Vitamin D supplement page

[cayla29s]

Hey guys,

Now that winter is coming up I want to start taking Vitamin D supplement. Can you recommend a safe dosage for me. What kind should I get?
I'm 119 5'2.

Thanks

[snoops]

Do you know what your blood levels are? Living in Canada you are not getting much from the sun even in the summer. You pretty much have to be mostly naked and in the sun for 20-30 minutes to get enough and thats below the 49th parallel.

My levels were low even supplementing with 2000 IU a day. I upped it to 4000 and now even to 6000 for the winter and I am in Texas now (was in Calgary) They have done tests with MS patients and have given them tens of thousands of IU's with no side effects. I have heard up to 50,000 IU's with no toxic effects. It is such an important vitamin that I say better safe than sorry.

That said some people have a hard time absorbing what they take. I plan to have a blood test done soon to see if the 6000 is effective.

[cayla29s]

Do you know what your blood levels are? Living in Canada you are not getting much from the sun even in the summer. You pretty much have to be mostly naked and in the sun for 20-30 minutes to get enough and thats below the 49th parallel.

My levels were low even supplementing with 2000 IU a day. I upped it to 4000 and now even to 6000 for the winter and I am in Texas now (was in Calgary) They have done tests with MS patients and have given them tens of thousands of IU's with no side effects. I have heard up to 50,000 IU's with no toxic effects. It is such an important vitamin that I say better safe than sorry.

That said some people have a hard time absorbing what they take. I plan to have a blood test done soon to see if the 6000 is effective.

No I don't know what my blood levels are but in the summer I'l' go to the beach or lake on weekends. On a daily basis I would go do my running outdoor in shorts and sports bras to get as much sun as possible. I' definitely got a lot of sun this past summer so now it's getting cold I definitely want to include vitamin D.

Actually looked at Loren Cordain's recent book and he says to supplement with vitamin D3, 2000 IU per day. What's the difference between Vitamin d and d3?

[patsyruss]

Vitamin D supplementation is vital as it improves your body's immune system. There are a number of benefits it has on your overall health and well being.

[Tee]

I have been taking 10,000 IU per day. Hope it's not to much.

[annedawso]

I have been taking 10,000 IU per day. Hope it's not to much.

So have I. In liquid for D3 as supposed to be absorbed the best.

[KerryK]

I have been reading about how bad it can be to take vitamin D alone without K and A. They work synergistically and excess D alone can allow toxic levels of calcium to build. Sure, tens of thousands of IUs is probably what they mean as toxic, but it's important to realize that most hormones and vitamins do not work alone in a void. Sure, a good number of us are D deficient but we can't arbitrarily supplement doses without research and testing our blood levels.

I'm seriously deficient and I'm working on raising my levels mostly with Green Pasture's FCLO/HVB (Fermented Cod's Liver Oil/High Vitamin Butter Oil) and some liquid drops. I'm just cautioning as I like to be cautioned myself when considering supplementation. BTW, liquid D supplements in mct or coconut oil suspension seems to be the optimum way to supplement (other than sunshine). Just search here or in the other health blogs for more info.

And here is an excerpt from Chris Kresser's series on thyroid that I was re-reading just yesterday that discusses the optimal D levels. Timely and useful. I really trust Chris's info. Here is the link and excerpt - the actual article also has a link to Chris Masterjohn's article discussing the need to take it in combination with A&K. The role of vitamin D deficiency in thyroid disorders

“Okay, I get it,” you say. “I may need higher vitamin D levels than the average person if I have one of those genetic defects. So tell me what my levels should be!”
Well, this is where we venture into murky territory. The question of how high vitamin D levels should be is very difficult to answer in the case of someone with autoimmune thyroid disease. Studies suggest the optimal 25(OH)D level is 35 ng/mL for the average person. Some researchers (notably Dr. John Cannell and colleagues at the Vitamin D Council) have suggested that 50 ng/mL should be the minimum level.

The bulk of the evidence, however, doesn’t support that claim. For starters, the other authors of the study Dr. Cannell used as the basis for his 50 ng/mL recommendation came to a very different conclusion from the same data. In the paper they published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, they wrote that their data confirmed the previously acknowledged optimal level of 35 ng/mL – not the 50 ng/mL suggested by Dr. Cannell.

What’s more, some recent studies have shown that higher isn’t better when it comes to vitamin D. A study in the American Journal of Medicine found that, in most people, maximum bone density occurs at 25(OH)D levels between 32-40 ng/mL. When levels are pushed above 45 ng/mL, as recommended by Dr. Cannell, bone density starts to decrease. Another study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology found that South Indians 25(OH)D levels above 89 ng/mL were three times more likely to have suffered from heart disease than those with lower levels.

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that we don’t put too much faith in epidemiological studies. They don’t prove causation. They only show a relationship between two variables. But the relationship of vitamin D to calcium levels also provides a plausible mechanism by which high 25(OH)D levels could increase the risk of heart disease.

Complicating the matter further, recent work by researcher Chris Masterjohn suggests that the harmful effects of vitamin D toxicity are at least in part caused by a corresponding deficiency in vitamins A & K2. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D & K2 work synergistically, as Masterjohn has described in his Cod Liver Oil Debate article and a recently published scientific paper.

Masterjohn’s hypothesis, which has been confirmed by others, raises the possibility that the higher levels of 25(OH)D that were linked with lower bone density and heart disease may be safe if vitamin A & K2 levels are sufficient. Unfortunately, there is no clinical evidence (that I’m aware of) that helps us to answer this question.

“Okay, okay,” you say. “Just tell me how much to take already!”
I wish it were easier to answer this question. Really, I do. I think about it a lot for my own patients. The research is clear that 35 ng/mL is the minimum level for optimum function for healthy people. But people with autoimmune thyroid conditions aren’t healthy. They often have GI disorders, inflammation, stress, excess weight, VDR polymorphisms and other factors that impair their production, absorption and utilization of vitamin D. This suggests that the minimum 25(OH)D level for those with AITD may be significantly higher than for healthy people.

My current approach with these patients is to do a cautious trial of raising their serum levels to a range of 60-70 ng/mL. If their symptoms improve at this level, I will then switch them to a maintenance dose while watching for clinical signs of vitamin D toxicity. These include kidney stones (also a sign of vitamin K2 deficiency), low appetite, nausea, vomiting, thirst, excessive urination, weakness and nervousness. I will also monitor serum calcium levels, because elevated calcium in the blood is a sign of vitamin D toxicity and a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease (especially in the presence of vitamin K2 deficiency). Calcium levels above 11-12 mg/dL (or 2.8-3 mmol/L) are indicative of vitamin D toxicity.

I will also make sure these patients are getting adequate amounts of vitamin K2 and vitamin A in their diets. Sources of vitamin A include organ meats, cod liver oil and full-fat milk and cream from grass-fed cows. Sources of vitamin K2 include fermented foods like natto, hard cheeses and kefir as well as egg yolks and butter from grass-fed cows. I may also use a vitamin K2 supplement (MK-4/MK-7 combo) if patients can’t tolerate fermented foods."


Anyway, good luck.

[AuroraB]

You really must get your Vit D level checked before 'experimenting' with mega doses of it.

Although, IMO, and in my own experience, toxicity is not easy to achieve as long as you're monitoring your levels with blood testing. I take 10,000 IU sublingually of vit. D per day and my level stays at 80 - 85 ng/mL which is were I want it (cancer survivor). But, I got the level tested every 6 months for 2 yrs just to find out what dose was right for me and my immune system.

Also, if a person lives in northern regions of the world, 2,000IU per day will probably be insufficient, IMO.

[Wildrose]

Do you know what your blood levels are? Living in Canada you are not getting much from the sun even in the summer. You pretty much have to be mostly naked and in the sun for 20-30 minutes to get enough and thats below the 49th parallel

That made me giggle because that's exactly what I was doing all summer, in the backyard. Bra and short shorts, often for an hour. Anywho, for the original question, my doctor recommended 2,000 a day. You could raise it higher if you have a deficit, but if you've been going to the beach you probably don't.

[annedawso]

You really must get your Vit D level checked before 'experimenting' with mega doses of it.

Although, IMO, and in my own experience, toxicity is not easy to achieve as long as you're monitoring your levels with blood testing. I take 10,000 IU sublingually of vit. D per day and my level stays at 80 - 85 ng/mL which is were I want it (cancer survivor). But, I got the level tested every 6 months for 2 yrs just to find out what dose was right for me and my immune system.

Also, if a person lives in northern regions of the world, 2,000IU per day will probably be insufficient, IMO.

I heard a BBC Radio programme a year or so back that convinced me to start 10,000 IU aday.
Here in the UK I don't know anyone who has their bloods tested unless their dr suspects they have an illness.
I just merrily take the supplements that I think I should.