25(OH) Vitamin D level and Vitamin D Supplementation

[NeverBored]

This is a believer's website -

GrassrootsHealth | Vitamin D Action - GrassrootsHealth | Vitamin D Action

But has links to many papers, etc. I first got interested when a friend (36) had breast cancer and her doctor told her she needed to take V-D-3 the rest of her life, in doses large enough to stay over the 50ng/ml. I read enough to convince me, a dedicated sunscreen user, to supplement. Then another friend's father died of cancer and his doctor told the family the same thing - start supplementing and check your levels.

 

[KB]

I just got the Vitamin D Rx for 50K units weekly for 14 weeks. They we'll retest the Vitamin D level and see how much it improved.

 

[Buckeye]

Initially tested at 44. Took 3 100,000 IU Vit D shots over 3 weeks and 5,000 IU's per day (liquid). Retested at 52 after 8 weeks. Doc said to go up to 20,000 IU per day and took another 3 shots. Retested after 8 weeks and I was up to 68. Much better.

My mom (who lives in Seattle) was tested and her level was 12. Yikes! I happened to be in Seattle 2 weeks ago when she went to a follow-up appointment with her doc and received this test result. I had brought a bottle of my liquid Vitamin D with me because I wanted to get the doc's blessing to have her start taking a Vitamin D supplement. Even before the doc gave the test result, I knew my mom would be quite low.

I showed the doc the bottle and she recommended my mom take 1,000 IU per day. WHAT? I suggested that something closer to what I had been taking might be more appropriate given her extremely low level. She agreed that 2,000 IU per day might be okay. I asked why such a low dose. She said she didn't want my mom to take too much and overshoot a healthy level. HUH? I had just taken 20,000 IU per day for 8 weeks and moved 16 points. I asked the doc what she felt was too high a level. She said 70-80. Hmmm. The doc planned to retest in 30 days but she thought taking more than 2,000 IU's per day was not advised. Whatever.

The doc (a woman in her early 50's) then began explaining to my mother how she should go to Whole Foods to find a good Vitamin D supplement. HUH? I was sitting there with a Vitamin D supplement in my hand which I had personally used. Bizarre.

During the visit, mom had her blood drawn to recheck a VERY high creatinine level the doc felt was tied to a blood pressure medication she took my mom off about 10 days prior. Apparently mom's previous doc should have tested her soon after prescribing the blood pressure medicine but he never did and that was a couple of years ago. The doc called my mother the following day with the blood test results (better) and also told her to discontinue taking the liquid Vitamin D until she could determine what was the best one for her. HUH? Mom decided to continue taking about 3,000 IU per day because she felt better right away.

Mom had another blood test and her creatinine level was lower again so getting off that particular blood pressure medicine has been a good thing. Supplementing with Vitamin D should help things along also. A girlfriend had to go see a nephrologist and one of the tests he ordered up was her Vitamin D level. Mom will see a nephrologist in about 2 weeks.

 

[haha]

Welcome to facts don't matter, we have our ways of doing things. If there were no way to check levels I could understand extreme conservatism, but with this test we have a very easy and to the point way to test blood levels of the hormone that counts.

Ha

 

[HFWR]

I tried to discuss the "paleo" diet with my GP, wherein he proceeded to explain that I need two starches, and low-fat milk, at every meal...

Of course, when the prevailing wisdom is that nearly everyone should be taking statins...

 

[tmm99]

Initially tested at 44. Took 3 100,000 IU Vit D shots over 3 weeks and 5,000 IU's per day (liquid). Retested at 52 after 8 weeks. Doc said to go up to 20,000 IU per day and took another 3 shots. Retested after 8 weeks and I was up to 68. Much better.

Mom decided to continue taking about 3,000 IU per day because she felt better right away.

Buckeye,

What kind of symptoms got better once you started taking Vit D? And what about your mom? Felt better in what way?

Thank you in advance.

 

[Buckeye]

She said she is sleeping much better (she is 76) and her energy has increased. It's not scientific but she just sounds better when I talk to her on the phone. Much more perky. I'm pretty sure some of her aches and pains would decrease if she got her level into at least into the mid-range.

For me, small aches and pains disappeared and my energy level improved. Also, it felt as if a fog had been lifted off my brain. I could think again and my mood was much improved. Basically, I felt 10 years younger.

One of the ladies (50 y/o) in my department is undergoing chemo for colon cancer. She has been through 9 of 12 rounds. We have had several casual conversations about Vitamin D (can't help myself) and about 2 months ago I gave her a copy of recently published "The Vitamin D Solution" by Mickael Holick. She has never had her Vit D level checked. She finally had a few hours to read it while preparing for a scan of her liver (drinking nasty stuff over several hours). Her liver enzymes are elevated so they are checking whether it is a side effect of the chemo or there is a tumor.

She came back to work the next day and said "OMG, I need to get my Vit D level checked." Along with the colon cancer, she was diagnosed with osteoporosis several years ago. I gave her the website of where I purchase my liquid Vitamin D at a very reasonable price (iherb, Now Foods) and she immediately placed an order. She assumes her level is low so she is going up her current supplementation which is less than 1000 IU per day.

 

[dex]

For me, small aches and pains disappeared and my energy level improved. Also, it felt as if a fog had been lifted off my brain. I could think again and my mood was much improved. Basically, I felt 10 years younger.

That is good to hear. How was the deficiency found? Did you give symptoms to the Dr. and he do a test? If so what test was performed. I want to be able to give my Dr. some guidance.

Your situation sounds like mine. My energy level is not what it was. But my mood has improved.

 

[Buckeye]

DEX - I had been living in NW OH and working long hours indoors for 5 years so there was a huge chance my Vitamin D level was low. I had been supplementing for about 2 months with 5,000 IU's per day prior to my first test. Don't know my level coming out of OH and prior to supplementation and a little FL sunshine. From everything I've read, a vast majority of us have levels of Vitamin D that are too low. I bought my sister a test from Vitamin D Council.org for $70 because she has been unemployed for almost 2 years and has no medical insurance. She is 50 and has lived in Seattle all her life. Her level was 35 which is much too low.

Also, soon after we moved to FL, I went to a talk sponsored by our apartment community where a local MD spoke about staying healthy. He has turned away from focusing on drug-based medicine and helps patients improve their health by getting to the root cause of issues instead of treating symptoms. A robust level of Vitamin D is one of the things he believes is very important to have a strong foundation. The Vitamin D level window is 30-100 and he thinks we are better off in the 90-100 range.

When DH and I had our first appointment (no issues, just to get a baseline), the doc did all the basic blood tests (blood stuff and metabolic stuff) and a Vitamin D test. Even though we live in FL, I think he assumes everyone is far below where he would like them to be based on how much time everyone spends indoors and how much sunscreen everyone uses when we go outdoors. To assist people in getting the Vitamin D levels up sooner rather than later, he offers Vitamin D shots for $10 with no charge for an office call. I thought that was pretty good.

 

[dex]

DEX - I had been living in NW OH and working long hours indoors for 5 years so there was a huge chance my Vitamin D level was low. I had been supplementing for about 2 months with 5,000 IU's per day prior to my first test. Don't know my level coming out of OH and prior to supplementation and a little FL sunshine. From everything I've read, a vast majority of us have levels of Vitamin D that are too low. I bought my sister a test from Vitamin D Council.org for $70 because she has been unemployed for almost 2 years and has no medical insurance. She is 50 and has lived in Seattle all her life. Her level was 35 which is much too low.

Also, soon after we moved to FL, I went to a talk sponsored by our apartment community where a local MD spoke about staying healthy. He has turned away from focusing on drug-based medicine and helps patients improve their health by getting to the root cause of issues instead of treating symptoms. A robust level of Vitamin D is one of the things he believes is very important to have a strong foundation. The Vitamin D level window is 30-100 and he thinks we are better off in the 90-100 range.

When DH and I had our first appointment (no issues, just to get a baseline), the doc did all the basic blood tests (blood stuff and metabolic stuff) and a Vitamin D test. Even though we live in FL, I think he assumes everyone is far below where he would like them to be based on how much time everyone spends indoors and how much sunscreen everyone uses when we go outdoors. To assist people in getting the Vitamin D levels up sooner rather than later, he offers Vitamin D shots for $10 with no charge for an office call. I thought that was pretty good.

Thanks - If I am low on vitamin D it is because of just indifference to getting some sun. Also, I was in Colorado for several months hiking in winter conditions - no skin exposure to the sun. That might have depleted my stores.
I'm going to the Dr. this week and discuss it with him. Even if my levels are within acceptable norms I'm going to ask for a supplement.

 

[Buckeye]

dex - Curious what you mean by "going to ask him for a supplement." Are you looking for high dose you can only get by prescription?

 

[dex]

dex - Curious what you mean by "going to ask him for a supplement." Are you looking for high dose you can only get by prescription?

That is what I was thinking. From my reading of other posts a prescription might be necessary.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Some reliable information on Vitamin D.

 

[RonBoyd]

Report Questions Need for 2 Diet Supplements

The very high levels of vitamin D that are often recommended by doctors and testing laboratories — and can be achieved only by taking supplements — are unnecessary and could be harmful, an expert committee says. It also concludes that calcium supplements are not needed.

Dr. J. Christopher Gallagher, director of the bone metabolism unit at the Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Neb., agreed, adding, “The onus is on the people who propose extra calcium and vitamin D to show it is safe before they push it on people.”

 

[Tigger]

Report Questions Need for 2 Diet Supplements

These people seem to talk a lot about bone health, but AFAIK the main arguments for higher doses are based on the association of high vitamin D levels with greatly reduced cancer risk.

(I'm not at home and don't have a more specific link handy, sorry)

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Since Ha asked some time back, I wrote my recent test results down.]

Have been taking ~10,000 units a day for a year or two now. Recent blood test results: 58. Much less than I thought.

DW, on the other hand, tested 99 and was told to stop taking any more supplements, even though she was taking only about 2,000 units a day. She was told that 100 in the blood was the limit.

BTW, taking D and calcium and other things has improved her bone density, an improvement that surprised her doctor.

 

[KB]

I had my Vitamin D level retested after taking 50,000 IU for 14 weeks and my result was 57. My doctor now has me taking 4000 IU of Vitamin D for 4 months and will recheck at the end of the 4 months.

 

[haha]

Since Ha asked some time back, I wrote my recent test results down.]

Have been taking ~10,000 units a day for a year or two now. Recent blood test results: 58. Much less than I thought.

DW, on the other hand, tested 99 and was told to stop taking any more supplements, even though she was taking only about 2,000 units a day. She was told that 100 in the blood was the limit.

BTW, taking D and calcium and other things has improved her bone density, an improvement that surprised her doctor.

Good result there. Interesting the very large individual differences between your and her blood levels.

Ha

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Yes, Ha, it is interesting.

I went to Rich's link and found that there are health problems that could cause my low reading. Hmmm. Still, my wife has an Ott light at work, which may boost her levels non-chemically.

 

[braumeister]

I don't take any supplemental Vitamin D, and I just had mine tested for the first time. It was 30, which is the low end of what seems to be considered the normal range.

I drink at least a quart of milk a day, and get a fair amount of sunshine, only rarely using a sunscreen (to the dismay of my dermatologist, but there it is.)

Will probably have it checked again in a year or so, but I don't have any problem with 30, and neither does my doctor.