After 15 months of Supplementing with Vit D... page

[Heidi]

and while my level is still not exactly where I want it to be, it went up from 18 (moderate deficiency) to 33 (satisfactory). This was accomplished with 8000iu a day (most days, occasionally forgot). I am amazed at how much supplementation is necessary to raise the level up.

Edited to add a zero; meant to write 8000, not 800.

[Uncephalized]

The rule of thumb is 100IU per day, per ng/mL blood level. It depends on body weight (smaller people need less) but it's a good place to start. So say you wanted your levels at 40 ng/mL, you'd start with 4000IU/day. Then check in a month or two to see where you're at and adjust. If you go out in the sun a lot you wouldn't need to take as much either, or course. I'm guessing with a name like Heidi you're fair-skinned to some degree and won't have any trouble making some D3 endogenously as the summer warms up.

[Heidi]

That's interesting about the rule of thumb with vit d levels. Seems I should have been able to raise mine more, hmm. Wonder what my problem is, lol.

Not looking forward to the heat and humidity of summer, but the extra rays are a bonus.

[Lewis]

They've said on the Paleo Solution podcast more than once that the capsules aren't as effective as they should be and that the supplements that come in form of drops are more effective, and also that one should be sure to take them at the same time as eating and make sure the food has fat. Professor Cordain suggests 2000 IU per day unless you get good sun exposure.

I haven't actually tended to use D3 supplements much myself, but I've had good success getting my levels up by taking a teaspoon of the naturally fermented Blue Ice cod liver oil with breakfast.

[otzi]

I took 10,000IU per day from Sep through March. Vit D level in my blood went from 21 to 69 in that time.

[codered5]

Your skin makes appx 10,000 IU in about half an hour of sun exposure. Personally, I would kick it up around that level until you get to healthy levels, which really is more in the 70 range. 33 is still quite low and you have to remember, those reference ranges include a bottom and top value, but also a more "functionally healthy" range that the majority of people are at...33 is still outside that healthy range.

[jammies]

I had the same issue - took forever to get my levels up. I learned some interesting facts about it.

1. Vitamin D2 will raise your levels and then cause them to plunge. Make sure you are taking D3.

2. Depending on the brand, when tested store bought vitamin D3 contained somewhere between 2-80% of the amount listed on the bottle. Get a good brand.

3. D3 is best absorbed with fat. Buy an oil based Vitamin D3.


Once i learned all this, I switched to an olive oil based quality D3 (mine is natures answer) and my levels jumped way up quickly and have stayed up. This was after almost 2 years of trying everything to get it up.

You should also make sure you are supplementing or getting plenty of magnesium and K2 while you are getting your D levels normalized. Your body needs more of these when your D is going up.

Good luck!!

[Heidi]

I've been taking Carlson's D3 drops, with each drop containing 2000iu. Edited my 1st post to reflect that I've been taking 8000, not 800. I do also supplement with magnesium citrate (NOW powder) and K2 (the Thorne Research drops).

I still shake my head at my doctor, who told me not to worry about my vitamin d level and mentioned her own deficiency as if it were no big deal. Her level was in the single digits. :shudder: With all the research available nowadays linking vit d deficiency to biggies like cancers and autoimmune disorders, how could any doctor not realize the importance of having a vit d level in the normal range?

[Uncephalized]

Well you may just not absorb it as effectively as most people or something. Are you normal weight? Being very overweight could increase the necessary dosage. 15 months is plenty of time for levels to stabilize so it's doubtful it would be a transitory level IMO.

But it's certainly easy to test--just increase your levels to 10000 or 12000 IU for a month or so and see if the number moves.