# Vitamin D Deficiency and Suppliments



## Cher Zee (Feb 15, 2012)

I just got the results of a check-up blood test and my doctor said I was VERY Vitamin D deficient. I guess normal is a 25 and I was a 10. 

Everything else was in the "excellent" category so this was a shock to me. I eat tons of leafy greens and drink milk. But I have to take a D supplements now - certain type (3000 IU) for a certain period. 

Anybody else do the D? Do you have any effects from the D vitamins - positive or negative?

ETA: Please excuse my spelling in the title. I was yawning as I typed. ; )


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

Vegetables don't really have much vitamin D, and if they have, the little they do, you have to combine with fat so that the vitamin is absorbed.. The best source for it is the sun anyways. Can't tell you about the effects of the supplements though.


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## Devin87 (May 15, 2011)

Spend more time outside. I would think a lot of people are Vitamin D deficient this time of the year after having spent all winter indoors. Now that it's getting warmer go for some walks, take your computer or a book outside and sit or lay in the sun. Sunlight is the best source of Vitamin D.


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## littleblackdress (Feb 24, 2013)

A few things: 1. depending on where you live, going outside might be useless. I am in Canada and the sun doesn't strike here at the right angle for the human body to produce Vitamin D between the months of October and May. The further north in Canada the fewer months of D rich sunlight is available. 2. There is evidence that some people cannot store vitamin D - so, in summer they get a lot, but can't retain what they need to last the months of being shut ins. 3. If you religiously apply sunscreen or wear long garments, you aren't going to produce vitamin D anyway. This leaves dietary sources - namely fish oils, especially Cod liver oil - which tastes disgusting. You can buy a flavoured cod liver oil which will also supply your body with Omega fatty acids and vitamin A, or you can take a supplement. Supplements are very safe, with only "suspected" issues at the 50,000 iu mark. That is a lot of vitamin d, and it hasn't even been proven toxic. Vitamin D deficiency can be quite serious, it has been implicated in miscarriage, Crohn's disease and multiple sclerosis. Never mind rickets and tooth decay...


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## MsBossyPants (Oct 5, 2011)

For what it's worth ...my Hubby had to take it for a while with no side effects. It's generally safe if you have no conflicting, underlying medical conditions. In large doses, over time, it may become toxic, (the jury is still out) so follow your doctor's instructions as to dosage and duration.

Your best source is sunlight. How much? Depends on how light/dark skinned you are ... long enough to soak up some sun, not long enough to get sunburned. 10-20 minutes, every other day, give or take. It doesn't take much. Do not wear sunscreen during your short exposure, and avoid the sunniest time of day to avoid getting burned. If you live in a relatively sunny climate, it's your best source of vitamin D. If you live in an area where you don't get enough sunny weather, make sure to take a supplement. 

Check with your doctor, though. Both the pills and the sunlight may be too much all at once. 

A level of 10 is very low. Your doctor probably prescribed the pills for you to get your levels back up quickly. Ask him/her about maintaining your levels naturally with sun exposure after your course of treatment. Much simpler and a natural way to get your vitamin D.


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## Siggy (May 25, 2009)

I take vitamin D supplements. I have drops and take 3,000Iu per day. Even during the summer months, and being outside everyday, I didnt get enough.

I havent had any negative side affects.


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## Cher Zee (Feb 15, 2012)

Cool, thanks everyone. I live in Michigan and we're in the very very gray days here - outside is generally cold although there are a few warmer days here and there, it being April and all.

My doctor said spf 15 was the magic number with sunscreen, no higher so I think I'm going to get some sun when I can and take supplements. Probably explains why I poop out so early, especially when there is nothing else wrong!


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## Snakecharmer (Oct 26, 2010)

Get some sun without sunscreen.

Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so it is possible to take too much. Have your levels tested per your doctor's instructions. 

I've been taking it for several months because my level was low too. My Dr said that the criteria for "low" was reduced. I guess humans are spending too much time inside. lol


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## Ted_Hutchinson (Apr 3, 2013)

Cher_to_the_Z said:


> I just got the results of a check-up blood test and my doctor said I was VERY Vitamin D deficient. I guess normal is a 25 and I was a 10.


If we lived near naked as human DNA evolved in East Africa our bodies would naturally (given regular full body sun exposure) naturally attain and maintain 25(OH)D between 40 & 60 so aim for 50ng/ml =125nmol/l if you want to optimise your ability to deal with inflammation and pain.


Cher_to_the_Z said:


> Everything else was in the "excellent" category so this was a shock to me. I eat tons of leafy greens and drink milk. But I have to take a D supplements now - certain type (3000 IU) for a certain period.


 You should reach a plateau in around 3 months so retesting 25(OH)D then would enable you to adjust the daily intake.
The Vitamin D Charity Grassroots health have a set of charts that explain what will be required then
Grassrooths health charts to enable you to work out how much per KG/LB weight to raise 25(OH)D to 50ng/ml 125nmo0l/l



Cher_to_the_Z said:


> ETA: Please excuse my spelling in the title. I was yawning as I typed. ; )


 One of the symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency is sleepiness.


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## Ted_Hutchinson (Apr 3, 2013)

Snakecharmer said:


> Get some sun without sunscreen.
> 
> Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so it is possible to take too much.


It's extremely difficult to take too much Vitamin D3. The Risk of Additional Vitamin D explains the science. Under 10,000iu daily should be fine even with regular UVB exposure.





Snakecharmer said:


> Have your levels tested per your doctor's instructions.


 Here in the UK that is not usually a sensible suggestion as most of our doctors know as little about vitamin d as they do about nutrition. 
It is however a good idea to test your vitamin D regularly at first to enable you to work out how much vitamin D your body requires.
From this chart you can see that the individual response to different daily intakes varies by 100ng/ml or 250nmol/l so it's important to find out if you are a high or a low or an average responder.
So test after 3 months at a typically effective intake, adjust the intake so you take more if still below the 50ng/ml 125nmol/l target and less if above that target by more than 25nmol/l = 10ng/ml.










In the UK one of our NHS Pathlabs CityAssays sends out postal Vitamin d tests for £25 in UK and £30 international. You may find similar tests where you live or if it works out cheaper then take advantage of the UK price. I think a lab that specializes in Vitamin d testing may be more consistent and reliable than one which doesn't have such a high Vitamin d testing experience.


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## Ted_Hutchinson (Apr 3, 2013)

Cher_to_the_Z said:


> My doctor said spf 15 was the magic number with sunscreen, no higher so I think I'm going to get some sun when I can and take supplements. Probably explains why I poop out so early, especially when there is nothing else wrong!


It is possible to improve your skin's natural ability to withstand UV exposure.
We evolved nearer the equator and by returning to a diet equivalent to that of early humans may enhance our natural anti inflammatory reserves.
Here are some useful suggestions. _Natural Sunscreen Options_
_Eat Your Sunscreen_? - Wellness MamaBut most important is to raise your Vitamin D3 status first (the higher your vit d level the quicker you tan) and improve your omega 3 intake. When improving omega 3 intake it's important to cut down on foods containing omega 6
This article explains why
_Whole Health Source_: _Skin Texture_, Cancer and Dietary Fat


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## Ted_Hutchinson (Apr 3, 2013)

MsBossyPants said:


> For what it's worth ...my Hubby had to take it for a while with no side effects. .


The half life of Vitamin D when absorbed into the body is about 3~4 weeks.

Imagine if all the money in your bank account reduced by 50% every month.
How long would you survive without putting more money into your bank account.

From the end of September through to the end of February each month your Vitamin D capital built up in the summer depreciates by 50% every month.

The same applies to supplements which is why although it is sensible to use a larger amount initially to raise 25(OH)D quickly *EVERYONE requires a maintenance daily intake *to keep their Vitamin D level at the natural optimum status for humans. 50ng/ml or 125nmol/l








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## daydr3am (Oct 20, 2010)

I had a blood test done earlier this year and I also happen to be vitamin D deficient. I'm pretty surprised by that because I play outdoor sports and complain about my constant tanning lol. My physician recommended that I take 2000IU of vitamin D on a daily basis, though I normally just take 1000IU. I haven't noticed any changes.

According to my Sundown Naturals supplement, it states: "Vitamin D3 is an essential nutrient that works with calcium to help develop strong bones and teeth.* This high-potency vitamin D supplement also assists in maintaining breast health and supports a healthy antibody response. An analysis of 5 studies concluded that increasing vitamin D intake up to 2000 IU per day could promote colon health.* Recent evidence also indicates that increasing vitamin D intake can support the health of the pancreas.*"


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## Ted_Hutchinson (Apr 3, 2013)

daydr3am said:


> I'm pretty surprised by that because I play outdoor sports and complain about my constant tanning lol. My physician recommended that I take 2000IU of vitamin D on a daily basis, though I normally just take 1000IU. I haven't noticed any changes.


That may be because it's not sufficient to make much difference. 
If you look at typical responses to 1000iu daily









You can see that many people taking just 1000 or even 2000iu daily remain below the green bar. Human skin is set to create 10,000iu ~ 20,000iu daily given non-burning full body sun exposure, 1000 iu is just a small fraction of the amount human DNA is set to produce given the chance. 

Typically around 1000iu/daily for each 25lbs is required to get people out of deficiency status. 
Mostly that will get people up to 50ng/ml or 125nmol/l in about 3 months when a further 25(OH)D test will confirm if that is sufficient for your body. 
When you have been retested these *Grassrooths health charts to enable you to work out how much per KG/LB weight to raise 25(OH)D to 50ng/ml 125nmo0l/l*

There are other reasons apart from simply not taking sufficient vitamin d3 that may account for people not appreciating the benefits. Lack of sufficient magnesium is fairly typical as although the RDA is around 400mg daily (and that is probably too little given the amount of calcium consumed) most people in practice consume less than half the RDA. and people with hypomagnesemia cannot utilise vitamin D3, improving omega 3 (fish oil) status also improves the anti inflammatory action of vitamin d3.


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## Cher Zee (Feb 15, 2012)

Yeah....I started taking (per my doctor) 6000IU a day for the next 2 weeks....I have no idea how long I have been deficient but it may have been _years - _I haven't had a blood test in over 10 years. 

Will report how I feel in a couple of weeks - curious to see what may happen (ie more energy, sleeping better etc.) since I've read up on the symptoms.


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## Ted_Hutchinson (Apr 3, 2013)

Cher_to_the_Z said:


> Yeah....I started taking (per my doctor) 6000IU a day for the next 2 weeks....I have no idea how long I have been deficient but it may have been _years - _I haven't had a blood test in over 10 years.
> 
> Will report how I feel in a couple of weeks - curious to see what may happen (ie more energy, sleeping better etc.) since I've read up on the symptoms.


 Do be aware it usually takes 3 months to plateau on an effective intake, however it could well be three years at that intake before your Vitamin D reserve tank is topped up See Dr Davis Topping up your Vitamin D tank


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## Cher Zee (Feb 15, 2012)

Good to know! I'm getting a blood test in 3 months (per again my doctor) so we'll see what happens. Thanks for all the info! I feel fine and there's no life threatening emergency here but I was super-surprised to see how low I was!


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## PowerShell (Feb 3, 2013)

How about drinking milk with each meal? Milk is fortified with Vitamin D.


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## Ted_Hutchinson (Apr 3, 2013)

PowerShell said:


> How about drinking milk with each meal? Milk is fortified with Vitamin D.


The problem is that the fortification of milk is set to prevent Rickets which is a short latency condition. That means it's a condition that arises after only a relatively short period of Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency. 

While it's important to prevent conditions in the short term it's also important to protect people from conditions that take 15 ~ 30 years of vitamin D insufficiency to develop to the point where diagnosis is possible. 

Currently pasteurized milk in the U.S. is fortified with 100 iu per 8-ounce cup. But as far as Human DNA is concerned that is virtually equivalent to placebo when we think about the amount NATURALLY produced in human skin if we lay naked in the midday sun in summer when our skin would create 10,000iu equivalent to 100 x 8 fluid ounces glasses of milk. (40 pints) No one could possibly drink that much milk daily. 

While it's a good idea for children to drink FULL FAT MILK it's a mistake to think any dietary source of vitamin D is going to fulfill our natural vitamin D requirement. 
The Inuit were experts in fermenting in seal oil, game, fish, whale, caribou meat and seal flippers in grass-lined pits in the ground to preserve the meat (and the vitamin D) Caribou and game graze on lichen which is a good source of vitamin D3 (there is now a Vegan/vegetarian source of Cholecalciferol produced in the same way) But the Inuit averaged 5500iu/daily from their fermented foods and our modern dietary sources will be lucky to total more than 500iu and while that prevents rickets it clearly is insufficient to prevent most of the conditions associated with low 25(OH)D levels and which develop over many years.


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## milti (Feb 8, 2012)

I had/have Vit D deficiency, and all I can tell you is that it causes terrible muscle spasms/aches and joint pains. Almost the same kind grandparents complain about (except theirs is from aging). 

I was told to check my Vit D3 but I never did (lol) - in any case, I have been told to take regular Vit B, B12 and walk in the sunshine.
It's not clear whether lack of Vt D causes depression or depression makes you sit indoors and depletes you of D, but they are linked, and they were for me. The moment I started going out, meeting people again, my levels rocketed back to normal. 

It helps if you live in a sunny place (I live in a hot region), but I don't know if you're dark-skinned or light-skinned. Light skin is better at absorbing Vit D than dark skin is, so ironically most of the Vit D deficiency in the world comes from populations in the tropical countries.


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