The 2013 article “Electrosmog and autoimmune disease” by Trevor Marshall and a colleague is highly speculative and is nowhere near the level of observational, experimental and mechanistic theory work which would be required to argue that actual levels of microwave signal, in the GHz range, inside the human body, have a significant effect on the “Vitamin D Receptor”. This molecule is best thought of as the calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D) receptor, since this is the compound which binds most strongly to it. It binds much less strongly to 25-hydroxyvitamin D (calcifediol AKA calcidiol) and to vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).
That article concerns a computer simulation of the VDR molecule in which the authors report slight changes in behavior which they think might be important, when the molecule is subject to particular microwave frequencies.
Conductive materials such as flesh tend to shield and absorb microwaves, so there would be less signal strength inside the body, beyond some depth, than at the surface. Nonetheless, biology is very subtle and the influence of electromagnetic waves on delicate chemical processes should not be dismissed without careful consideration.
In a comment in Dr Kory’s Substack Comments - Expert Medical Record Reviews Of The Two Girls In Texas Who Purportedly Died of Measles suggesting that the IMA develop a Vitamin D Protocol, applicable to all people, of all ages and body weights, received 17 Likes. The centerpiece of this would be Prof. Sunil Wimalawansa’s recommendations for how much vitamin D3 to supplement, on average, per day, according to body weight and obesity status. See his recent IMA article which includes these recommendations: Understanding the Health Benefits of Vitamin D. These are intended to attain 50 ng/mL or more circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (as measured in “vitamin D” blood tests) - which is the minimum level the immune system needs to function properly.
Many types of immune cell require a good supply of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (made primarily in the liver by hydroxylating vitamin D3 cholecalciferol on the 25th carbon) in order to run their intracrine (inside an individual cell) signaling systems. This is also referred to somewhat incorrectly as “autocrine” signaling. This, and a related paracrine signaling system (between nearby cells, often of different types) are crucial to the ability of many types of immune cell to respond to their changing circumstances. Since very few doctors and immunologists have heard or, or understand these systems, and since there is no peer-reviewed tutorial on them, I wrote a web page tutorial in 2020: Vitamin D intracrine signaling - illustrated tutorial (Also, incorrectly, referred to as Vitamin D based autocrine signaling.).
A somewhat simplified explanation is part of Vitamin D and the Immune System - how much vitamin D3 to take, by body weight and obesity status, which cites a great deal of research on the vitamin D compounds and the immune system. This page also mentions research on how low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D increase the risk autism, ADHD, preeclampsia, low birthweight, pre-term birth and mental retardation: Vitamin D and the Immune System - how much vitamin D3 to take, by body weight and obesity status. I have not ye added a link to “Neonatal vitamin D deficiency was associated with an increased risk for schizophrenia in later life.” https:/ www.nature.com/articles/ s41598-018-35418-z. Likewise neurodegeneration - Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy etc.: Vitamin D and the Immune System - how much vitamin D3 to take, by body weight and obesity status.
These intracrine and paracrine signaling are unrelated to hormonal (endocrine) signaling. The hormonal action of circulating calcitriol, maintained at a very low level ca. 0.05 to 0.1 ng/mL by the kidneys, on distant cell types which are involved in calcium-phosphate-bone metabolism is well understood by all doctors. 25-hydroxyvitamin D to calcitriol intracrine and paracrine signaling is unrelated to hormonal signaling. In these, the intracellularly produced calcitriol functions as an intracrine agent and paracrine agent, respectively, binding to the VDR molecule which then binds to the retinol-X molecule in the nucleus and alters gene expression - and so protein manufacture and cell behavior - in cell-type-specific ways. Neither vitamin D3 nor 25-hydroxyvitamin D act as hormones. They are not signaling molecules.
Thanks very much dickatlee. Bound to kick off a brilliant D..iscussion.