Low Vitamin D Levels in our Bodies

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I don't like to take supplements. If you eat a couple cans of good quality sardines a week, you'll get tons of vitamin D, calcium, and omega 3. That and high quality eggs from chickens that eat a natural diet.



My understanding is diet, although well and good is still not enough.

You need proper sun exposure and getting enough sun exposure is tricky in the north during winter. Thus the need for supplements.

 

[Turk]

Right.

- 300 IU from 1/4 Lb. Salmon/Tuna, etc.

- 20 IU from an Egg.

Not nearly enough...

 

[civic09]

I find this and the info our members provided very informative, so thanks guys for the info on Vitamin D

adam

 

[2004tdigls]

just a little caution about mega doses of vitamin d, in extreme cases it is toxic and is actually used as a rat poison

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodenticide#Hypercalcemia

it looks like 4000 iu is the recommended maximum daily intake

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calciferol#Recommendations

the best thing to do is take a multivitamin and let the vitamin d slowly build up in blood levels

 

[brentalan]

I listen to a computer security podcast where they went off topic one day.

Apparently the host had done his own research into Vitamin D and offered suggestions. It's worth a listen, if you are interested. You can download as a MP3

http://twit.tv/sn209

 

[rjacket]

I had the same issue.

Tablets work, but I have to say sunshine has the most profound effect.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: 2004tdigls
just a little caution about mega doses of vitamin d, in extreme cases it is toxic and is actually used as a rat poison

the best thing to do is take a multivitamin and let the vitamin d slowly build up in blood levels


Multivitamins only contain around 400 IU vitamin D.
Also, there has been a few articles out recently claiming multivitamins offer little to no health benefit.

 

[javacontour]

During my last physical, my Dr tested me and determined I needed to go on 5000iu/day of Vitamin D and 2000mg/day of fish oil.

I can't say I was feeling bad, or that I feel better. We'll see how it goes at my next exam.

However, probably a few months prior, I really cut my milk consumption in my efforts to lose weight. I was drinking over 1/2gallon/day of skim milk. (8 servings) so I probably wasn't too low until I stopped most of the daily milk intake.

FWIW
Originally Posted By: tpitcher
Hey,

My wife had super low Vitamin D levels; Doc got her on 2,000 IU's a day but that did nothing. She felt sick (not cold or flu) a lot, shaking, allergies, pins & needles on the skin, etc.

Bumped her up to 16,000 for a couple days in a row and backed it down to 6-8,000 a day and she felt MUCH better. We got 50,000 IU caplets and she'll take 1-2 of those a week.

What a difference!

Finding out LOTS of people are low on Vitamin D & don't know it.

Do you or have you had low Vitamin D symptoms?

Do you take Vitamin D supplements and how much?

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
Originally Posted By: 2004tdigls
just a little caution about mega doses of vitamin d, in extreme cases it is toxic and is actually used as a rat poison

the best thing to do is take a multivitamin and let the vitamin d slowly build up in blood levels


Multivitamins only contain around 400 IU vitamin D.
Also, there has been a few articles out recently claiming multivitamins offer little to no health benefit.


Which if that is the case, then whats to say that a D supplement would?

Instead of eating fish, what about cod liver oil?

wrt supplements, Id hope that for most there would be no significant health benefit. We SHOULD be getting all our nutrition from our natural environment and under normal circumstances not need much of nay supplimentation.

That said, when sick or some other issue comes up, it may make sense.

Its kind of like oil. Fully formulated is best, but doesnt mean that sometimes something else adds benefit...

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: 2004tdigls
just a little caution about mega doses of vitamin d, in extreme cases it is toxic and is actually used as a rat poison


So is Warfarin, and Sodium Fluoride.

Did you know that Edison proved that alternating current could kill elephants ?

 

[asiancivicmaniac]

Mom had really bad knee pain and the doctor put her on a 1000iu dose of D a day and a weekly dose of 10,000 iu. We're Asian so we don't drink a whole lot of milk so we don't get D or calcium there.

 

[Turk]

Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac
Mom had really bad knee pain and the doctor put her on a 1000iu dose of D a day and a weekly dose of 10,000 iu. We're Asian so we don't drink a whole lot of milk so we don't get D or calcium there.


Yea, my Wife is Asian (Cambodian) and she can drink milk, but no where near enough to make up where she was at.

Her level was at 6!!

She should have at least 30. Under 20 causes big problems.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: tpitcher
Hey,

My wife had super low Vitamin D levels; Doc got her on 2,000 IU's a day but that did nothing. She felt sick (not cold or flu) a lot, shaking, allergies, pins & needles on the skin, etc.

Bumped her up to 16,000 for a couple days in a row and backed it down to 6-8,000 a day and she felt MUCH better. We got 50,000 IU caplets and she'll take 1-2 of those a week.

What a difference!

Finding out LOTS of people are low on Vitamin D & don't know it.

Do you or have you had low Vitamin D symptoms?

Do you take Vitamin D supplements and how much?



I actually am on Vitamin D( D3 )due to illness( MS ). It helps aid the body in fighting the effects of MS. My levels were normal when I was diagnosed but I am on it anyway. I have always been a big milk drinker and that has vitamin D( 100 IU p/ cup ). Also spent a lot of time outside as well in the sun( work, hunt, fish ).

The Neurologist treating me for the MS has me take 10,000 IU daily in the summer and 15,000 IU daily in the winter( less sunlight ). I will actually be taking 20,000 IU this winter as I now have 10,000 IU pills( 400 for $9 at Sam's Club ). I used to have 5000IU pills so 10/15 was doable. Now it will be 10/20. I also am on a multi vitamin which has a 400 IU dose so I am getting a little extra there too.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: 2004tdigls
just a little caution about mega doses of vitamin d, in extreme cases it is toxic and is actually used as a rat poison

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodenticide#Hypercalcemia

it looks like 4000 iu is the recommended maximum daily intake

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calciferol#Recommendations

the best thing to do is take a multivitamin and let the vitamin d slowly build up in blood levels


Actually as I posted about above large doses are routinely given to help those with illnesses. I have been on large doses daily for 2 years now with no issues. Large doses of Vitamin D have become an important tool in slowing the progression of MS.

With that said for a normal healthy person stick to the normal does.

Little to no risk of OD'ing on Vitamin D unless you really go nuts...

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/about-vitamin-d/what-is-vitamin-d/vitamin-d-toxicity/
http://www.easy-immune-health.com/Overdose-on-Vitamin-D.html

 

[Propflux01]

Originally Posted By: civic09
I also eat tuna a lot, so does that have some good amount of Vit D?

adam


No, Just Mercury!!!

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: 2004tdigls


it looks like 4000 iu is the recommended maximum daily intake

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calciferol#Recommendations

the best thing to do is take a multivitamin and let the vitamin d slowly build up in blood levels


600 iu is the recommendation at this website - NOT 4000 iu.

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level should never be construed as "recommended".... it's not.

I take 1200 iu Vitamin D-3 daily. That's plenty for any individual without issues / shortages of it.

Two other supplements the over-40 male crowd should be monitoring is Potassium and Magnesium. Your average 100% Daily Vitamin/Mineral supplement doesn't carry enough of these two items.

When getting your yearly physical and bloodwork drawn, always have Vitamin D, Magnesium and Potassium levels checked.

 

[drfeelgood]

I am a physician who deals with neurologic and musculoskeletal problems exclusively. I have been checking Vit. D levels for years and treating deficiencies. I have learned the following:

-trying to predict Vit. D deficiency based on sun exposure, diet, etc. is not reliable. I have found adequate levels in people I was sure would be at rock-bottom and vice-versa.
-Vit. D has been studied and linked to numerous conditions besides bone health, including cancer risk, musculoskeletal pain conditions, neurologic diseases, immune system functioning, etc.
-while most labs consider 20to 30 levels of 25hydroxy Vit. D to be the lower limit of normal, experts in nutritional medicine believe 50 to 70 is likely the ideal range. I have never found a patient in my practice to have these levels without prescription strength supplementation or longterm OTC supplementation
-it is extremely difficult to overdose on Vit. D. Even after months of prescription strength (50,000 units 1 or 2 times a week) I have yet to see a patient tested in the "above normal" range

Hope this helps. I personally have always taken multivites and been a dairy and fish consumer. I take an extra 1 to 2000 IU each day.

 

[Turk]

drfeelgood, that is fantastic information - thank you very much!

 

[Shannow]

Yep, great info there.

 

[Patman]

I take vitamin D every day, plus in the warm weather I also spend a lot of time outside in the sun. Despite what the media has led us to believe, being out in the sun without sunscreen is not bad for you! Where it gets bad is if you get sunburned a lot. But if you stay outside in the sun for a little bit of time every day without sunscreen, you'll get the vitamin D your body needs. Vitamin D has a ton of benefits such as lowering blood pressure, preventing some types of cancers, lowering the chance of heart disease, and promoting strong bones.