Recent study on Melatonin and Scoliosis

[Bigbluefrog]

Think positive....visualizing good results!

I met a 42 yr old female with scoliosis today, she stated physical therapy and exercising kept her scoliosis from progressing...those were her exact words.

She doesn't remember the degree...but she said she was very close to getting a brace.

[andyglasser]

Flouride and Scoliosis

My daughter's both have Scoliosis. Because I have hypothyroidism I have become interested in the effect of Fluoride has on the thyroid, and have discovered in my research a host more detrimental health affects of long term fluoride exposure on many systems, including on bone, despite the fact that it's known to help prevent cavities. Since I have always been "blessed" to have daughters who prefer water to any other kind of drink, fluoridated water, I started wondering whether there could be a link. Interestingly, I found no research suggesting a link between fluoride and scoliosis directly, but I did find evidence of fluoride's detrimental effect on the pineal gland, responsible for the production of melatonin. And then found my way here. I'm writing this to put this on people's radars. I would love to see a developing interest in any possible connection between what I think is a misguided policy of medicating the population with Fluoride, whether they want it or not, and the scoliosis in our growing children. I also thought it interesting that scoliosis is more common in girls, since Hypothyroidism is also more common in women. Maybe this suggests a common cause, I don't know. In any case, I'm buying a water filter that can remove our fluoride. Non-fluoridated areas don't even have a greater incidence of cavities, so it can't hurt.

http://www.fluoridealert.org/health/pineal/

[Pooka1]

You started with your hypothyroidism and then jumped to the pineal gland and then back to hypothyroidism.

Are you suggesting F is potentially detrimental to BOTH the thyroid and the pineal gland?

[andyglasser]

how much melatonin?

Does anyone know how much supplemental melatonin was given to the children in that japanese study?

[andyglasser]

You started with your hypothyroidism and then jumped to the pineal gland and then back to hypothyroidism.

Are you suggesting F is potentially detrimental to BOTH the thyroid and the pineal gland?

Yes - that is what is suggested in the link I posted too. And those aren't the only two systems detrimentally affected by Fluoride. I'm sorry if I confused with the talk of Hypothyroidism. I was just trying to explain how I "happened" upon my research into Fluoride in the first place.

[Pooka1]

Yes - that is what is suggested in the link I posted too. And those aren't the only two systems detrimentally affected by Fluoride. I'm sorry if I confused with the talk of Hypothyroidism. I was just trying to explain how I "happened" upon my research into Fluoride in the first place.

Okay so you are not suggesting a causal connection between thyroid issues and scoliosis, just between the pineal gland and scoliosis, yes?

[andyglasser]

Okay so you are not suggesting a causal connection between thyroid issues and scoliosis, just between the pineal gland and scoliosis, yes?

I am not suggesting that thyroid problems cause scoliosis, no. Only that Fluoride could affect both the thyroid and the pineal gland.

[Pooka1]

Are there any other cases of scoliosis in your family or extended family to explain your two daughters?

Both my daughters have scoliosis and although there are a few known cases on both sides of their extended family (including a fusion), there is some chance their scoliosis is related instead to a spontaneous mutation causing a connective tissue disorder. For example, 25% of Marfans cases are new mutations though Marfans itself is relatively rare.

[Dingo]

Melatonin

andyglasser

Low Melatonin may (or may not) play a role in the development of Scoliosis. For my kid I blacked out his room which is a cheap and easy way to ensure that he makes plenty of Melatonin at night. I hope it helps, at the very least it won't hurt.

However the key to Scoliosis probably lies in a dysfunction in the central nervous system. It isn't that the body doesn't make enough Melatonin, it's that Melatonin isn't being processed correctly.

You might find this study interesting.

Melatonin Signaling Dysfunction in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Results. The cAMP assays demonstrated that melatonin signaling was impaired in osteoblasts isolated from adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients to different degrees allowing their classification in 3 distinct groups based on their responsiveness to melatonin or Gpp(NH)p.

Conclusion. Melatonin signaling is clearly impaired in osteoblasts of all patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis tested. Classification of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in 3 groups based on functional in vitro assays suggests the presence of distinct mutations interfering with the melatonin signal transduction. Posttranslational modifications affecting Gi protein function, such as serine residues phosphorylation, should be considered as one possible mechanism in the etiopathogenesis of AIS.

[joyfull]

Karen, I'm interested in your comment about your mother, age 92, with scoliosis who is "quite twisted." It's really impressive that she attained that age; I wish her many more happy and healthy years! Has she had any other major consequences of the scoliosis? I'm curious since I'm having the surgery purely for preventive reasons, as I've posted before, and thank G-d, I have no pain. It's really tough to walk into this with no pain. All the best, Joy

[Karen Ocker]

For Joyful

Joyfull,
My mom died in January-leukemia. Her back was only slightly curved throughout her life and it didn't show until she was over 80--so do not take that to believe that severe scoliosis does not impact life expectancy--but keeps progressing until death.

I just got diagnosed with very early breast cancer. Among other risk factors: many x-rays in my teens-to monitor scoliosis- when breasts were developing and 8 years of hormone replacement therapy. I was against it(hrt) but, because of scoliosis, my GYN thought it was best for my spine. The prognosis is good but just another thing when I just lost my mom. Scoliosis impacts so many other problems.

My opinion; I think it's nuts not to address progressing scoliosis and hope it will stop on it's own or with "conservative measures". Think of all those x-rays to monitor supposed "holding" of a curve.

[CHRIS WBS]

I just got diagnosed with very early breast cancer.

So sorry to read this, Karen. Wishing you a full recovery. Early detection is certainly to your advantage.

[Dingo]

Cancer

Karen Ocker

I'm sorry to hear you have breast cancer. Osteopontin overexpression has been associated with many types of cancer including breast cancer.

Wiki: Osteopontin

It has been shown that OPN drives IL-17 production;[28] OPN is overexpressed in a variety of cancers, including lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, melanoma and mesothelioma; OPN contributes both glomerulonephritis and tubulointerstitial nephritis; and OPN is found in atheromatous plaques within arteries. Thus, manipulation of plasma OPN levels may be useful in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, cancer metastasis, osteoporosis and some forms of stress.[2]

Interestingly enough according to Dr. Moreau's patent Osteopontin is elevated in children with AIS. I'm not sure if OPN stays elevated after skeletal maturity but I think I remember that it does stay high. The connections between various inflammatory conditions and OPN are discussed at length in Dr. Moreua's Scoliosis patent. It also includes at least one breast cancer/OPN study link.

(WO/2008/119170) METHOD OF DETERMINING RISK OF SCOLIOSIS

I should add that according to his patent scientists are testing a specific type of Selenium (Se-methylselenocystein) on women with breast cancer.

[00166] Selenium concentration was reported to be significantly decreased in plasma of AIS patients (42). Selenium and more specifically Se-methylselenocystein, an organoselenium naturally occurring in diet, are used to prevent metastasis in breast cancer as chemopreventive therapy by targeting OPN transcription (43-45).

[Karen Ocker]

Dingo I am going to scold you!

This is not the place for you, who is absolutely not qualified to do so, to figure out causes of such a complex disease as breast cancer and then post your "findings" picked out of some "research" to a newly-diagnosed person. How is this supposed to help????

Please leave your research to a scientist.

Your posting was out of place and made me angry.

[Pooka1]

My mom died in January-leukemia.

I just got diagnosed with very early breast cancer.

Oh Karen, I'm so sorry. Stay strong.