Vitamin D and Covid 19 Correlation

[RetireeRobert]

Thanks Alan. I did read through sengsational's comments in that thread and saw a comment about also ordering it from Mexico, as well as getting it from own doctor. But I would do one or the other, not both, so as to avoid stockpiling shortages for others.

[bmcgonig]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickeyd My recent lab work indicated that my Vit D count was only 19 when 30 was the minimum. My PCP Rxd CHOLECCALCIFEROL 50,000 IU weekly for 8 weeks. After that, I will take 2000IU of OTC product daily. Hope that process ups me to 30.

I've been taking 5000 iu daily for over 6 mos now, and before that approx 1000-2000. Just checked my Vit D last week and it was 45.

[jollystomper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by street I have a question, may not be able to compare but is natural (sun) vitamin D as good as a vitamin supplement??

Not everyone can get vitamin D easily from the sun. Those with naturally dark skin have a harder time absorbing vitamin D from the sun. That is why, for example, Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among African-Americans.

[ERObjd]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqZLMoLvhgk

At about the 50 to 60 second mark of video it reveals that Dr. Fauci takes 6000IU of Vitamin D every day. Not sure why media does not cover this but anyway wife and I take 5000 IU of D every day plus whatever we get from a our daily Multi "Naturemade over 50" I think the multi has 1000 D and of course we get some from food. So far no illness. Certainly vitamin D is cheap enough a big bottle of 200 tabs is about $10 maybe less if on sale at walgreen or Walmart.

[audreyh1]

As people age, they are less able to manufacture Vitamin D.

Once I asked my doctor - isn't it better to get Vitamin D by spending time out in the sun? He laughed and said that we'd all have to run around outside naked all day to get enough Vitamin D - just like in the "olden" days.

[zinger1457]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boho I'm in my 50s and take 500 IU of D per day plus I get some from my diet, which probably gives me the recommended amount. I wonder how much good that's doing me. The instructions on my bottle of 500mg vitamin C/500 IU vitamin D chewables say to take two, which is still only 1000 IU of D. I'm still inclined to take just one.

Based on my experience 500 IU's won't do much if your levels are low. Years ago my D levels were just below the recommended level. My doctor had me take 1000 IU daily supplements, it brought my level within range but at the low end, don't recall the exact numbers but maybe a 6-7 point increase. Increased it to 4000 IU's recently but haven't tested the impact.

[Katsmeow]

DH and I take 5000 IU a day. He used to be OK but lately (he is 73) his has been dropping if he doesn't take something.

I have consistently been very low, once I think my level was something like 9 when they want it to be 30 or something...don't recall exactly. I took 50000 a week for several weeks then went to 5000 IU a day. It went up. Eventually I got out of the habit of taking it and it went back down. So now I just take 5000 IU a day and it gets me into the normal range.

[harllee]

Does vitamin D supplement cause anyone else to get an upset stomach? I have tried several different kinds but they all cause stomach upset. I am trying to get Vitamin D from the sun but it is hard in the winter.

[JoeWras]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee Does vitamin D supplement cause anyone else to get an upset stomach? I have tried several different kinds but they all cause stomach upset. I am trying to get Vitamin D from the sun but it is hard in the winter.

Not if I take it a minute or two before a meal. That's what works for me, even if it may dilute effectiveness.

[Boho]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee Does vitamin D supplement cause anyone else to get an upset stomach? I have tried several different kinds but they all cause stomach upset. I am trying to get Vitamin D from the sun but it is hard in the winter.

I'm not sure, but I'd try taking it with a bigger, fattier meal. It's a fat soluble vitamin and they don't even add it to one brand of low fat milk, because, I figure, the body won't utilize it. More of it may sit, undigested, in the stomach in that case. They just put it in reduced fat and whole milk.

Also, heed the chart I posted and don't take too much. I'd drop from 2000IU to 1000IU before I started spending more time in the sun.

[Badger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by audreyh1 As people age, they are less able to manufacture Vitamin D. Once I asked my doctor - isn't it better to get Vitamin D by spending time out in the sun? He laughed and said that we'd all have to run around outside naked all day to get enough Vitamin D - just like in the "olden" days.

Can this be considered as a Dr recommendation and used as my defense when I get arrested? I hate taking pills of any kind although I do take 3 Vit. D for 6000 IU. The pills are really small.


Cheers!

[brett]

Have been taking 2000-3000IU every day for the past eight years.

No idea if it works since I have not been back for a physical. But....I have never had a real cold or the flu (also get the flu shot every year) during that time. If I do feel that I am coming down with something it only lasts for a day.

We are not at home either. Travel frequently, lots of air travel etc.

[Koolau]

I was looking at my bottle of 2000 IU I take (two each/day) and saw that the so-called "% Daily Value" for one gel cap is listed as 250%. No idea what that means for most of us. Sounds "bad" to take "too much" but my gut tells me this one must be pretty safe or someone would have figured it out by now. Having said that, I certainly wouldn't be taking mega doses of the stuff without a doc telling me to. Sounds like the D test is the best idea and then use moderation in any case. YMMV

[audreyh1]

The daily value is a minimum, and probably too low.

Yes, you want to have your levels tested.

[Mark1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koolau ..... Sounds like the D test is the best idea and then use moderation in any case. YMMV

I recently read a book by Paul Offit titled "Overkill". In the book, he has a chapter titled " Vitamin D Supplements Aren't a Cure-All". The author makes a pretty good case that most Vitamin D testing is unnecessary. The copyright is 2020 so obviously it does not address the Vitamin D/COVID correlation.

Just another data point.

[garyt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by street I have a question, may not be able to compare but is natural (sun) vitamin D as good as a vitamin supplement??

Take it for what it's worth but I read a long time ago that to get enough Vitamin D from the sun you'd literally need to be a nudist. Just getting it on your face and arms isn't enough.

[Aerides]

Quote:

Originally Posted by street I have a question, may not be able to compare but is natural (sun) vitamin D as good as a vitamin supplement??

Quote:

Originally Posted by harllee Does vitamin D supplement cause anyone else to get an upset stomach? I have tried several different kinds but they all cause stomach upset. I am trying to get Vitamin D from the sun but it is hard in the winter.

No one should assume they are getting remotely enough D from sun. I live in Fla and use sunscreen far less than I should, and have the tanlines to show from gardening and running most of the year. And if I don't take a supplement my D is at the very bottom of the range of healthy, borderline deficient.

I take a basic D, and lately I'm taking 2 at once, not with meals, with no stomach issues.

[braumeister]

I have no problem, as my D level is normally somewhere between 45 and 60 when tested, but I do take 5,000 units daily just to be sure. The lowest level I ever tested at was 30, about ten years ago. That's a minimum level, which got my attention and I've been taking the little capsules every day since then.

It's a simple test, so if your doctor doesn't include it when you get your blood work I think it's definitely worth asking for.

You can get it tested yourself through one of the independent sources such as requestatest.com and the cost is probably worth it for many people.

[sengsational]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark1 I recently read a book by Paul Offit titled "Overkill". In the book, he has a chapter titled " Vitamin D Supplements Aren't a Cure-All". The author makes a pretty good case that most Vitamin D testing is unnecessary. The copyright is 2020 so obviously it does not address the Vitamin D/COVID correlation. Just another data point.

I was thinking that would be a good read, but was disappointed in the book. While the author "told the truth" about a lot of ideas that were disproved, he never admitted that in some cases, we just don't know. So when he talks about vitamin D, he sets up the not proven health effects, then knocks them down with later studies. Fair enough. But no acknowledgement of the health effects that didn't fall with more analysis. That's lying by omission?

[NoiseBoy]

I have been following the discussions regarding vitamin D as a prophylactic and/or treatment for Covid 19 for months now. I am convinced that the following statements are true:

• Vitamin D plays an essential role in our body's immune response.
• People living above roughly the 35th parallel cannot make vitamin D naturally from November through February.
• Darker skinned peoples struggle to make enough vitamin D naturally in temperate climate zones.
• The current recommended daily doses are not enough, especially during the winter months, to meet our body's minimum needs.
• Vitamin D deficiencies can explain a large part of why the case fatality rates for Covid 19 increase with age and hammer hardest, the elderly living indoors in senior care homes.

While recognizing that there have been only a few, small randomized controlled studies to date that support these statements, the risk to recommending daily vitamin D supplements to the general population is so small, and the costs are really low, that I cannot understand why our health and political leaders have not done so. This video is a month hold, and an hour long, but it provides a full overview of the data to date. I can only hope that some additional RCT studies get published soon that support vitamin D supplementation.

I am taking 1000IU of D3 as part of my daily multi-vitamin and 2000IU in addition to that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ha2mLz-Xdpg