ORAL TREATMENTS - GENERAL - Vitamins, Prescriptions , Herbs, Supplements

[nemo]

Another thing Dr. Mariano wants me to do (see my message below) is take 10,000 iu of Vitamin D per day - he says I'm low on D.  I've read something on the internet about too much D causing calcium problems and calcification of soft tissue.  Again, this sets off a warning light for me as a Peyronies Disease sufferer.  George, any thoughts?

Nemo

[snowden]

Thank you Hawk and George.  I put "Dr Lue Pentox" into the search box and found a lot of good info that included a post by George with a link to an article on medicalnewstoday.com that should work perfectly.

[nemo]

Just heard back from Dr. Mariano's office ... said NOT to take the cabergoline after all, due to the Peyronies Disease issue I raised about "fibrosis."  I also asked her to ask the Dr. about Vit D and hypercalcemia.  I'm glad to know the Dr. is not one of these "do as I say" types and actually looked into this for me.

Nemo

[George999]

Another thing Dr. Mariano wants me to do (see my message below) is take 10,000 iu of Vitamin D per day - he says I'm low on D.  I've read something on the internet about too much D causing calcium problems and calcification of soft tissue.  Again, this sets off a warning light for me as a Peyronies Disease sufferer.  George, any thoughts?

Nemo

Nemo,  I absolutely agree with Dr. Mariano on the Vitamin D.  The thing with Vitamin D is that lots of it causes calcium to be absorbed super efficiently by the body and *can* cause levels of calcium in the blood to climb too high.  This is why doctors typically monitor blood calcium levels every few months in the case of people taking large amounts of Vitamin D.  But 10,000 IU or less daily rarely causes a problem.  HOWEVER, I would not take this amount of Vitamin D and also take stuff like calcium supplements UNLESS prescribed by your doctor.  Additionally, I would take some Vitamin K along with the Vitamin D.  The Vitamin K will prevent calcification of soft tissues by driving any excess calcium into the bone where it belongs.  Many doctors are beginning to talk about Vitamin D as basically "the mother of all hormones" in that deficiency of Vitamin D seems to be at the root of faulty hormone and glandular dysfunction in the body.  In my own case, my Peyronie's is definitely on the retreat since I have upped my Vitamin D intake to 10,000 IU a few weeks ago.  I am also still doing the UV thing to generate Vitamin D via light, so I am probably getting over 15,000 IU a day total.  The result on the Peyronie's is only good stuff so far.  I am EXTREMELY pleased with the Vitamin D at this point and wish I had started taking it long ago.  But only in the last few months have these secrets about Vitamin D been discovered.  - George

[Iceman]

george 999.

you said: 'In my own case, my Peyronie's is definitely on the retreat since I have upped my Vitamin D intake to 10,000 IU a few weeks ago.'

can you please let me know what has actually improved - also I am on D3 which is 1000iu per day - should I up this amount or is there a generic vit D thats got 1 capsule that 10000iu - Im taking so many differnt supps that my desk at work is like the walgrens counter....

[nemo]

Thanks, George, I always appreciate your expertise on matters supplement!

nemo

[George999]

george 999.

you said: 'In my own case, my Peyronie's is definitely on the retreat since I have upped my Vitamin D intake to 10,000 IU a few weeks ago.'

can you please let me know what has actually improved - also I am on D3 which is 1000iu per day - should I up this amount or is there a generic vit D thats got 1 capsule that 10000iu - Im taking so many differnt supps that my desk at work is like the walgrens counter....

Iceman,  What I have noticed is 1) less tendency to experience pain in the "plaques", in fact complete freedom from any "plaque" pain for the whole period and 2) the "plaques" have become significantly smaller and "flatter".  There has been no perceptible change in the bend yet, and I realize that is the gold standard around here.  However, I believe that anything that knocks down inflammation is really important in the long run and it is these anti-inflammation qualities that I really value in Vitamin D.  I believe that will eventually pay off for us in terms of Peyronie's.

Around here, I am seeing Vitamin D3 available in up to 5,000 IU capsules.  I have no idea what might be available in your area.  I am taking 10,000 IU with the collaboration of my physician, I really recommend you get your doctor on board just to make sure all the bases are covered and that you are doing it as safely as possible if you are going to take large dosages.  I am taking four 2,000 IU's and two 1,000 IU's daily, breaking them up at meal times and before bed.  I just saw a study go by where they successfully tested large dosages on a monthly basis, for example 100,000 IU - 250,000 IU once per month, and found that safe, so I think a lot more options are going to emerge in the future.  There is just a lot of investigation going on right now in terms of Vitamin D since researchers are finding that it is beneficial for treating and preventing such a wide range of diseases.  Its truly a revolution in medicine.  My wife just encountered a cancer patient who had just been treated at a major medical center and was telling her about Vitamin D.  She responded that they had already tested her Vitamin D levels and had put her on a Vitamin D regimen in order to help attempt to prevent a return of the cancer.  Medical practitioners are really scrambling on all the new knowledge about Vitamin D right now.  - George

[Ironman]

Recently I "attended" a "webinar" on Peyronies Disease, presented by two experts. Having visited a urologist who iterated standard info easily found on the web--"But I know all this," I interupted, when he got to the part about surgery--it was by comparison to this doctor's recital a very educational, if discomfitting 90 minutes. The presenters, John Mulhall and ___Levine (forget his first name) more or less said this: Verapamil injected is the only stuff that has been shown to be effective in reducing bend, and then only partly. Vitamin E can be dangerous, beyond what is daily-needed, and indeed some studies have linked hi ingestion of vitamin E to an increase in potential stroke/heart attack, when all along it's been touted as an aid in preventing such.

As for huge doses of vitamin D: don't. It's hard on the liver and kidneys. As is all excess ingestions of chemicals (sometimes known as "herbal extracts). D can be a, uh, precipitating factor in developing kidney stones.

As for pain reduction representing "progress", it was mentioned in the webinar that a disappearance of erection pain is within the natural course of Peyronies, and should not be considered a reversal of the condition. (Indeed, I am in this phase, and my angle is ever pushing 45).

The frantic, desperate attempts--me too, alas-- to smooth things out, so to speak, will do more harm than good to one's overall health. The burden placed on the liver and kidneys to remove all this unnecessary chemical detritus in the blood is beyond calculation. Aubrey Grey's book, Ending Aging, which grimly describes many of the chemical realities, such as "glycation", mentioned on the forum more than once by George, says that huge amounts of these zealously touted antioxidants can result in an acceleration, not a reversal, of aging factors, such as "cross-linking", etc. This is because, while anti-oxidants do neutralize some "free radicals", there are toxic reactions when the body tries, and fails, to remove the results of these "anti-oxidant" reactions, which ironically end up doing just what their target "free radicals" were doing in the first place.

The single most powerful thing you can do for your overall health--and it will have little or no effect on Peryronies-- is to eliminate ingesting toxins PERIOD. It goes without saying, or should, that alcohol and tobacco and drugs are first on the list, but ANY excess per se, excess food, excess supplements, and even water, will be treated by the body as just so much toxin. The body--which has already "dealt with you Peyronies, in its own way-- simply does not "know" what to do with all this "nutriceutical" junk; and let me say an old saying: quantity changes quality. Thus, the boring and humbling truth of the "Middle Way" ...

I urge any of you mad pill-poppers (I'm one, tho "in recovery") (and may you live long and prosper) to reconsider the value of bathing your blood, thence cells, in the random ingestion of megadoses of whatever you stumble on in your sad search to recover your pristine penis. Peyronies--it's not a "disease" the doctors in the webinar pointed out, but a "condition". Perhaps you are thinking, "Yeah, well I'm gonna FIGHT it, fight it with my arsenal of pills!"  Good luck.

[Iceman]

Ironman - are you saying to stop taking any supps such as ALC and arginine etc??

[George999]

Ironman,  I suggest you reference some research studies to back up your wild claims.  Doctors have been prescribing high dose Vitamin E for years for Peyronie's.  As for things like ALC, there are actual research studies showing high amounts of them to be helpful.  Your claims about Vitamin D are equally ridiculous.  There are numerous studies showing Vitamin D to be safe in large amounts when done under medical supervision.  Here is one:  Megadose of vitamin D once a month safe and effective.  It is easy to make unsubstantiated claims about nutrients being "toxins", but without any authoritative support they mean nothing.  - George

[Iceman]

George999 - Ive tripled my intake of vit D3 ( 3000iu in total)  and have had ZERO pain for the past 36 hours -

i will keep you posted.

[jackisback]

Ironman - i'll admit that sometimes i've felt like i did best when i was too lazy to bother with my pills for a few days. but some of what you are saying i don't think is even plausible. Too much water in the body can be a toxin? i dont think so. not unless you are drowning.

[newguy]

George999 - Ive tripled my intake of vit D3 ( 3000iu in total)  and have had ZERO pain for the past 36 hours -

i will keep you posted.

Great news. Hopefully this will continue into the territory of weeks and months. Maybe I'm being a little too optimistic, but if it turns out to be the case George could be right about how useful this could be for us.

[George999]

We need to understand that there is a global epidemic of Vitamin D deficiency.  Some researchers are even referring to it as a "pandemic".  And this problem results in health issues that are simply all over the map.  There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that there is some link to the growing problem of Peyronie's.  And if you start taking Vitamin D now, even in large doses, it will take months to realize its full effects since it is rapidly absorbed by body fat and blood levels rise gradually as fat becomes more saturated.  But the likelihood that it can provide long term benefit is very large in my estimation.  - George

References:

The Vitamin D Epidemic and its Health Consequences

Vitamin D deficiency is now recognized as an epidemic in the United States. The major source of vitamin D for both children and adults is from sensible sun exposure. In the absence of sun exposure 1000 IU of cholecalciferol is required daily for both children and adults.

Low Level of Vitamin D Ups Death Risk
Study Shows Increased Risk of Death From Any Cause

"Our results make it much more clear that all men and women concerned about their overall health should more closely monitor their blood levels of vitamin D and make sure they have enough," says researcher Erin Michos, MD, in a news release. Michos is an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and its Heart and Vascular Institute.

[Iceman]

another 18 hours and ZERO PAIN - could it be the extra VIT D3 I am taking??

will keep you posted over the weekend

[gerMike]

@Iceman: You still do VED excercises?  

[Iceman]

germike - yes I do 20mins per night....

[Hawk]

George,

What would you attribute such a epidemic to?  It seems strange that the body requires such an "unnatural" amount of vitamin D.  In Fact it seems that by definition most do have a natural intake.  Many things have vitamin D added that did not in years past.

[alcohen]

Went back to my uro, Dr. Carson, because of increasing pain and inability to function normally (nonsexually) without feeling a great deal of pain...  Especially when walking.  I was not even considering attempting sexual activity due to an erection of any kind causing me a lot of pain...and even worse pain when I have an erection and it is touching something else (my pants or the side of my girlfriend through my pants when I hug her.  

He was very attentive and stayed with me for 20-25 minutes.  He is going to try to move my doppler ultrasound date sooner than the December 29th date it is for right now as he wants to see exactly what is going on in there.  For the pain, I was told to stay on the Pentox and Motrin that I was taking, but to add Lyrica to that as well, 50mg, three times a day.  I have just taken my second dose now but after doing a google search am a little worried about that medication.  I have not noticed any adverse set effects yet though...  Anyone ever taken this or heard of anyone taking this medication?  Obviously it will not be doing anything to help correct my possible/probable Peyronie's disease or whatever else is going on down there, but the pain right now is not something that I am able to deal with so hopefully this will have a positive effect with that.  Thoughts?  

[George999]

George,

What would you attribute such a epidemic to?  It seems strange that the body requires such an "unnatural" amount of vitamin D.  In Fact it seems that by definition most do have a natural intake.  Many things have vitamin D added that did not in years past.

Hawk,  I think that in order to understand the Vitamin D problem, one has to consider a number of factors.

1)  Sun exposure generates huge amounts of Vitamin D.  What is a "natural" level of sun exposure?  People simply are not getting as much sun as they used to before fears of melanoma set in.

2)  People as a whole are not eating as much fish as they used to.  Fish are not a part of the typical "western" diet.  What is a "natural" level of fish consumption?

3)  More people in this generation were formula fed as opposed to being breast fed as infants.  Emerging studies are showing that breast fed babies require less Vitamin D as adults.  Which is "natural"?  Breast feeding or bottle feeding?

4)  Due to diet and lifestyle issues, people have higher levels of systemic inflammation.  Inflammation rapidly depletes Vitamin D levels in the body.  Is the level of inflammation people are subject to these days from things like modern day stress levels "natural"?

These are the major factors identified so far, more will probably be uncovered as the research continues.  All of this amounts to a confluence of powerful factors that together are resulting in severe deficiencies.  A number of studies have been done confirming that a large percentage of the population is significantly deficient and that deficiency is now being solidly linked to one disease after another.  These studies have actually been going on for some time, but there has been a cadre of Vitamin D opponents in high places who have been fighting to the end to suppress this investigation.  What is now happening is that they are finally capitulating in light of the evidence that is finally becoming overwhelming.  For example, the inflammation factor demonstrating that environmental factors can significantly and rapidly deplete Vitamin D levels.  This was not understood before and the argument was that the body was somehow "regulating" Vitamin D and that people should not try to interfere with that by taking supplements.  Now, studies are showing that Vitamin D depletion is not only not a natural process, but also that Vitamin D replacement strategies can have extremely positive effects on health.  Top experts are now advising that ALL people should be ROUTINELY tested for Vitamin D levels.  The problem is that the tests are currently expensive and insurers are still fighting this strategy.  But I suspect that as the evidence continues to accumulate we will eventually see Vitamin D testing become a routine part of the annual physical.  - George

Breaking Vitamin D news this morning:  Vitamin D May Reduce Prostate Cancer Metastasis by Several Mechanisms Including Blocking Stat3

[Fred22]

I was just doing some research on D3 on the internet and one source recommended that if you were taking large amounts of D3 (10.000 IU), that you should have your serum calcium level checked once a month.  I realize that this should be checked, but do you think it is necessary to have monthly exams?

Fred

[despise]

hi do you guys know of any medication i could buy at a local vitamin store or something that helps bring down the swelling of penile tissue? my uretha and tissue are all hard. im not positive if i have peyronie's disease because i have yet gone to a doctor. but i need some kind of help! would anti inflammatory supplements help? please what can i take to help my penile trauma?

[Old Man]

despise:

You must remember that the members of this forum, with the exception of a few, are not doctors. Those that are doctors will tell the same thing that I am about to tell you.

You should seek the help of a qualified urologist for the problems you are experiencing. We on the forum cannot and most will not advise you other wise. You may have Peyronies Disease and again, you may not. So, you need to make an appointment either with a urologist or your primary health care doctor.

Only qualified medical personnel/doctors can make a diagnosis for you. I know that you want to hear other words, but this is based on my experience with Peyronies Disease, ED and other men's health issues.

Please feel free to ask any and all questions you may have though because members of this forum may be able to help with them.

Old Man

[Hawk]

Breaking Vitamin D news this morning:  Vitamin D May Reduce Prostate Cancer Metastasis by Several Mechanisms Including Blocking Stat3

George,

I cannot see anything but the sketchy title of this.  Vitamin D has been reported to effect the progression of prostate cancer for years.  A pretty thorough follow-up study (prompted by earlier positive studies) concluded there is a narrow window.  A high or low serum level of vitamin D seems to increase incidence and spread of PCa while a middle range seemed to inhibit the PCa.

[George999]

Hawk,  Every study I have seen so far seems to indicate a net reduction in Prostate Cancer risk from Vitamin D.  Do you have a link to the study showing a potential increase in risk?  That would be very interesting.  - George

[Hawk]

George I do have the link but it will take 10 minutes i don't have this time of night.  I will post it tomorrow or at first chance.

[gerald]

Has anyone besides me come down with Peyronie's after taking Metoprolol (Beta Blocker)?  I had no symtoms prior to the medication.  I then had a bypass and left the hospital with full-blown Peyronies.

Gerald - ghinin@verizon.net

[Old Man]

gerald:

I have been taking Toprol and later Metoprolol the generic for Toprol for over 4 years now. Have not had any indications of Peyronies Disease symptoms occur during that period of time. These meds were prescribed after bypass surgery.

As far as I know, there are no known Peyronies Disease symptoms indicated with taking these meds. Maybe George999 can pick up on this and help us out with an answer.

Old Man

[George999]

Gerald,  I was on Metoprolol at the time I developed Peyronie's and I am absolutely convinced it was one factor among many that resulted in my ending up with Peyronie's.  I believe that there is no one specific cause of Peyronie's.  It is the result of a conjunction of multiple factors that result in an inflammation syndrome.  So, yes, Metoprolol is suspect, in fact Peyronie's is actually documented as a possible adverse "side effect".  But Metoprolol alone is not likely to cause Peyronie's.  There are a vast number of men taking Metoprolol who have not contracted Peyronie's.  Unfortunately, Metoprolol is one of the few meds available and in some cases the only med for certain medical conditions.  It is often prescribed for hypertension though and in that case, I consider it a very poor choice for someone with Peyronie's.  The best choice in my opinion is Cozaar since Cozaar actually has a TGF-beta blocking action.  - George

[George999]

Hawk,  I don't know if this is the study you are referring to or not, but it is the ONLY one I have found so far indicating an increased risk of Prostate Cancer:  High doses of vitamin D may not prevent prostate cancer - study

Note that although the study reports that "taking high doses of vitamin D may not help protect against prostate cancer.   Even worse, it could increase the risk for aggressive prostate cancer.", it also states "The researchers found that there was no statistically significant association between vitamin D levels and the risk of prostate cancer.    Surprisingly, however, people with high vitamin D levels were found at a higher risk for aggressive prostate cancer although the association was not statistically significant."  - George

[Hawk]

George,

That is not the study.  I believe it was a Swedish study that listed the specific serum levels of vitimin D associated with an increased risk of PCa.  Both a low and a high range of vitamin D showed a statistically significant elevated risk.

I had a family member hospitalized and have not had time to dig it out but I will ASAP.

[bent70]

Hi fellas
I've just posted my story in the history section so I won't ramble too much here.
I'm interested in taking ALC, but I'm currently taking medication for hypothyroidism (sluggish thyroid) and apparently the two meds don't mix. Has anyone here come up against the same issue? I've just started taking L-Arginine instead. Any info would be appreciated - I'll be bringing it up with my uro in 10 days or so.
Thanks in advance for any information you can throw my way.
Thanks too for all the regular posters - this place has made me relax a little about this unfortunate disease.  

[sflo]

i have posted on this forum before and I know no one else has reeally experienced these problems but has any one had side effects with popping too many of thses supplements. I am on vitamin e, vitamin C, quercetin, msm, ALC, and some nattokinase. I only use pentox when i really need to. point being it is aging my skin everywhere. I am 21 but i can assure u its not from food or stress or anything. I have had much wrinkling over my hands and face, and scars, on my face as well. ps i dont have acne either.  it is almost as if I am aging at a super fast rate.

As others have said, i believe the excess of supplements have a pro oxidant affect instead of an anti oxidant efect when taking at high dosages. I take two natural vitamin E equivalent to 800 IU's, and 500mg of everything else, which is one pill.  I have toyed on and off with the medications and clearly i get better with my skin when this happens, but blood flow to my member is not as well as without the aid of these supplements.

Just wanted to hear other peoples opinions and thoughts

[Tim468]

Other than getting too much vitamin E, I have no clue what might be going on.

Tim

[George999]

I think what makes this REALLY hard is that everyone reacts to supplements (and medications) differently.  What sflo is experiencing though is really bizarre.  If it were happening to me I think I would want a really comprehensive blood test and perhaps he has already had this done and nothing has shown up.  But everything he has indicated that he is taking seems really quite benign to me and it is really strange he is getting this reaction.  I especially don't see any pharmacological connection between Pentoxifylline and skin issues.  I find this really baffling.  - George

[sflo]

yes i have complained to george numerous times and he as well as everyone else has been so helpful thus far. I am trying to just take pentox and see what happens with that. I am actually running to the Er tomorow because I think I might have other issues as well and need to get looked at asap. I will keep you guys posted. Wishing everyone the best.

sflo

[Iceman]

Anyone - I just got back from the local doctor and I got diagnosed with bursitis of the elbow  - its a real nasty inflammation and he thinks that its all connected with the Peyronies Disease - inflammation is rampant in my body and i have since been prescribed Mobic and Celebrex ( they are heavy prescription anti inflammatories) - do you think that there is some correlation between the 2 and will the taking of Mobic etc conflict with pentox....

[George999]

Iceman,  I know that you are taking D3, but I strongly encourage you to try to get plenty of full spectrum light as well.  Since we are in winter here where I am, I am currently using an unfiltered 500W quartz halogen lamp.  These put out plenty of light all the way from IR to UVB.  They are also fairly inexpensive unlike the "tanning" system lamps.  This has done wonders for me.  I stopped for a while because I thought I was getting plenty of D3 orally.  But the inflammation in my legs increased and so I have resumed using the light every morning.  I do 20 minutes on my front side and 20 minutes on my back side at about six feet distance.  I get a lot of relief from inflammation this way.  I am really fascinated by this approach.  We know that full spec light generates D3 in the skin.  It also breaks down cholesterol and things like bilirubin.  It is not a stretch to imagine that it might affect things like biorhythm in a healthy way.  What other things might it do?  I suspect that I am not the only one around who does not get enough gentle and healthily limited sunlight.   In any case, I am liking the results and contemplating attaching a fixture to the ceiling to make this whole thing easier.  - George

NOTE:  I have stopped using the halogen approach due to issues with possibly dangerous levels of UVC.  I am now using a more expensive mercury vapor lamp from Sperti that is designed to put out healthy levels of UVB while filtering out UVC.  - George

[Hawk]

Goerge,

I guess I could Google this but I will ask instead.  Are you sure halogen puts out UVA and UVB spectrum waves.  This is news to me.  I have read a little about lighting and bought UVA/UVB lights for a terrarium.

[Hawk]

Sflo,

I question everything .  It is my nature.  I often make the point with treatments that appear to work.  Just because "a" precedes "b" does not mean "a" caused "b".  I make the same point here.

You took supplements and noticed the premature aging issues.  There may well be NO connection.  If we are going to generate associations I would prefer to say, "Peyronies Disease struck (a) "  and aging struck "b".  since aging is a skin collagen issue and Peyronies Disease is likewise a collagen issue I think it is more likely that the condition that caused the one actually has persisted and is causing the other.

[George999]

Hawk,  This is one of the dirty little secrets of lighting.  The lighting industry does not like to advertise or discuss the UV output of halogen lighting because a) they don't want to scare people away from using it for more mundane purposes, and b) they prefer to sell specialized fluorescent type UV lighting with much higher profit margins.  But there is at least one quartz halogen based tanning lamp produced, although it costs hundreds of dollars.  I knew about the UV output of quartz halogen lighting because nearly forty years ago when I was operating a printing shop (back when that still involved negatives and plates and all that) I could not afford the expensive equipment to expose plates which require high amounts of UV light.  Then I discovered that cheap high powered halogen lights worked just as well.  The manufacturers normally installed a face glass in the fixtures to "prevent" burns and protect the bulb.  But in reality that glass is designed as a UV filter to remove the lamp's UV output.  I just removed the glass cover and wah-lah, it worked better than the commercial fluorescent lamps designed for that purpose and dirt cheap as well.  Even now there is very little information on this on the Internet.  But if you begin to look at the academic sites, you find bits and pieces.  Here is an example from a Kansas State University page:

Artificial Sources of Ultraviolet Radiation

Artificial lights that emit ultraviolet radiation can be used for biological experiments. The two general types are incandescent lights and fluorescent lights. With appropriate precautions, you can use artificial light as a UV source in your experiments.

Incandescent Lights
When the tungsten wire filament of an ordinary light bulb is heated by an electric current it gets hot enough to emit light, and some of that light will be ultraviolet. At higher temperatures, more of the light is emitted as ultraviolet. A type of bulb known as a quartz-halogen lamp has a tungsten filament inside a quartz tube filled with an inert halogen gas. Quartz-halogen lamps can be heated to higher temperatures than ordinary light bulbs, and give off an intense light containing a considerable amount of UV-A and UV-B, and even a little UV-C. Such light bulbs are commonly used for automobile headlights, slide and overhead projectors, and outdoor security lights. Figure 2 shows the energy spectrum of a 300 watt quartz-halogen lamp that is available in hardware and discount stores for less than $20.
Normally, quartz-halogen lights are operated in a glass enclosure, which absorbs the damaging UV photons. If one removes their protective glass cover, however, they become a source of artificial sunlight. The spectrum of light they emit is quite similar to that emitted by the sun after it has been filtered through the atmospheric ozone. With its glass cover open, the lamp whose spectrum is illustrated in Figure 2 can be used as a substitute for sunlight. With the cover closed, it can be used as a source of visible light for photoreactivation.
Obviously when the protective glass cover is removed, a quartz-halogen lamp is hazardous, since it emits as much damaging UV energy as bright sunlight, so those working around it must protect their eyes and skin from the direct radiation.

You can also find interesting info on some industrial equipment sites:

Gilways clear quartz halogen lamps provide full spectrum radiation beginning in the ultraviolet, continuing through the visible, and extending to the infrared. This broad-band emission is essential in spectro-photometry equipment design.

Hope that this is helpful.  - George

NOTE:  It turns out that there is a problem with these quartz halogen lamps in that they put out some UVC spectrum light which can be dangerous to health.  Since discovering that, I have switched to a considerably more expensive mercury vapor lamp from Sperti that is specially designed for the purpose of providing healthy levels of UVC.  I no longer recommend the quartz halogen approach.  - George

[Old Man]

george999:

Since you are the author of the post, you can remove it yourself. Just click on the remove icon in the post when you open it to read it.

Old Man  

[George999]

Old Man,  I used to see the remove icon, but it disappeared a long time ago and I am not seeing any way to remove the post.  - George

[young25]

George,

Is the Vit D+UV therapy helping with erection quality also?

[George999]

Actually, I was responding to Iceman's comment about generalized inflammation.  I have pain and inflammation in my legs and the D/UV thing has helped me immensely with that.  At this point, I can say it has also given me extra energy and has seemingly extended the frequency and duration of my night time erections.  I say seemingly only because there is no way to be certain that they are what is causing the effect, but the fact of the better night time erections is not really in question.  Its happening.  As for the deformity, no improvement yet on that level.  - George

George,

Is the Vit D+UV therapy helping with erection quality also?

[pjchap]

Hi everyone ..i'm pjchap i'm 25 i havent been on in awhile and i havent done much about this condition at all...mainly because i was dissapointed by the last urologist i seen, he didn't help he just basically told me to "deal with it" which i've been trying so hard to do.! anyways 2 weeks ago i went to this homeopath/acupuncturist/odd excentric man who apparently is a bit gifted in seeing where people are deficient among other things in a nearby town where i live....... he told me i can be 100% cured , i suffer from about 4 bad colds a year and this man told me without him knowing that, that i had a cold when i was 17 that i never got over... he then stuck the last needle in my arm where a red circle appeared which he told me was the vaccine that was given to me then leaving my body!! in 2005 i had a desease GBS which mainly caused paralysis in my legs i was treated in a hospital for this and was put on a drip for 3 days after which i was completely cured 3 months later... however 3 months after that peyronies kicked in... this homeopath man i'm currently seeing said that i was never cured of GBS that they just merely moved the negative energy not treating the source just passing it on if u will thus creating peyronies... anyways i'm giving this a shot and i firmly believe it can work.. i'll keep u all posted and i hope this man is right any views on this will be appreciated..!

[George999]

Lung airway cells activate vitamin D and increase immune response

In addition to contributing to calcium absorption and bone health, vitamin D is increasingly recognized for its beneficial effects on the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency has been recently linked to increased risk of some infections, autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes, and some cancers.

"Vitamin D converted by the kidneys circulates in the bloodstream, but vitamin D converted by other organs appears to stay within those organs and protect them from infection," Hansdottir said. "We were able to see this happen in cells lining the trachea and main bronchi."

"Vitamin D not only increases proteins involved in bacterial killing but also can dampen inflammation," Hansdottir said. "Controlling inflammation through vitamin D is good because too much inflammation can cause problems such as sepsis and seems to contribute to autoimmune disease."

This is a really fascinating article with some real insights into the relationship between Vitamin D deficiency and inflammation / autoimmune issues.  - George

[Hawk]

Old Man,  I used to see the remove icon, but it disappeared a long time ago and I am not seeing any way to remove the post.  - George

George,

I disabled the ability for members deleting posts.  We had a sorehead that removed all his posts in the past.  This has the ability to trash the flow of information in our topics and renders many exchanges unreadable.

[Tim468]

PJChap,

What your Shaman/Healer said is based in a philosophy that is different than mine.

Normally, in such circumstances, I try to extend as much respect and tolerance for differences as possible. I certainly am not about to go up against many centuries of, say, Chinese Herbal medicine simply because I don't know much about it!

However, your post raises some red flags.

First, his comments are very generic, and hardly earth-shattering. Most people have between 4-6 colds per year. That is normal.

Second the "vaccine leaving the body" is pure bunk. This is about the same as the faith healers in the Phillipines who remove tumors from bodies with their hands leaving no wounds (chicken livers usually, carefully hidden in their hand).

If he wants your money, and he proposes therapy that will take time, then just walk away.

Why not go to a real urologist who is willing and able to treat you with medicine that works, like Pentox?

Good luck - it sounds like you might need it.

Tim

[bluth]

I was recently diagnosed with Peyronies Disease (3 months ago), am 28 years of age, and have yet to experience curvature or pain during erections, but read on the FAQ's that it is good to take L-Arginine (50 mg twice a day) and pentoxifylline to best reduce chances of future curvature.

My question is that I have looked all over my city (I live abroad in Sweden) and only found the following products with L-arginine.

L-Arginine Alfaketoglutarat
L-Arginine HCL
L-Arginine Asparat

Are any of these OK to take? Or do I need a different L-Arginine product? I've tried looking around and haven't found the answer yet and would very much appreciate help here.

If I do need a different product I would very much appreciate tips on where I can reliably buy this product online that may ship to Europe in case I can't find this in Sweden

Thanks a lot for the advice. Best wishes.