Interesting phone conversation today about colchicine. For years we've known that colchicine is very effective at relieving a herniated intervertebral disk. In fact, I had a very personal experience with that in my neck in 1993. I had a herniated disk that essentially paralyzed my left arm. It was treated successfully with intravenous colchicine and now I've found that by taking it orally occaisionally I have no residual and have been basically pain free for 17 years.

I've had several other family experiences with this with successful outcomes. A couple of years ago the intravenous colchicine was taken off the market, which is discouraging because of the effectiveness of this method. Some people have chosen to try gradually increasing doses of colchicine and some have gotten quite good relief from the oral colchicine.

Recently a patient came in with a history of herniated disk and typical low back pain radiating to the lower extremities. An MRI confirmed the diagnoses of the herniated disk and her choices were pretty much pain medication or surgery. She elected instead to try the colchicine and within two weeks was able to stop all her other pain medication. The back pain had gone away and she also found that the progressive pain she'd been experiencing in several other parts of her body was eliminated. She seemed to have more energy and a much better mood.

     It has been known that the nature of colchicine is anti-inflammatory. Exactly why it works to relieve the pressure of  a herniated disk is not clearly known. It does work and is quite safe compared to other options available for that type of situation. It is something to keep in mind.

     You may have a little trouble convincing your doctor to let you try colchicine in this type of situation. But if you Google it and get more information about it's safety and history (it is also relatively inexpensive) you may be able to get your doctor to let you give it a try, especially if he thinks pain medication or surgery are the only options.

Vitamin D

     Part of an editorial from the 2008 edition of Life Extension.

"The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. In response to this attack, President Roosevelt declared an emergency and committed every national resource to supporting the war effort.

     Another significant event occurred in 1941 but no government response was generated. The result of this oversight is that at least 12 times more Americans have died than all the US servicemen killed in World War II. This historic discovery has been confirmed by recent human studies. It would thus seem appropriate for today's president to hold a news conference announcing a simple step that every American should take to drastically cut their risk of dying from age-related diseases. 

     When adding up the lives that could be spared, the numbers are staggering. For cancer alone, 275,000 American live could be saved each year if a nation-wide program was implemented.

     When one considers how much money the government spends to protect against real and imaginary events, the cost of implementing this common-sense program would be trivial.

     In 1941, the first scientific study was published showing that greater sunlight exposure resulted in lower cancer mortality (The Relation of Solar Irradiation to Cancer Mortality in North America. "Cancer Research," 1941). People living in northern latitudes are shown to contract more cancers than those in southern latitudes where there is greater year-round sunlight exposure.

     Researchers subsequently identified vitamin D as the cancer protective factor generated from sunlight. Published scientific studies have shown cancer risk reduction of 50% and more, based on higher vitamin D status."

Comment: Most adults should be taking 5,000 IUs a day and then have a vitamin D blood test done to see if that is adequate to get the blood level to 60-80.