July Papers for Metadichol

Posted on July 30, 2017 by Mark Pegram

Dr. P. R. Raghavan has written two new papers for Metadichol. This again shows the diversity with which Metadichol acts. Metadichol acts on hundreds of genes to allow the body to repair.

The first paper is about the only known substance to act for red blood cell distribution width improvement (RDW). It is believed that RDW is a marker for many types of autoimmune diseases. Here is the summary for the paper.

Abstract

Red blood cells originate in the bone marrow. Red cell distribution width (RDW) show sizes of circulating erythrocytes (RBC) and has been explored in several large clinical databases to be a robust marker of adverse clinical outcomes in patients. The prognostic value of RDW is seen in other conditions with end-organ dysfunction such as renal failure or. Elevated RDW levels are of significance in diseases such as kidney diseases. The high RDW levels are an indication of increased oxidative stress and closely related to the presence and poor prognosis of the disease. No known therapy exists that can normalize RDW levels. In this paper, we present here case studies using Metadichol®, that leads to normal RDW levels in patients with CKD and PKD. Here is the link: RDW-paper

The second paper is about allowing vitamin C to be naturally produced in the body. This is very unusual, but Dr. Raghavan believes that Metadichol activates the gene responsible for producing vitamin D. This is based on the genes that are activated that were found in his gene studies. Here is the summary for the paper.

Abstract

Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble antioxidant. Today we meet our requirements of vitamin C through consumption of fruits and vegetables or by supplementation. Homo sapiens cannot produce vitamin C like many other species that can convert glucose to vitamin C. The gene for enzyme production is dormant in humans. The gene, GULO, that we all carry converts glucose to Vitamin C. in other species but not in humans and primates. The open-label study showed Metadichol® raised levels of vitamin C by 3-fold, endogenously without supplementation of Vitamin C. Possible mechanisms for the increased Vitamin C levels through antioxidant pathways are presented. Metadichol® [1] is a nano-formulation of long chain alcohols derived from sugar cane. In addition to increased Vitamin C levels reduction in Potassium and uric acid, and decreased blood pressure and improvement in quality of life issues were also observed. Here is the link to the paper: vitamiC-metadichol

Whatever you may think about the action of Metadichol, I believe it to be truly amazing. Here is a link for all Metadichol articles and papers. –Pandemic Survivor

Historic Breakthrough in Health – Nano Policosanol

Posted on December 22, 2014 by Mark Pegram

“In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.” – Galileo Galilei

Nature will typically provide at least two pathways or redundancy for anything that is critical to the survival of life. Consider that we have two arms, two kidneys, two eyes, two lungs, etc. If you want to get more technical consider there are two substances to allow homocysteine to go to methionine [trimethylglycine (TMG or Betaine) or the combination of folate with vitamin B12] for the methylation cycle for the expression of genes. The discovery is a substance that works along some of the pathways of vitamin D and enhances the action of nutrients and more.

The remarkable thing about the action of this form of policosanol, as described in the patent, is that it does not drive up serum calcium. This has always been the issue with simply giving the hormone form of vitamin D to patients. Imagine anything that can work on physiological systems of the body without side effects. This natural substance has been consumed forever. Could this be the gift for an extremely healthy life? Like vitamin D in animals, it is also produced by the sun on plants and in many of our foods. The issue has been the ability of the body to absorb it so that it can get to where it needs to be active. The new discovery is the effectiveness of a small droplet sized emulsion of policosanol. Policosanol is found as a waxy aliphatic alcohol on the leaves of sugar cane and in the husk of many grains and in other plants as well. This may be reason that diets like the unprocessed paleo diet are so effective.

In conversations with Dr. P.R. Raghavan, he describes the finding as nature’s way of providing a pathway to health for animals who cannot obtain their vitamin D from the sun. He states that his discovery came from observing rats. The first thing that rats do is to eat grass when experiencing long periods without any exposure to sun. Grass makes the waxy alcohol on its leaves. “Rice-field Rats primarily reside in cultivated areas such as rice paddies and grasslands. It [where they reside] is largely dependent on human rice fields and plantations. Rice field rats shelter in burrows in soil, under rocks, and in logs”. It now makes me wonder when I see a dog eat grass if they are trying to achieve health from policosanol. Animals will do whatever is necessary for survival. Dr. Raghavan has been vigorous in making this understanding.

Consider the elephant with its hard dermal layer. How does it get its vitamin D? Or is its health from eating the policosanol in all the plants that it consumes. “Asian elephants eat a wide variety of plants including grasses, shrubs, bamboo etc. While more than 100 different species may be eaten, only about 10 to 25 foods are likely to make up more than 8% of the diet. The percentage of grasses versus browse eaten varies seasonally; the nutrient value of grass is greatest early in the wet season, while that of leafy browse is higher in the dry season. Elephants do show choice in feeding: foods eaten do not necessarily match foods available. Crops such as bananas, sugar cane and paddy (rice) are favoured.” The sugar cane and paddy rice are very high in policosanol. The serum concentration of 25(OH)D for elephants is low compared to what is considered healthy for animals at an average of 16 ng/ml.

From Dr. Raghavan’s Into to Metadichol: “In the late 1880’s Dutch physician, Christiaan Eijkman was sent to the East Indies(now Indonesia to investigate why beriberi was so widespread in the region. Eijkman observed that hens in his Jakarta laboratory suffered symptons of nerve disease (polyneuritis) that were strikingly similar to those for beriberi – including muscle weakness, nerve degeneration, and paralysis. He then began a series of experiments to try to find a culprit organism, which he assumed was the cause.

He showed that the hens contracted the beriberi like polyneuritis soon after their feed was changed to polished rice – that is, rice whose outer husk had been removed. He also proved that by adding rice bran (the parts removed in polishing) to the hens’ food, the disease could be cured. The outer Husk contains Metadichol (policosanol).” We should clarify here that beriberi is commonly thought to be caused by vitamin B1 (Thiamine) deficiency, but Dr. Raghavan believes that the lack of policosanol was also a cause.

Emulsions are liquid colloids of droplets that are typically less than one micron in size. If you think about homogenized milk, it has fat droplets that range from 300nm to 500nm (0.3 microns to 0.5 microns). There are many small sized droplet emulsions that we normally use. Think about sugar in water, soap in water, or a supplement like vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, etc. in water. The droplet size of the patented emulsion of policosanol, Metadichol®, is about 50nm in size. This allows for easy absorption through the gut wall or through dermal layers if used topically.

Think about the many pathways that are described by Anthony W. Norman for health in his paper:
The History of the Discovery of Vitamin D and Its Daughter Steroid Hormone
Norman A.W. Ann Nutr Metab 2012;61:199–206 (DOI:10.1159/000343104)
It is truly astonishing the possibilities for health through vitamin D pathways of the vitamin D receptor. Consider this diagram derived from this paper for immune response:

Let’s take mast cells as an example in an autoimmune response. The mast cells become over active causing significant inflammation. The Metadichol®, name given in the patent, binds to the mast cell VDR and calms it down. As a result, the inflammation that is being caused disappears. Dr. Raghavan says, “Based on our invitro and invivo data Metadichol ® behaves as an agonist for one receptor and an antagonist or neutral antagonist or inverse agonist for another receptor.” The many cells that are involved in an immune reaction and other physiologies with the VDR makes the possibilities for health unlimited.

Dr. Raghavan likes to describe the VDR super family of nuclear receptors and the action of Metadichol® as follows: “A simplified way of looking at it is that the Vitamin D receptor (VDR) present in chromosome 12 in each and every cell is the conductor of an orchestra and he/she, is not relaying to the orchestra the proper cues. This will impact the performance of other members of the orchestra. Metadichol by acting on VDR restores the conductor to peak performance and ensures that both the conductor and the orchestra will perform at their peak potential (read; disease free).”

We have been scared from the sun for the last fifty years. It is time to take advantage of the nature’s gift from the sun, vitamin D in animals and policosanol in plants. This is truly a wonderful and historic discovery in nutritional health. I believe that it is a discovery worthy of the Nobel Prize! – Pandemic Survivor

Knowledge advances not by repeating known facts, but by refuting false dogmas. – Isaac Newton

Brief Bio: Dr P. R. Raghavan CEO of Nanorx Inc. has a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Oregon State University, USA (1979) and a M.S in Chemistry (1972) from I.I.T Mumbai, India. . He has worked on drug discovery for over 25 years at Columbia University, Max-Planck Institute, Germany, Ciba-Geigy (now Novartis) and Boehringer-Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals. His fields of specialization are CNS, Inflammation, AIDS and ACE inhibitors. His experience in drug research includes Chiral synthesis, process, scale up and clinical research. He has been working for the last 12 years in the area of nutraceuticals and developing environmentally cost effective solutions for Bio-Diesel production.

Dr. Raghavan’s Business Philosophy: “Value for Money and Value for Many”

Summer Fun in the Sun and Water

Posted on May 31, 2014 by Mark Pegram

There is nothing better than to start the summer with a lot of time spent at your favorite water sport or play in the SUN. It is the continuation of lots of memories that begin in childhood. There is always the excitement of dangers in the waters like sharks at the beach. When I was a child, my parents used to give me a very hard time about not splashing in mud puddles. They told me that I could get a very serious disease that might even kill me. I was sure they just did not want me to not get my clothes dirty and splashed anyway. I should have known that the wisdom of generations of farmers fostered realities that were beyond the grasp of my childhood desire for fun. You should also be very, very aware when enjoying your favorite water fun for the same concerns of my parents – toxins in the water.

You may be familiar with algae blooms and the sometime warnings by your local government to not go into the water. A lot of time you ignore this warning and decide to go into the water regardless of the danger. Or you may have your favorite back water kayak site just waiting your return to explore the dark wonderful pools and bright sun splashed lakes. Before you go on your water adventure, be sure to look for algae blooms or the possibility of algae blooms. Of course I am not talking about algae per se, but blue green algae or cyanobacteria. I know the pools that my parents kept me out of would always get blue green algae tint before they dried. It is not a plant at all but bacteria. This is the same thing that goes on in our water ways, in particular with the higher amounts of nutrients from modern activities.

“The first published report that blue-green algae or cyanobacteria could have lethal effects appeared in Nature in 1878.” Cyanotoxin Wikipedia. Did my parents read Nature or was it experience? I am sure that it was experience. An illness after coming in contact with the blue green bacteria and the rest is holistic knowledge. There are two major concerns with contact of cyanobacteria: liver toxicity and nervous system damage. The liver toxicity and the neuron damage can both cause death. There are many cases of animal deaths in the Midwest after drinking from pools with blooms. As far as human deaths, there are not many documented cases. What is the concern?

New evidence for neurological diseases has been identified from contact with the neurotoxins. The problems were first identified in Guam from a cluster of ALS. It was determine that this cluster was caused from consumption of eating a local food source that was contaminated with cyanotoxins. There have since been clusters of neurodegenerative diseases within ten miles of lakes in the US that are known for blue green algae blooms. Other neurological diseases that have not been completely identified may be from the cyanotoxins. This includes ALS, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and perhaps MS, Guillain Barre, and other neuromuscular and neurodegenerative diseases. Protein or amino acid mimics from the cyanobacteria get incorporated into human biology that the immune system starts to attack. This is sometimes identified as autoimmune diseases. This destroys the myelin sheath of the neurons axon or may cause issues with neurotransmitters.

There is presently a study ongoing for treating ALS with L-serine. It was found that this protein used by neurons may have become compromised from the cyanotoxin. There is even one amazing story of a boy magically getting better after being in a wheelchair for years when treated with L-serine. From my reading of research, the best things you can do if you have issues with neuromuscular/degenerative diseases are to be sure you are getting enough micro nutrients. This includes copper and zinc (presently an ongoing trial for ALS), boron, manganese, sulfate, vitamins D, C (perhaps liposomal C), and A. The minerals are for various biological functions that are absolutely necessary. I am really surprised there is not a clinical trial for ALS and manganese. Manganese is required for the generation of sulfate esters for detoxifying the body as well as making super oxide dismutase for mitochondrial health. ALS sufferers have been identified as having high sulfate content. It is interesting to note that most MS sufferers have low sulfate content. I do believe that the clue is in the manganese, copper, zinc, and iron. Of course and vitamin D3 as this is necessary for the sulfate transporter throughout the body.

I do not mean to go off on cyanobacteria as all bad. There are many healthful benefits from the use of cyanobacteria. It is used by biotech companies to make drugs and vitamins and other nutrients because of its ability to produce proteins and amino acids. This bacterium has also been credited with allowing the earth to develop its oxygen rich atmosphere because of its photosynthesis effects. It was also thought to be a great food source because of the high protein content ( forty percent) in 1930’s to solve the issue of increasing population.

When headed to your favorite water play source, check it out for any signs of “algae bloom”. Also be sure to observe any warning signs including ones from your parents regardless of your age. Also, kayakers should be very careful as some of the most toxic bacteria live at two to three feet below the surface in calm waters and cannot be realized until they bloom and the blooms are forced to the surface. Have fun in the sun and water this summer, but watch out for the sharks and bacteria. – Pandemic Survivor

Breast Cancer Survivor Takes on the Issues

Posted on April 13, 2014 by Mark Pegram

Carole Baggerly had her own experience with breast cancer. She then started to research the reason why. Her discovery; scientists have expressed the understanding that breast cancer is a deficiency disease. That is over her life time, her intake of vitamin D was not adequate. She was so upset and concerned about the issues that she started GrassrootsHealth. This is a consortium of more than forty scientists and doctors that are experts in vitamin D and nutrition. She discovered that it was not only breast cancer, but a host of chronic illness related to deficiencies. Take the time and watch her explain the issues in the first thirty minutes of this video presentation. Carole Baggerly and Dr. Heaney, September, 2012 Presentation to Direct-MS Canada.

If you are concerned about the health of your children, yourself, your parents, the next hour is Dr. Heaney who has contributed significantly to the understanding of vitamin D. He talks about the longevity issues and decline with chronic disease because of nutritional deficiencies. There are many diseases that have now been linked to deficiencies that number into the hundreds. This is particularly pointed to vitamin D deficiency.

This discussion is fairly non-technical and is understandable by the average person. Dr. Heaney expresses the understanding that “things go better with vitamin D”. That is that vitamin D deficiency may not be the cause of a disease like TB, but not having enough vitamin D will prevent your body from properly healing. However, this understanding falls into the logic of the chicken versus the egg. In other words, if you had enough vitamin D would you have gotten TB in the first place? Dr. Heaney discusses everything from diabetes, heart disease, MS, pregnancy, and cancer to infectious diseases like TB. I give the video presentation six stars out of a five star rating system for understanding of chronic disease and the effect of vitamin D. Presentation to Direct-MS Canada.

Your take away from this, is you, your friends, and your family should not suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Standards within the medical industry have long been 20 ng/ml to 100 ng/ml. There have not been any cases of toxicity below 200 ng/ml or 500 nmol/l. There does not appear to be any downside at this level of vitamin D. Some laboratories have decreased the upper number, 100 ng/ml, to whatever they are measuring the population. Best health for you can be reached with a vitamin D serum level, 25(OH)D between 40 ng/ml to 80 ng/ml; note this is still within the normal range as defined by medicine. It is not how much you take; it is where you maintain your serum level. Everyone responds differently to their intake from all sources of vitamin D. The only way to know is to test. Dr. Heaney says to maintain a level above 40ng/ml will require an intake from all sources of 5000 IU or more of vitamin D3 per day.

Please note this presentation is in Canada. The measurements used are in nanamoles per liter or nmol/l. To convert ng/ml to nmol/l multiply ng/ml by 2.5. So the normal range of 20 to 100 ng/ml is 50 to 250 nmol/l. Get your serum level tested to give your body a chance to thrive. If you choose to do it through GrassrootsHealth, you become part of the study that will help to advance health in the population. – Pandemic Survivor

Test by GrassrootsHealth: Video of how to do the test:

Grassroots Health Webinars on Vitamin D

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Mark Pegram

The scientist, researchers, and doctors at Grassroots Health have been presenting webinars on vitamin D and various topics. This is a wealth of information about how a given disease works with vitamin D as well as the interaction of calcium.

I highly encourage you to go to the website and watch and listen to the webinars. There is a new one every Tuesday at 1PM eastern time. Also after becoming familiar with the information, I encourage you to ask your doctor to watch, if he is giving you a hard time about supplementing with vitamin D. It is important that you maintain your 25(OH)D level above 40 ng/ml.

If you don’t watch and listen to any of the others, I highly suggest that you watch – Why Test Vitamin D!? The question is always – How much should I take? This gives you and understanding that everyone responds differently to amounts. At the Grassroots Health home page you can find a table of how to start supplementing before testing. There is also a downloadable chart as a PDF.

Here is the link to the Video Page http://www.grassrootshealth.net/index.php/videos

Diabetes & Vitamin D
The Sun & Vitamin D I and II
Pregnancy & Vitamin D I and II
Upper Respiratory Infections & Vitamin DI and II
Ethic Disparities & Vitamin D
Premenopausal Breast Cancer & Vitamin D
The Cost of Vitamin D Deficiency: In Dollars & Disease
Vitamin D & Calcium, Fractures, & Kidney Stones What do we know?
Why Test Vitamin D!?
Prostate Cancer Positive Core Biopsies Reduced with Vitamin D
Prostate Cancer Lesions Reduced with Vitamin D
Vitamin D Stops Breast Cancer
Vitamin D & Gene Expression
Vitamin D & Treatment of Autism
Pregnancy & Vitamin D Interview
Alzheimer’s Prevention & Vitamin
Interaction of Vitamin D and Calcium
Vitamin D Requirements for Breast Feeding Mothers
Vitamin D & Breast Cancer
Vitamin D & Cardiovascular Disease
Vitamin D & The Immune System
Vitamin D & Cystic Fibrosis

Be well and stay healthy – Pandemic Survivor

Venus Williams Poor Understanding of Nutrition Leads to Sjogren’s

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Mark Pegram

I love tennis. It is my sport of choice when I am not playing golf. This year I have had an exciting time watching John Isner rising to the top of the tennis ranks. What an athlete! – have you seen him shoot a basketball? I love Isnerball – a unique approach to tennis that can only be used by a six foot ten inch athlete with an exceptional serve. Now I am sad that another of my favorites, Venus Williams, has had to retire from the US Open because of Sjogren’s (pronounced sow-grins) syndrome.

The physical nature of tennis is extreme. Nutritional conditioning of the tennis professional is of prime importance, especially those things that affect the energy systems as vitamin D, magnesium, and iodine. The reason that I list these as primary is the vitamin D is not fully accepted by medical practice and the magnesium and iodine are difficult to measure and thus not used as markers for poor nutrition.

So how can I make this claim about Venus and her diagnosis of Sjogren’s syndrome? It has been well established by research that the majority of autoimmune diseases are a reflection of the lack of the body’s primary weapon for immunity – vitamin D3. Here is a paper that was published in 1990 from research in Denmark: “Abnormal Vitamin D metabolism in patients with Sjogren’s syndrome” -K Muller . The really good thing about this study was that the levels of 25(OH)D₃ and 25(OH)D₂ were both measured. Discovered was the patients with the autoimmune disease had a significantly lower level of 25(OH)D₃. In fact, 25(OH)D₃ could not even be measured in nine of the patients. At the end of the discussion the author’s make this statement – “It is unclear whether the changed vitamin D3 metabolism is related to the immunopathology of this disease or is merely an epiphenomenon.” Based on research in the twenty one years since this publication, it is clear that low vitamin D3 levels are the culprit.

How could a person who spends a significant amount of time in the sun be vitamin D deficient? Dark skin tone and the use of sunscreen? This is the issue and the IOM would say that she is not if her level of the storage form is 20 ng/ml or more. Venus is just one of millions that are now in their twenties and thirties that are showing chronic disease from the fear of the sun touted for the last fifty years. We now know that for health and great sport performance that 25(OH) D₃needs to be above 60 ng/ml. I sincerely hope that Venus connects with a professional medical person like Dr. John Cannell, Vitamin D Council, and develops an understanding of the nutrition that she needs to come back to the sport. I believe Dr. Cannell has an up and coming book on vitamin D sports nutrition. If Venus does this, then we can expect to see her at the Australian Open in January.

If she gives in to the normal line of treatment, then who knows what the results will be. The first course of action is a drug that is used to treat malaria, hydroxychloroquine. I find this just sad because of the side effects. Venus, take some vitamin D3 and drink some quinine or tonic water, supplement with magnesium and iodine and get back on the courts.

John Isner, if you are reading this then get your vitamin D level tested. I look forward to you winning a couple of majors real soon. I love Isnerball! – pandemic survivor.

Vitamin D Deficiency Survivor

Changing the Face of Health with Vitamin D

Category Archives: Autoimmune Disease