Vanadium
Vanadium is an ultra-trace element. Most people have never heard of it and what is known about it has only come to light since the mid to late 1900's. Although it has been in use for quite some time, it wasn't proven to be essential for life until 1971.
Vanadium is one of the hardest minerals for our bodies to absorb. Only about 5% is absorbed while the rest is eliminated through fecal matter. It is believed that we get enough in our diets as only 30-100 mcg are required a day. However, due to many interesting studies regarding this element and blood sugar disorders, those with diabetes and hypoglycemia might benefit from a vanadium supplement. The average human body contains around 100 mcg of vanadium in the organs, bones and blood. Recent studies would also suggest that it plays a role in hormone production, fertility and neurotransmitter metabolism.
It has been found that vanadium is able to imitate insulin functions by maintaining blood sugar levels and making the cell membrane receptors more sensitive to insulin itself. Some might also say that it can enhance athletic performance as it stimulates amino acid transport to skeletal muscle thus increasing, to some extent, muscle mass. For this reason it, along with chromium, has become a popular supplement for body builders. It has also been found to have some anti-cancer properties, especially in cases of breast and esophageal cancers. Scientists also have found that it may play a role in bi-polar disorder or manic depression as those people have been found with much higher concentrations of vanadium in their systems than those who don't suffer with either of those things.
Vanadium stimulates blood sugar oxidation and transport in fat cells. It assists with the absorption of glucose from the intestines, helps with glycogen synthesis in the liver and muscles, and inhibits the production of glucose from fat in the liver. It is necessary for bone and tooth development, growth, triglyceride and cholesterol homeostasis, hypoglycemia, diabetes, obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and cardio vascular disease. Research done at the Grand Forks Nutrition Research Center has shown that vanadium also is beneficial for thyroid hormone metabolism. Vanadium has been found to be deficient in those with spinal deterioration or degeneration. It also has been linked to higher death rates among infants. While vanadium deficiencies have not been extensively studied in man, animal studies have shown that a lack of this valuable mineral can lead to a reduction in red blood cell production (which can lead to anemia), infertility, high blood pressure, iron metabolism issues, cholesterol and triglyceride problems, arteriole 'plaquing', and poor bone, tooth and cartilage formation.
In 1956 a study was conducted on the death rate from heart disease in Scandinavian countries. Researchers studied all types of data regarding these nations, especially their dietary habits. One country stood out from the rest....Iceland. In Iceland, where large amounts of fish are ingested and sea salt is used as a preservative for catches, the rate of heart disease was significantly lower than in other Scandinavian countries. To further add credibility to this study, autopsies done on the arteries of 2,200 Icelanders were found to be comparable to the arteries of a 40 year old Austrian. This may not seem significant but it is when one realizes that all of the Icelanders autopsied were in their 60's or higher at the time of their deaths. This is believed to be due to the lack of cholesterol build up, probably due to their daily ingestion of vanadium and other trace elements found in fish and sea vegetation. In truth, cholesterol gets a bad rap. Anything in excess isn't good for you, even supposedly good things. However, cholesterol is an essential food for the brain, the nervous system, and the spinal cord. The key is regulation. Vanadium plays a vital role in that regulatory process. Scientists have found that when vanadium is present in the brain cholesterol formation is inhibited. They also have found that giving oral doses of vanadium cuts down on the formation of cholesterol in the central nervous system. In 1959, an article was published in 'Federal Proceedings' by J. T. Mountain and Associates. In the article it was stated that they found that rabbits given vanadium had lower cholesterol levels and fat deposits in their livers than other rabbits not supplemented with vanadium. When these same rabbits were fed a cholesterol diet to raise plasma levels and then omitted cholesterol from their diets, the cholesterol levels returned to normal much faster in the rabbits taking vanadium than in other subjects. J.T. and his associates concluded that vanadium not only inhibits cholesterol from forming but also enhances the process of its elimination from the body.
In December of 1961, Dr. William Strain addressed a conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. In his address, he said that, "There are very significant geographical variations in death rates for all causes and for cardiovascular diseases that may be due to variable intake of trace elements, especially vanadium and zinc."
In yet another study conducted by researchers on drinking water in the southwestern United States it was found that in areas where vanadium content was high, the rate of death associated with heart disease was significantly lower than in those areas where the vanadium water content was much lower.
In 1996, the Albert Einstein School of Medicine did a study on the effects of 100 mg of vanadyl sulfate on diabetics. The study showed that those taking the supplement had a marked improvement in both the skeletal muscle and liver insulin sensitivity. Oxidation and blood fat levels were also reduced.
Certain drugs and supplements have been found to react with vanadium. These include phenothiazines (compounds used in anti-psychotics and antihistamines), MAOI's (monoamine oxidase inhibitors used for depression), ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA-used to dissolve lime scale, in food preservation, and recently approved for chelation therapy for heavy metal poisoning), vitamin C, iron, protein, chloride, aluminum and chromium. If you are currently on any of the above named items, please consult your health care provider before starting a supplement program with vanadium.
The best sources of vanadium are sunflower, safflower, corn and olive oils (organic and GMO free), buckwheat, rice, cabbage, parsley, green beans, mushrooms, carrots, oats, dill, seafood, kelp and pepper. The highest source of vanadium can be found in sardines and herring.
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