alternative routes for blood flow.

Blood Flow – Your endothelium helps to facilitate blood flow. It does this by providing a smooth surface that inhibits platelet adhesion and clotting. It also tries to inhibit foreign substances from adhering to its cellular wall, which can lead to plaque formations. Large molecules like LDL (bad) cholesterol and/or toxic substances like nicotine damage the intercellular junctions between the endothelial cells allowing deposits to build up. This causes the smooth and flexible lining of your blood vessels to become rough and hard to directly impact endothelial health.

It’s these plaque formations that are at the heart of atherosclerosis. As this process continues over time, the deposits or plaques become larger which narrows the interior of the blood vessel making it harder for blood to pass through. This increases resistance to blood flow, which can cause your blood pressure to increase. The following factors can damage the endothelium and increase these formations: smoking, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, hypertension or high blood pressure, and inflammation. Elevated homocysteine levels have also been associated with premature atherosclerosis and can effect endothelial health and function.

Atherosclerosis was once thought to be irreversible but new studies clearly show that when the proper biochemical environment is provided the injured endothelium can return to its undamaged state. Proper supplementation with L-arginine, the precursor for nitric oxide, has been shown to diminish lesion formation, reverse endothelial dysfunction, and lead to improved endothelial health.

Blood Clotting – The narrowing of your blood vessels also causes blood turbulence that can lead to the formation of blood clots. These blood clots, if large enough or if they pass through too narrow of an opening, can eventually lodge themselves in a blood vessel causing a blockage. When this happens in the heart we call it a heart attack. When it
happens in the brain it is called a stroke.

The endothelial cells produce a molecule called nitric oxide, which inhibits platelet adhesion, activation, secretion and aggregation, and promotes platelet disaggregation. This is extremely important in preventing blood clots in the vascular system to lessen the risk for heart attacks and strokes. It’s also a critical factor in sickle cell anemia to help prevent sickle cells from adhering to each other and clinging to the vascular walls. This helps to prevent blockages, which cause most of the pain and tissue damage associated with sickle cell anemia.

While using nitric oxide to prevent blood clotting, it’s interesting to note that the endothelial cells are also necessary for blood to clot. They synthesize the vitally important molecule called Factor VIII or von Willibrand’s Factor, which is essential for blood clotting. Without this molecule a person could bleed to death from a simple scratch.

Blood pressure – Not only do the endothelial cells provide a dynamically-controlled structural barrier between the circulating blood and surrounding tissues and organs but they also produce signaling molecules that influence vasodilation and vasoconstriction. Vasodilation causes blood vessels to relax allowing for greater blood flow. This reduces blood pressure. Vasoconstriction causes blood vessels to tighten reducing blood flow and causing blood pressure to increase.

It’s currently believed that the endothelial cells are the controlling factor in the regulation of blood pressure. They produce both nitric oxide, which is the most potent vasodilator, and Endothelin-1 the most potent vasoconstrictor. The proper production of nitric oxide is fundamental to maintaining normal blood pressures, which means that endothelial health is critical to helping you maintain normal blood pressures.

Specialized barrier function – Endothelial cells act as selective filters to regulate the passage of gases, fluids, and various molecules across their membranes. For example, in the brain and retina the endothelial cells are tightly linked together to create a barrier that only allows selective molecules to pass through it. In the liver, spleen, and bone marrow, the endothelial cells are loosely linked allowing for cellular trafficking between their intercellular gaps. However, in the kidneys, endocrine glands, and intestinal villi, the endothelial cells have a different type of selective permeability to allow for efficient filtering, secretion, and absorption based on that organ’s function.

Endothelial health is also critical to the proper function of your immune system. Your white blood cells or leucocytes are produced in the bone marrow. They travel through the blood stream where the endothelial cells facilitate their passage into your body’s tissue to allow them to destroy foreign agents or antigens. This gate-keeping role varies for each organ system but is dependent upon endothelial health and function.

Endothelial Health Is Critically Important!

It’s amazing that a simple lining of cells on the interior walls of your blood vessels could have such a profound affect on your
cardiovascular health and overall wellness. Yet that’s exactly the case with your endothelial cells. Endothelial health is critical to your health and your body’s ability to produce nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. When impaired, endothelial dysfunction has been linked to the following diseases:

Diabetes
Atherosclerosis
Arteriosclerosis
Heart Disease
Stroke
Hypertension
Multiple Sclerosis
Lupus
Scleroderma
Rheumatoid Arthritis
ALS
Parkinson’s
Hypercoagulation of Blood, Thrombosis, Clotting Disorders
Renal Failure
Metabolic Syndrome including Abdominal Obesity and Insulin Resistance
Sleep Apnea
Glaucoma

That’s quite a list of diseases. Properly bringing in a good source of L-arginine, combined with good eating and lifestyle habits like those found in the Mediterranean diet, can help reverse damage to the endothelium and improve endothelial health. This means that your choices have a direct impact on endothelial health, which impacts cardiovascular health and all the diseases listed above.

It also means that you have the ability to prevent most of these diseases by focusing your attention on ways to improve your endothelial health and function. We’ll look at this in our next article especially as it applies to proper nitric oxide production.

Together we can work to save a million lives by concentrating on endothelial health!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about endothelial health has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent and disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Cardiovascular Health for Women!

Dan Hammer — Wed, 25 May 2011 22:05:06 +0000

If you search cardiovascular health for women on Google you will obtain 17 million results. Search breast health for women and you will obtain almost 41 million results. Almost 2.5 times more results for breast health over cardiovascular health for women, yet American women are 4 to 6 times more likely to die of heart disease than of breast cancer.

This is not to say that breast cancer information isn’t important or to discount all the work done to bring this to the attention of our society. It’s vitally important.

But so is targeted information for cardiovascular health for women. This information is so important that it has the potential to save even more lives than any other health education program, especially when there is a natural solution.

Cardiovascular Health for Women Could Save Millions of Lives!

So I’m on a mission to educate women in this area. A mission that has the potential to save millions of lives from the number one cause of death for both men and women worldwide.

As I was gathering information for this article I came across the following quote from Kofi Annan, the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize Winner:

“When women thrive, all of society benefits, and succeeding generations are given a better start in life.”

What a profound and true statement. Women are caregivers to their family, friends, and eventually to themselves. I would like to educate you in this area of cardiovascular health for women so that you can take care of yourself as well as your family and friends. Together we can help save millions of lives from cardiovascular disease and illness. We can help them live vibrant and healthy lives by paying attention to the core problem of most cardiovascular disease.

I’ve always found the best place to start any journey is at the beginning. We need to see where we are at to better understand where we need to go. Here are some startling statistics from a wide variety of experts in the area of cardiovascular health for women.

According to FamilyDoctor.org:

Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women over 65 years of age.
Heart disease kills more women over 65 years of age than all cancers combined.

According to the Mayo Clinic:

Although heart disease is often thought of as a problem for men, more women than men die of heart disease each year.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality:

Experts estimate that one in two women will die of heart disease or stroke, compared with one in 25 women who will die of breast cancer.

Cardiovascular Health for Women Starts With The Endothelium!

The message is clear. It is time to pay attention to cardiovascular health for women. Most people think we need to place our attention on heart health. While this is important, it is not the root cause of most cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association 2004 Heart and Stroke Statistical Update, arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis accounted for nearly 75% of all deaths from heart disease.

Arteriosclerosis is hardening of the arteries. Atherosclerosis is plaque formations building up inside the vascular system. Cardiovascular health for women really centers on your vascular system more than your heart. The key to your vascular system is the health of your endothelium.

What! You’ve never heard of the ENDOTHELIUM!

It doesn’t surprise me since most people have never heard of this organ. Yet the 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researches that discovered how this organ converts an amino acid called L-arginine into nitric oxide, which is the master signaling molecule for your entire cardiovascular system. You could not live without nitric oxide and it’s your endothelium that controls its production. Both are critically important if we are to achieve improvements in cardiovascular health for women.

Please join me for my next article as I help you discover this Nobel Prize Winning Science about an organ that actually controls most of your cardiovascular system. It’s the key to saving a million lives. It’s the organ that needs attention if improved cardiovascular health for women and their loved ones is to change the health of America and our world.

Together we can share how cardiovascular health for women could save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about cardiovascular health for women has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Stroke Prevention Centers on Two Key Factors!

Dan Hammer — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:17:00 +0000

Learning how to address two key factors could make a big difference in stroke prevention. Since stroke is the number one cause of adult disability and the third leading cause of death in the United States, addressing this issue of stroke prevention could be the difference between life or death and permanent disability or significant recovery.

The health of your cardiovascular system is just as important to brain health as it is to heart health. If you have a blockage in one of the arteries of the heart we call it a heart attack. If that same blockage occurs in the brain it’s a stroke.

In reviewing both the uncontrollable and controllable risk factors for a stroke, it’s quiet clear that the health of your endothelium and its ability to properly produce nitric oxide can play a critical role in stroke prevention.

Why?

Because the number one risk factor for a stroke is high blood pressure and the blockage that causes the stroke is many times related to a blood clot.

Address These Two Risk Factors for Stroke Prevention!

High blood pressure increases your stroke risk 4-6 times. It’s the number one risk factor for a stroke and you have the power to positively impact this area. Addressing this issue alone would make a major impact on stroke prevention.

According to the American Heart Association’s website 87 percent of all strokes are ischemic strokes. An ischemic stroke occurs when a blood clot forms in the bloodstream. This blood clot then lodges within an artery of the brain causing a blockage. This blockage reduces the necessary blood flow to that section of the brain leading to damage or death to those brain cells. The amount of damage determines the severity of the stroke.

As you can see by these two specific factors, stroke prevention really centers on addressing high blood pressure and reducing the potential for the formation of blood clots. Your body does this naturally through nitric oxide.

Nitric Oxide is Key to Stroke Prevention!

The 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how the endothelium (which lines all of your cardiovascular system) produces a gas called nitric oxide from the amino acid L-arginine. Outside your body nitric oxide is considered an environmental pollutant. Inside your body nitric oxide is the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.

A signaling molecule helps a specific event to occur. Without signaling molecules certain events cannot take place. Regarding your cardiovascular system, nitric oxide causes three very specific events or reactions to occur. They are:

Nitric oxide keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together. This helps to prevent blood clots from occurring in the vascular system, thereby reducing the risk for strokes and heart attacks.
Nitric oxide is your body’s most powerful vasodilator to relax the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to properly control blood pressure. This improves blood flow and directly addresses the number one risk factor for strokes. Additionally, your endothelium is a critical component in the regulation of your blood pressure by controlling the response of your vascular wall to the changing pressures within your cardiovascular system.
Nitric oxide, when at therapeutic levels in the bloodstream, can repair damage to the endothelium and seems to be associated with the body’s ability to reverse and eliminate plaque formations. Plaque formations, which typically result when the endothelium is damaged, cause the inside of your vascular system to narrow, which can lead to high blood pressure and the increased risk for blockages.

Nobel Laureate in Medicine, Dr. Louis J. Ignarro refers to nitric oxide as “the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.” Learning how to naturally heal and nourish your endothelium to help it properly produce therapeutic levels of nitric oxide could be a huge factor in stroke prevention.

Learn How to Nourish Your Endothelium for Stroke Prevention!

The easiest and fastest way to nourish your endothelium for improved nitric oxide production is to use a properly formulated nutritional supplement. Even Dr. Oz is now talking about the importance of nutritional supplementation for improved cardiovascular function. Unfortunately, Dr. Oz only talks about the amino acid L-Arginine and leaves out another critical amino acid, as well as the necessary quantities needed to achieve a therapeutic effect.

There is a lot that could be said in this section but let me summarize the basics on how to nourish your endothelium:

L-Arginine – This amino acid is critical because it is what your endothelium uses to create nitric oxide. However, you need to consume 4-6 grams of L-arginine at one time to be able to achieve a therapeutic increase in nitric oxide.
L-Citrulline – This amino acid is considered by vascular researchers to be just as importance as L-Arginine. You need to consume 200 to 1000 mg to have a therapeutic effect. The reason why L-Citrulline is so important is that it recycles L-Arginine to turbo charge the production of nitric oxide over a longer period of time. Additionally, L-Citrulline provides an alternative pathway for the production of nitric oxide when the enzyme arginase is present. Arginase destroys L-Arginine and some population groups such as African Americans have larger quantities of arginine in their bloodstream. This can negatively effect nitric oxide production if L-Citrulline is not part of their diet.
Various Antioxidants – Whenever your body produces energy through aerobic respiration free radicals are formed. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can cause cellular damage. Free radicals will also negatively effect nitric oxide to limit its signaling and healing capacities. Antioxidants are molecules that can stabilize free radicals to prevent cellular damage and their negative effects on nitric oxide.

It is estimated that 750,000 Americans will experience a stroke this year. Yet according to the National Stroke Association “… 80% of strokes are preventable!” While they list other methods for stroke prevention I hope this information will help you to see and understand the importance of a healthy endothelium and its ability to properly produce therapeutic levels of nitric oxide. This really is a viable way for stroke prevention as well as improved cardiovascular function.

If you found this information helpful then please share this on Facebook and Twitter. You can also contact me directly if you have questions or need a recommendation for a high quality nutritional supplement that can help to properly nourish your endothelium for improved nitric oxide production.

Together we can work to save a million lives by helping to educate others about endothelial cell health and how therapeutic levels of nitric oxide can directly address two of the greatest risk factors for stroke prevention.

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about stroke prevention has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Heart Disease Costs to Skyrocket!

Dan Hammer — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 00:42:48 +0000

According to the American Heart Association (January 24, 2011) heart disease costs are expected to triple in the next 20 years. This means that heart disease costs in the United States are projected to go from 273 billion to 818 billion. To put this into perspective this cost is equivalent to the 800 billion dollar TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) legislation pushed through Congress to help bail out the banks, insurance, and auto companies.

For many Americans, TARP was a symbol of big government at its worst. For me, this projected increase in heart disease costs is a symbol of American health care at its worst. To help you understand what I’m going to say, please listen to this NBC News video discussing this issue of skyrocketing heart disease costs:

http://topics.healthvideo.com/m/37359428/heart-disease-costs-to-skyrocket.htm#q=Heart+Disease+Costs+to+Skyrocket

As this video points out the projected heart disease costs could change if new treatment programs are found. To further highlight this I like to share the following quote from Dr. Paul Heidenreich, an associate professor of medicine at Stanford Medical School and chair of the American Heart Association panel who issued this policy statement on heart disease costs:

“The burden of heart disease and stroke on the U.S. Health care system will be substantial and will limit our ability to care for the U.S. population unless we can take steps now to prevent cardiovascular disease.”

The issue that upsets me the most is this idea that we have to discover some pharmaceutical treatment program to solve this crisis. The reality is:

We Can Prevent Heart Disease Costs NOW!

There are preventative steps that are natural and can make a substantial difference in reducing the risk for all forms of cardiovascular disease allowing us to make a major dent in heart disease costs. These preventative steps have Nobel Prize Winning Science from Dr. Louis J. Ignarro and cutting edge vascular research from Stanford Medical School through Dr. John Cooke.

Heart Disease Costs Could be Substantially Reduced by a Natural Treatment Program That Already Exists!

In 1998 the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to three American researchers who discovered how your endothelium, which lines all of your cardiovascular system, converts the amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system. Dr. Ignarro refers to nitric oxide as “the body’s natural cardiovascular wonder drug.”

To help you understand the magnitude of the existing cardiovascular problem let me share the following statistics:

Currently, 36.9 percent of Americans have some type of heart disease (high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and other conditions.)
By 2030 this number is expected to rise to 40.5 percent of the population.
The biggest increases are thought to be in heart failure (up 25 percent) and stroke (up 24.9 percent).

You will note that in the above statistics all are affected by the health of your endothelium and its ability to properly produce nitric oxide. Here is why this is so important. Nitric oxide plays three critical roles in cardiovascular health and function. They are:

Nitric oxide keeps blood platelet cells from sticking together to prevent blockages that can lead to a stroke or heart attack.
Nitric oxide is your body’s most powerful vasodilator to relax the smooth muscle of your vascular wall to properly regulate your blood pressure.
Nitric oxide, when in sufficient quantities in the blood stream, repairs ongoing damage to the endothelial cells and can effectively reverse existing damage from plaque formations.

As you can see, proper nitric oxide production achieved through the healthy function of your endothelium directly addresses most of the underlying causes of cardiovascular disease. You can directly repair and nourish your endothelium for improved nitric oxide production and do it naturally.

Heart Disease Costs Could be Substantially Reduced With Existing Science!

The American Heart Association continued their line of thinking with the following statement:

“Effective prevention strategies are needed if we are to limit the growing burden

of cardiovascular disease.”

I’m here to tell you that those “effective prevention strategies” already exist. They are natural strategies that combine two amino acids in L-arginine and L-citrulline with a synergistic blend of antioxidants and nutrients that can help improve the function of the endothelium and turbo charge the effects of nitric oxide on cardiovascular health. This natural strategy can significantly reduce heart disease costs, substantially reduce cardiovascular risk factors, improve the quality of life for those with current cardiovascular issues, and prevent future generations from developing heart disease.

Commenting on the American Heart Association’s policy statement, Dr. Gregg C. Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California (Los Angles) had this to say:

“Population-based strategies are urgently needed to improve cardiovascular health, prevent or delay the onset of cardiovascular disease, and help to address the projected rise in expenditures. Implementing effective health promotion and cardiovascular disease prevention needs to become a national priority.”

I need your help to spread the word. I need your help to make this a national priority. I need your help to promote this information on Twitter and Facebook and other social platforms so that we can partner in this process to drastically reduce heart disease costs.

Together we can work to save a million lives by helping to educate others about natural and clinically proven methods to repair and nourish the endothelium for improved nitric oxide production. Please join me by subscribing to my newsletter and sharing this vital information. Please click on this link for a clinically proven product that addresses endothelial cell health, which enables the endothelium to properly produce nitric oxide.

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about heart disease costs has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.

Vitamin D3 Benefits Over Vitamin D2!

Dan Hammer — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 11:41:51 +0000

Vitamin D3 Model

Recent research continues to show the importance of Vitamin D but few understand the difference between vitamin D3 benefits over vitamin D2.

Yes, there are two forms of vitamin D. Vitamin D2 is manufactured by plants or fungus and is typically used to fortified foods like milk, cereals, and juices. This form of vitamin D is called Ergocalciferol.

Vitamin D3 is called Cholecalciferol and is synthesized by humans and animals from sunlight. When taken in supplement form it has a longer shelf life and is better for the human body. In a recently published study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, vitamin D3 was shown to be 87% more effective in raising vitamin D levels in the blood over vitamin D2. According to the lead researcher Dr. Robert Heaney (Creigton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska),

“Given its greater potency, D3 should be the preferred treatment option when correcting vitamin D deficiency.”

Their research showed that vitamin D3 produced significantly greater bioavailability and reserve storage than vitamin D2.

Vitamin D3 Benefits

As the body of scientific research continues to grow, the number of health benefits from vitamin D3 also grows. Here is a brief summary of some of the new vitamin D3 benefits:

Helps to Maintain Calcium Balance in the Bloodstream – Vitally important to cardiovascular health is the proper maintenance of your blood calcium levels. This helps to prevent calcification of the vascular wall, which leads to arteriosclerosis. Additionally, your endothelial cells, which line all of your cardiovascular system, need calcium to be able to convert the amino acid L-arginine into nitric oxide – the master signaling molecule of your entire cardiovascular system.

Helps in Blood Pressure Regulation – Recent studies have shown that vitamin D3 may decrease the risk for high blood pressure. This would make sense since proper blood calcium levels are needed to initiate the production of nitric oxide from L-arginine. Since nitric oxide is the body’s most powerful vasodilator, it is used to relax the vascular wall to help control blood pressure.

Has a Role in Insulin Secretion – When conditions are right for increased insulin demand, vitamin D3 can play a pivotal part in insulin secretion.

Boosts Your Immunity – Studies are showing vitamin D3 to be a potent immune system modulator to help enhance your immunity while helping to inhibit the development of autoimmunity.

Aids in Cell Differentiation – Cell differentiation is needed to help cells form for specific functions in your body. While cellular differentiation is needed for growth and wound healing, uncontrolled proliferation of cells can lead to cancer. The active form of vitamin D3 inhibits this proliferation and stimulates cell differentiation.

Prevention of Osteoporosis – Vitamin D3 is recognized as the best form for balancing the amount of calcium and phosphorous within your bloodstream. This is essential for bone production and development.

Vitamin D3 Benefits versus Toxicity

There is an ongoing debate regarding vitamin D3 benefits versus toxicity resulting from vitamin D overdose. Because of this the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has established a tolerable upper intake level of 2000 IU of vitamin D3. However, many research studies suggest that this upper intake level of 2000 IU is very conservative and that healthy people could increase their intake levels to 10,000 IU/day without side effects.

If you have questions in this area, then work with your health care provider to find the vitamin D3 intake that will help to bring your blood concentrations of 25(OH)D, which is the circulating vitamin D metabolite that serves as the most frequently measured indicator of vitamin D status, into a healthy range.

Vitamin D3 Benefits Increase Through the Method of Absorption

If you are going to use vitamin D3 supplements to improve your vitamin D3 benefits then make sure that the product you use is either a spray or chewable supplement. This dramatically increases absorption over those supplements that you swallow. By using the spray or chewable supplements you will achieve better results in a shorter period of time.

As you hear more and more research toting the health benefits of vitamin D, please make sure that you choose a supplement that contains vitamin D3 in a chewable form. You will improve both your absorption and effectiveness in raising this needed nutrient in your bloodstream.

Together we can work to save a million lives!

Dan Hammer

The information contained in this article is for general information purposes only and never as a substitute for professional medical advice or medical exam. The information about vitamin D3 benefits has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a qualified medical doctor.