We had established earlier that inorganic sulfate has many roles for health in this post:  Human Health – Sulfur and the Vitamin D Connection

We also found that the sodium-sulfate co-transporters are controlled by vitamin D.  “Critical role of vitamin D in sulfate homeostasis: regulation of the sodium-sulfate cotransporter by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ ” Bolt, et.al. Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, May 27, 2004. 

I would now like to consider what effects sulfate has on the central nervous system.  In the article found on the USDA website, “Sulfate” (pdf),  there is a list of many compounds that are critical to health that are formed out of the energy cycle ATP-ADP in combination with inorganic sulfate.  One of the listed compounds is cerebroside sulfate.  A variation of this compound (galactose) makes up two percent of grey matter and twelve percent of white matter.  The glucose variation is found in many organ cells, neurons, and skin where it acts to maintain water permeability.

The galactose variation is the major component of the myelin sheath that protects your nerves throughout the body.  The health of this sheath also dictates the speed and proper response of nerve signal transmission by maintaining a local reservoir of sodium and potassium.  I think that this is the major pathway of vitamin D that reduces pain all over the body.  Galactoslycerimides are not found in plants.  I guess since there is not a nervous system there is no need.

I may have related a story to you earlier by a pharmacist that had difficulty in controlling a patient’s pain without having the patient pass out from the meds.  At the insistence of a relative of the patient for a change in meds, the pharmacist decided to try adding a significant amount of vitamin D.  With the addition of the vitamin D3, the patient was able to have the meds reduced by half and remained lucid.  To me this is an amazing story that says generalized pain can be significantly reduced just by the addition of vitamin D3.

In the morning, I notice a significant clearing of the brain after drinking a mineral water that has a significant amount of sulfate added as magnesium sulfate.  I go many times without any coffee because it is not needed with the mineral water.

There are two things that we do as a society that really bothers me.  First, we spend huge amounts of money to take the hardness out of the water.  The hardness is normally caused by calcium and magnesium sulfate and/or chloride.  This water is not harmful to human health, but beneficial to human health.  It has been promoted as theory that the reason the low death rate for heart disease in both Greece and Japan are because of the high sulfate in the water.  This hardness is not a problem for water systems as long as carbonate is not introduced.  If carbonate is introduced or occurs naturally, then the calcium carbonate precipitates out of solution fouling the water system.  Our water supply systems should remove the carbonate and leave the rest of the minerals.  Of course, we would not get many suds formation when washing.  This could actually be a good thing in washing.

Second, when you have a blood test only three of the four major anions in the blood are measured routinely.  Phosphate, chloride, and bicarbonate are routinely measured and the levels used as markers or indicators for various biological functions.  However, the fourth, sulfate, is not measured.  To me this is an extremely necessary part of health and standards should be developed for serum sulfate levels.  It most likely could be used as a marker for various disease states like heart disease or the ability to cope with pain.

In whatever way you decide through diet, supplementation, or soaking in an Epsom salts bath; be sure that you are getting enough sulfates.  – Pandemic Survivor