Key Concepts

You may have many questions about autoimmune diseases, inflammatory symptoms, diagnosis, the immune system, the recovery process and vitamin D deficiency.

Our peer-reviewed paper been published in the following paginated issue of Inflammation Research: Volume 63, Issue 10 (2014), Page 803-819. This article explains the key concepts of our scientific theory and Inflammation Therapy in detail. 
 

Inflammation and Vitamin D: the Infection Connection

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Here is a brief, simple explanation.

Bacterial Etiology Theory of Non-resolving InflammationProcessChronicInflammation

Chronic inflammation is a sign of immune system dysfunction; a probable cause is found in the ability of cell wall deficient bacteria (CWD) to invade nucleated cells. These pathogens persist within cellular cytoplasm by using strategies to evade destruction.

One of those strategies appears to be downregulation of the vitamin D receptor (VDR). This is evidenced by elevated 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol), in the absence of hypercalcemia. High levels of calcitriol suggest that bacterial ligands are able to antagonize or otherwise inhibit VDR function and prevent the receptor from expressing enzymes necessary to keep calcitriol in a normal range. Calcitriol activates the immune system by binding to the VDR to genomically induce transcription of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) which eliminate pathogens.

Normally, renal production of calcitriol is tightly self-regulated, with the end product down-regulating its own further production. Production of calcitriol in extra-renal cells is controlled by cytokines, lipopolysaccharide, nitric oxide and intracellular vitamin D binding protein; when extra-renal tissues are parasitized by CWD bacteria, excess calcitriol production is stimulated and renal control of calcitriol production is lost.

Elevated calcitriol indicates the immune system recognizes the presence of parasitic bacteria and is attempting to combat them by increasing the production of calcitriol in order to transcribe antimicrobial peptides. The result is chronic low-grade inflammation, persistent intracellular infection, and eventual multi-morbidity. Administration of the angiotensin blocker olmesartan medoxomil demonstrates reversal of immune system dysregulation. When used at higher than the standard antihypertensive dose, olmesartan appears to be an agonistic VDR ligand which upregulates the bacterially-inhibited VDR. This is evidenced by a significant reduction in elevated calcitriol. In addition, an apparent increase in AMP transcription and thus, elimination of intracellular bacteria, is evidenced by symptoms of Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction and eventual reduction in inflammatory symptoms.

 

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These slides with text provide a simple explanation of vitamin D metabolism:

The Truth About Vitamin D

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These slides with text explain:

The Bacterial Etiology of Chronic Illness

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Listen to Dr. Eve Detko’s interview with Meg Mangin, RN

The Truth About Vitamin D