I agree 100% with the premise of this article, i.e., no chemicals in our food and water. I appreciate you writing about these important topics. However, lately I’m coming across some misconceptions about Vitamin D.
D, misnamed a “vitamin”, is actually a stercosteroid with powerful effects in multiple body systems, including endocrine and immune. When cholesterol in our skin is exposed to UVB radiation, cholecalciferol is synthesized. This is an intermediate metabolite of the bioactive form of Vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Cholecalciferol is not rat poison.
However, like Vitamin K, D plays a role in hemostasis. Specifically, it has anticoagulant effects by down-regulating tissue factor and up-regulating thrombomodulin. I am no expert on rat poison, but I do know that cholecalciferol given in high doses to something as small as a rat will induce what amounts to uncontrolled bleeding via its anticoagulant effects. Vitamin K is used similarly. This is a prime example of how even substances that are biologically natural and known to be essential to good health may also be toxic in the wrong dose (or may be antithetical to good health in a different organism).
When you speak of table salt are you referring to the highly processed iodized product or natural salt with mineral content intact? The first is harmful, the second is not. In most cases, excess sodium intake is not an actual problem, it’s the lack of potassium to balance it.
My issue here was the dangerous labeling of something as poison when it is not. Fortunately, my biomedical sciences degree isn’t completely worthless thanks to the solid foundation it provides in anatomy/physiology, biochemistry, etc. That’s not to say all dietary supplements are created equal and some are outright harmful, such as the example presented of cyanocobalamin. Even if the active ingredient in the supplement is present in its natural, bioactive form, manufacturing processes, additives, and more can make that product harmful rather than beneficial. It’s also impossible to chemically synthesize some nutrients in the equivalent form the body synthesizes or as they’re found in nature. A good example is folate vs. folic acid. Folate is the natural form found in food and there is no toxic threshold. Folic acid is synthetic and toxic in excess. Any nutrient the human body requires for optimal functioning of all interdependent systems is usually best obtained as nature intended, whether it’s from a healthy amount of sun exposure (around solar noon when UVB is highest and without sunscreen, contrary to conventional medicine orthodoxy), food, etc.
None of this was meant as a criticism of the author. I think it’s important to use certain words cautiously or we risk perpetuating inaccurate interpretations.
I don’t think you want intact mineral contents with all kinds of salt. Lead is a mineral too and it’s not like you’re getting iron from salt. The iodized stuff ranks really badly on this list though so you don’t want that either.
Great discussion. Laboratory grade sodium chloride, yes. I’m aware of LD50 as established for rats. In humans, it’s extremely difficult to achieve a toxic dose since the kidneys are exquisitely designed to maintain proper sodium balance in the body. It would require a specific combination of variables, and is unlikely to occur as a consequence of typical dietary intake. That’s not to say one can’t achieve electrolyte imbalance resulting in symptoms, but, again, that has more to do with inadequate potassium than too much sodium. The human body is constantly working to maintain homeostasis.
This is what I know about gravity. It’s sticks us solid to a spinning ball so we don’t fall off. But it doesn’t seem to contain butterflies.
A much better theory I have heard is buoyancy. The lighter you are - the more buoyant. The heavier you are the least buoyancy you have. That makes more sense to me. But I’m not a scientist and I haven’t tested it! Lol! It’s just a thought.
Once a big spotlight was shined on the dangers of mercury poisoning from amalgam dental fillings the industry finally woke up and has used less of it.
I mean buoyancy is part of gravity too. How would you explain gravitational waves without gravity and can’t you see the aerodynamics of flying in action? It’s not much harder to observe than hydrodynamics in my opinion since water is clear too.
I agree 100% with the premise of this article, i.e., no chemicals in our food and water. I appreciate you writing about these important topics. However, lately I’m coming across some misconceptions about Vitamin D.
D, misnamed a “vitamin”, is actually a stercosteroid with powerful effects in multiple body systems, including endocrine and immune. When cholesterol in our skin is exposed to UVB radiation, cholecalciferol is synthesized. This is an intermediate metabolite of the bioactive form of Vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D. Cholecalciferol is not rat poison.
However, like Vitamin K, D plays a role in hemostasis. Specifically, it has anticoagulant effects by down-regulating tissue factor and up-regulating thrombomodulin. I am no expert on rat poison, but I do know that cholecalciferol given in high doses to something as small as a rat will induce what amounts to uncontrolled bleeding via its anticoagulant effects. Vitamin K is used similarly. This is a prime example of how even substances that are biologically natural and known to be essential to good health may also be toxic in the wrong dose (or may be antithetical to good health in a different organism).
It's «the dose makes the poison» thing, toxic dose is some 100,000 times higher.
Numbers here: https://substack.com/@ratsays/note/c-48661210
That’s exactly the point I was making. Virtually anything can be toxic if dosed improperly.
For table salt, toxic/therapeutic dose ratio is about 100; for alcohol, about 10...50, depending on what your therapeutic dose is. :)
A ratio of 100,000 is extremely safe in comparison, as long it's properly diluted to prevent accidental overdose.
When you speak of table salt are you referring to the highly processed iodized product or natural salt with mineral content intact? The first is harmful, the second is not. In most cases, excess sodium intake is not an actual problem, it’s the lack of potassium to balance it.
My issue here was the dangerous labeling of something as poison when it is not. Fortunately, my biomedical sciences degree isn’t completely worthless thanks to the solid foundation it provides in anatomy/physiology, biochemistry, etc. That’s not to say all dietary supplements are created equal and some are outright harmful, such as the example presented of cyanocobalamin. Even if the active ingredient in the supplement is present in its natural, bioactive form, manufacturing processes, additives, and more can make that product harmful rather than beneficial. It’s also impossible to chemically synthesize some nutrients in the equivalent form the body synthesizes or as they’re found in nature. A good example is folate vs. folic acid. Folate is the natural form found in food and there is no toxic threshold. Folic acid is synthetic and toxic in excess. Any nutrient the human body requires for optimal functioning of all interdependent systems is usually best obtained as nature intended, whether it’s from a healthy amount of sun exposure (around solar noon when UVB is highest and without sunscreen, contrary to conventional medicine orthodoxy), food, etc.
None of this was meant as a criticism of the author. I think it’s important to use certain words cautiously or we risk perpetuating inaccurate interpretations.
https://tamararubin.com/2020/10/how-much-lead-is-in-salt-which-salt-is-safest-to-use-for-cooking-is-himalayan-salt-safe/
I don’t think you want intact mineral contents with all kinds of salt. Lead is a mineral too and it’s not like you’re getting iron from salt. The iodized stuff ranks really badly on this list though so you don’t want that either.
Thanks for the link! I’ll take a look at the info after work so I can do some additional research.
I meant pure NaCl (lab grade or better) as it's what would normally be used when establishing LD50.
Point about using terms cautiously taken.
Great discussion. Laboratory grade sodium chloride, yes. I’m aware of LD50 as established for rats. In humans, it’s extremely difficult to achieve a toxic dose since the kidneys are exquisitely designed to maintain proper sodium balance in the body. It would require a specific combination of variables, and is unlikely to occur as a consequence of typical dietary intake. That’s not to say one can’t achieve electrolyte imbalance resulting in symptoms, but, again, that has more to do with inadequate potassium than too much sodium. The human body is constantly working to maintain homeostasis.
As for Gravity.
It is not the fall or length of fall that's problematic. It's how suddenly you stop.
Gravity doesn't kill. Stopping suddenly does.
Dihydrogen Monoxide is deadly too!
It is the main component in acid rain!
DHMO, kills, it's in our water!
This is what I know about gravity. It’s sticks us solid to a spinning ball so we don’t fall off. But it doesn’t seem to contain butterflies.
A much better theory I have heard is buoyancy. The lighter you are - the more buoyant. The heavier you are the least buoyancy you have. That makes more sense to me. But I’m not a scientist and I haven’t tested it! Lol! It’s just a thought.
Once a big spotlight was shined on the dangers of mercury poisoning from amalgam dental fillings the industry finally woke up and has used less of it.
There are gravitational waves. Butterflies and other flying animals generally are swimming through air basically the same way fish swim through water.
I have heard that theory, but I’m not sure I really buy it.
I mean buoyancy is part of gravity too. How would you explain gravitational waves without gravity and can’t you see the aerodynamics of flying in action? It’s not much harder to observe than hydrodynamics in my opinion since water is clear too.
Yep, Water waves bend light, Gravity waves on a vacuum, bend light.