Supplements

Vanadium

Vanadium is an essential trace mineral. Although scientists know very little about how vanadium functions in humans, they believe that, at the very least, it is necessary for bone and tooth formation. Vanadium was once administered as a cure for various diseases, but it was toxic at the high doses that were prescribed.

Based on animal studies, scientists believe that a lack of vanadium may result in high cholesterol and triglyceride levels, poor blood sugar control (e.g., diabetes or hypoglycemia), and cardiovascular and kidney disease.

Vanadium is important in the treatment of diabetes. The mineral works by acting like insulin and, thereby, helping cells to absorb sugar more effectively. Human studies show that vanadium greatly reduces the needs for insulin and hypogylcemic medications. It also lowers blood sugar as well.

Vanadyl sulfate has been found to benefit both Type I and Type II diabetes. In humans it appears to have the insulin-mimicking effect that Type I diabetics need, as well as the ability to overcome the insulin resistance that defines Type II diabetes.

Recently, a derivative of vanadium, peroxovanadium, has been used in experimental animals. It was 50 times more potent than vanadate in normalizing blood sugar without the toxicity shown by vanadium. Tests in humans have not been completed.

Because vanadium can act like insulin, an anabolic hormone that helps increase muscle mass, some weight trainers have begun taking high doses of vanadium. The mineral does not affect insulin metabolism in healthy people.

Depleting Agents: Food processing and tobacco can interfere with the uptake of vanadium. If you are taking lithium, you should not use vanadium unless directed to do so by your physician.

Sources: While vanadium is found in many foods, the best sources are sunflower, safflower, corn, and olive oils, as well as buckwheat, parsley, oats, rice, green beans, carrots, cabbage, pepper, and dill. It is also found in shellfish. Vanadium supplementation for a healthy person is rarely necessary. Eating any of the above foods should supply a sufficient quantity.

Precautions: Certainly it is possible to overdose on vanadium, for instance, multigram doses may cause kidney problems. Which indicates that doses higher than 100 mg daily should be avoided. Doses over 20 mgs should be taken only for existing diabetes and with a doctor's supervision.

High levels of vanadium may also contribute to some bone and kidney diseases. Additional problems reported include:

• Gastrointestinal upset with low doses
• Manic depression with high doses
• Inhibition of protein synthesis
• Pulmonary irritation from inhaled vanadium dust (e.g., petroleum workers)
• Oxidative damage to beta cells

Dosage Ranges and Duration of Administration: Some experts believe that most American diets provide from 20 to 60 mcg of vanadium per day; others believe that the amount is many times that. At any given time, the body contains 25 to 100 mg of vanadium. It is present in varying amounts in the soil and in many foods.

It can also be inhaled from the air as a result of burning petroleum or petroleum products. Deficiency states in humans have not been described, and no RDA has been established. Vanadium is poorly absorbed by the body once ingested, with as much as 95% eliminated.

Dr. Atkins recommends 25-50 mg of vanadyl sulfate per day, for his diabetic patients. Recent studies have indicated that the optimal dose might be closer to 100 mg.

Vanadium exists in several forms including vanadyl or vanadate. Vanadyl sulfate is most commonly found in nutritional supplements. There are at least three other forms of vanadium less biologically significant.

Therapeutic Uses:

• Diabetes (15 to 100 mg/day). Vanadium improves insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in Type I and Type II diabetes mellitus in experimental animals; however, supporting data on humans are not available.
• Bones and teeth. Vanadium improves the mineralization of bones and teeth in experimental animals.
• Bodybuilding (0.5 mg/kg/day). Studies have been unable to determine definitively any performance-enhancing effects of vanadium.
• High cholesterol. Vanadium seems to have the ability to reduce cholesterol in experimental animals.
• Heart disease. Rates of heart disease are low in areas of the world (e.g., South America) where the soil contains high levels of vanadium.

INTERACTIONS

Heparin
Experimentally, vanadium (1 and 2 mM concentrations) enhanced the effects of heparin (2.5 mU/mL) in prolonging plasma clotting times (Funakoshi et al. 1992). The mechanism behind this interaction is thought to be inhibition of coagulation factors such as thrombin and factor Xa.

MAO Indhibitors
Vanadium should not be taken with the monoamine oxidase (MAO) indhibitor drugs used to treat depression. (Atkins, et al., 1999)