Vitamin D update

[HRTstudent]

So we had a pretty big thread going with everyone talking about their vitamin D levels... and pretty much we were all deficient. Welcome to modern first world? lol

Anyways, my level was a paltry 30 on the range of 30-100, and in a little under 1 month I got it up to 50.

If you are interested in raising yours, this seems to have worked for me. I didn't get much more sunlight so I can't say that helped. But I did take 20,000 IU of vitamin d3 from Walmart. They carry 5k IU gels and I simply took 2 pills with breakfast, and 2 with dinner.

This is a lot of vitamin D! However, I did not come across anything that suggests toxicity. Furthermore, I only plan to do such a large dose in the short term to get me into a healthier range.

I've read that we want levels in the 70-100 range and I'd like to get there. Who knows... perhaps it will make a difference to our health!

Good luck!

[bass]

thanks for the report HRT! i too was taking 20,000iu but was told to back off, now I'm on 10,000 and will do blood work soon to see where that puts me.

[jamotech]

sounds like 4,000 iu is the minimum, thats what ive been taking.

[J DIESEL3]

I'm very curious to see what range everyone comes in at.Just last month mine came back at 22 and I was on day 9 of 5000 IU a day.Did not take any the day of test.My doctor told me to take 10,000 IU a day for 2 weeks then 1000iu 2 times a day.Who knows...I will post my results again after using this dose for about 5 weeks or so.

[nyjetsfan]

I'm at 50000 iu per week. This should do the trick. Vitamin d deficiency seems to be very common as well in colder climates.

[DeadlyD]

What are symptoms of deficiency? Also what are the health benefits?

[DeadlyD]

What are symptoms of deficiency? Also what are the health benefits?

[ecdysone]

I'm with bass on this one, set your intake at 10K/day and if that doesn't work consider injections.

[bass]

I'm with bass on this one, set your intake at 10K/day and if that doesn't work consider injections.

are the injections IM or SQ? i was on Glutathione IM injections for 20 week and just finished, three times a week, way too many pins!

[HRTstudent]

Never knew there were D injections. If I were on T injects and I could mix the two that would be ideal.

[Vettester]

I am also part of the "Low D" club here, as mine was in the tank on my last labs that were posted here. I found some nifty liquid D ... 5,000iu per dropper, and I've been taking it 1x day.

[DaRoq]

I started taking 4,000 I.U./day a month or so ago, but tonight I took 6,000 more after reading this thread. Hope it doesn't nake me sick...

[nyjetsfan]

What are symptoms of deficiency? Also what are the health benefits?

Via web md (sorry too new here to post the link):

Vitamin D is essential for strong bones because it helps the body use calcium from the diet. Traditionally, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with rickets, a disease in which the bone tissue doesn't properly mineralize, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. But increasingly, research is revealing the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of health problems.

Symptoms and Health Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency

Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following:

Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Cognitive impairment in older adults
Severe asthma in children
Cancer
Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.

[DeadlyD]

Via web md (sorry too new here to post the link):

Vitamin D is essential for strong bones because it helps the body use calcium from the diet. Traditionally, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with rickets, a disease in which the bone tissue doesn't properly mineralize, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. But increasingly, research is revealing the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of health problems.

Symptoms and Health Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency

Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following:

Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Cognitive impairment in older adults
Severe asthma in children
Cancer
Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.

Very interesting!! Thanks nyjet, do you know if tanning in the beds (artificial sun) promotes vit D?

[bass]

Never knew there were D injections. If I were on T injects and I could mix the two that would be ideal.

i believe most vitamin injections are water base, test is oil base. water and oil don't mix very well. also when injecting water base meds it hurts like a SOB!

[bass]

I am also part of the "Low D" club here, as mine was in the tank on my last labs that were posted here. I found some nifty liquid D ... 5,000iu per dropper, and I've been taking it 1x day.

Vette, i am curious to know how thats working for you, would you please give us an update if or when you do blood work? in fact it would be helpful for everyone to post the results pre and post treatment just to see how it effects each one of us.

[Vettester]

Vette, i am curious to know how thats working for you, would you please give us an update if or when you do blood work? in fact it would be helpful for everyone to post the results pre and post treatment just to see how it effects each one of us.

Yes, I'll run a Vitamin D lab in March. Strangely, the biggest thing I've noticed is my skin. For the past 6 months or so, I've had this unusually dry skin. It's just flaking off and obviously not regenerating new cells very well at all. I take Omegs 3,6,9, but it's just been getting worse. Since starting the Vit D, it's improved at least 90%. My wife made several comments about much she noticed it.

[nyjetsfan]

Vette, i am curious to know how thats working for you, would you please give us an update if or when you do blood work? in fact it would be helpful for everyone to post the results pre and post treatment just to see how it effects each one of us.

just started vid D therapy last month after blood work showed I deficient. I'll post my results when I get blood work done next quarter. My thoughts are I'd be deficient with or without TRT.

[nyjetsfan]

Very interesting!! Thanks nyjet, do you know if tanning in the beds (artificial sun) promotes vit D?

Most tanning beds put you at risk of unnecessary, excessive exposure to dangerous UVA rays, and are by no means a substitute for getting natural sunshine. Just my 2 cents

[bass]

Yes, I'll run a Vitamin D lab in March. Strangely, the biggest thing I've noticed is my skin. For the past 6 months or so, I've had this unusually dry skin. It's just flaking off and obviously not regenerating new cells very well at all. I take Omegs 3,6,9, but it's just been getting worse. Since starting the Vit D, it's improved at least 90%. My wife made several comments about much she noticed it.

interesting i noticed improvement in my skis as well, and my wife also made a positive comment! i do get a loot of sun as well, every chance i get i do about 1 hour southern California sun!

[yannick35]

5000 IU a day here both with vitamin D3 and cod liver oil. Works wonders with prolotherapy. Right now its winter here in Canada and it gets cold.

[Vettester]

interesting i noticed improvement in my skis as well, and my wife also made a positive comment! i do get a loot of sun as well, every chance i get i do about 1 hour southern California sun!

Well, it's not happening today is it?

[aspen2cody]

my blood levels are above 65 and I take 5000iu of D3 daily and live in the south. I have been supplementing for 5 years this level.I would add that I think it is very important to add Vitamin K especially K2 when supplementing with D3.

[bass]

Well, it's not happening today is it?

you know it! weather sucks today!

[yannick35]

What do you guys think about cod liver oil? i been reading awful things about it for some time now, been taking it for 3 years now and its great? i upped my D3 to 5000IU per day too.

[HRTstudent]

I think omegas are very important. I recommend fish oil gel caps to everyone for good health. I just get the cheapest stuff at walmart.

The thing about reading stuff on the internet is that it doesn't matter what item you look at, there are good stories and bad stories about them. So, you need to base your decision on either strong personal experience or good science. There is a ton of medical literature supporting the benefits of omega's in the diet.

[Vettester]

Agree with HRT on the Omegas. Great supplement that made a noticeable difference once I started taking them; mostly in the joints.

[yannick35]

I think omegas are very important. I recommend fish oil gel caps to everyone for good health. I just get the cheapest stuff at walmart.

The thing about reading stuff on the internet is that it doesn't matter what item you look at, there are good stories and bad stories about them. So, you need to base your decision on either strong personal experience or good science. There is a ton of medical literature supporting the benefits of omega's in the diet.

I don't like the pills i like to get the real oil personal decision i guess, i take around 1 tea spoon of cod liver oil everyday.

[HRTstudent]

Podcast on Vitamin D for those interested:

http://www.thelivinlowcarbshow.com/s...t-episode-443/

Dr. Michael Holick is the author of The Vitamin D Solution: A 3-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problem, as well as a Boston area medical researcher–sometimes known as “Dr. Sunshine”–and is our guest on today’s episode of The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show with Jimmy Moore!

Today Jimmy and Dr. Holick discuss a whole passle of Vitamin-D related topics, including: Which is better, D2 or D3? Is Vitamin-D really a vitamin? What is a good dose of Vitamin-D supplement? Which brands are good and which should you avoid? What are healthy blood levels of Vitamin-D? Are food sources alone sufficient? Where on Earth can you never get enough Vitamin-D from sunlight alone?

[bass]

as promised, here is my blood work results for vitamin D based on 10,000 iu ed for the last three months or so. been feeling great!

94.7 ng/ml, Range 30-100

[HRTstudent]

as promised, here is my blood work results for vitamin D based on 10,000 iu ed for the last three months or so. been feeling great!

94.7 ng/ml, Range 30-100

Wow! Nice looking number

I'm taking 5k IU twice a day with food. Seemed to be helping my number as well but I didn't get tested while on for 3 months.

[DaRoq]

My levels were at a paltry 13.2 (30-100) as of 3/10, so I'll be following Bass' lead and start taking 10,000 IU ed.

I have a big bottle of 600 2,000 IU softgels and also the 5,000/dropper liquid. The softgels are a good value at $10. Haven't tried the liquid yet, but it was also $10 and doesn't smell too good. All this should last almost 5 months.

[bass]

for whatever its worth, i get my supplements from Sam's Club, Member's Mark. seems to be good stuff.

[HRTstudent]

I get the 5k IU gels from walmart (sams club is almsot certainly the same stuff). It's under 11 USD for 250 gels.

Cheaper than a copay .

[J DIESEL3]

Ok I just got my vitamin D test results back after about 3 months of adding 3000 IU per day of D3.

I actually came in lower this time at 19 last time I was 22!!! I do realize that both are pretty bad so I guess I will increase my dose 7000 IU more to bring it to 10,000 total per day.Also like many others my results did not include getting any sun.I hope this will get me up to a least 70ng/dl oh my scale was 25 to 80 ng/dl

[bass]

Ok I just got my vitamin D test results back after about 3 months of adding 3000 IU per day of D3.

I actually came in lower this time at 19 last time I was 22!!! I do realize that both are pretty bad so I guess I will increase my dose 7000 IU more to bring it to 10,000 total per day.Also like many others my results did not include getting any sun.I hope this will get me up to a least 70ng/dl oh my scale was 25 to 80 ng/dl

thanks for the update, and sorry to hear it wasn't enough. you know some times you get fake stuff, so not sure where you got your vitamin D from, but try to get it from a reputable source. like i said i got mine from Sam's Club and probably the same if you get it from Walmart like HRT noted.

[V-ROID]

Interesting thread. I take 2000 D3 every morning but looks like I need to boost it bigtime. Anyone have a quick rundown of why we need so much and the effects of being low?

[bass]

Interesting thread. I take 2000 D3 every morning but looks like I need to boost it bigtime. Anyone have a quick rundown of why we need so much and the effects of being low?

i believe there is a good thread in the stickies, if not do some search there was a recent topic regarding Vitamin D.

[J DIESEL3]

thanks for the update, and sorry to hear it wasn't enough. you know some times you get fake stuff, so not sure where you got your vitamin D from, but try to get it from a reputable source. like i said i got mine from Sam's Club and probably the same if you get it from Walmart like HRT noted.

Thanks bass I will hit up Sam's Club for sure this weekend.I was thinking the same thing about my vit.D being fake or way under dosed.

[HRTstudent]

Interesting thread. I take 2000 D3 every morning but looks like I need to boost it bigtime. Anyone have a quick rundown of why we need so much and the effects of being low?

It's probably largely because our bodies are quite literally designed to get far more sun exposure than we get today. Think about how little most of us get sunlight in the afternoon when d synthesis would peak. Chances are, we are in an office building, classroom, or the couch!