Vanadium is a trace element that is absorbed in the intestines and stored in the liver and bones. It helps to normalize blood sugar imbalances and increases the metabolism and conversion of glucose into lipids. Although it has yet to be recognized as an essential nutrient for humans, vanadium is believed to play an important role in the formation of bones and teeth.
Some experts believe vanadium reduces blood pressure and aids in the increase of muscle tissue. A form of vanadium, vanadyl sulfate, may improve the utilization of glucose in individuals with type-II diabetes. However, other studies have refuted this research; furthermore, many studies have shown that it does not help people with type-I diabetes.
At present, there are no recommended daily allowances or requirements for vanadium. Some experts believe 10 micrograms is an adequate daily amount; the average Western diet provides 15-30 micrograms of vanadium per day.
While there is no one significant source of vanadium, it can be found in very small amounts in a variety of foods, including cereals, mushrooms, parsley, corn, soy products, gelatin, and some forms of seafood. Vanadium supplements are also available, either in powder or capsule form.
Animal studies have shown that vanadium deficiency can have a number of adverse effects, including impaired growth, bone deformities and infertility; these results have not been duplicated in human subjects. Anecdotal reports of health care and government workers exposed to large amounts of vanadium have demonstrated a possible link to manic depression and other mental disorders, but the meaning of these conditions has yet to be effectively determined.
Chromium and vanadium may interfere with the absorption of one another. In addition, tobacco smoke may decrease the absorption of vanadium. As of this writing, there are no known drug interactions with vanadium.
References
Chronic pain afflicts over 20% of the adult population. Sadly, most MDs have essentially no education in treating pain, beyond offering a few toxic medications. Then they tend to steer people with pain away from those health practitioners who are trained. This puts the acupuncture community on the front lines for addressing this epidemic.
When the body is going through a stressful event, the sympathetic system is activated. This activation will help the body with a life-threatening situation. If this state is activated for prolonged periods of time, it starts to consume energy. These traumatic events that generate stressors in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) will eventually become internalized.
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One of the things that makes acupuncture so difficult to measure is that the medicine actually does contain some esoteric aspects. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate the neurochemical reasoning behind why acupuncture points stimulate the autonomic nervous system to enact change However, not all the benefits of TCM can easily be measured by randomized, controlled trials. But does that make them fundamentally and definitively untrue?
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