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Is 5000 IU's of D3 too much?


Hikin' Mama
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The Rx dose is 50,000 units 1x per week for 1-3 or so months. I've had several months of this dosing (in just the last year) and my Vit  D level is still too low, but slowly rising. Since my level is so low, I take 5000 units per day (= 35,000 units per week) when I'm not on the Rx.

 

Do you know what your level is? Start there and ask  your doctor.

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Do you have reason to believe you need that much?    Have you been tested?

 

Just for reference - I was taking 1000 units a day.  Then my kidney doctor told me to cut back to 500 per day. (Or take every other day since I have 1000 unit caps.)  My levels were too high for me due to my history of kidney stones.  

 

Of course that anecdote means nothing, except to say that everyone's needs are different, so it would be a good idea to get your level checked.

 

 

 

 

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what is your current d3 level?  (while 30 used to be considered a minimum, now it's around 50 minimum.)

 

how well do you absorb d3?

 

 

My dd was taking 10,000 IUs, but her (catastrophically low - her drs words) levels still barely budged.  she had to switch to drops because they are more absorbant.

 

I take 4,000IUs and my levels still only go up about 9 points a year.  (and I'm *still* below 50, though I am now in the 40s)

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For me, no that would not be too much.  I'm super pale, blue eyes, and have low D3.  I usually need to take 100-150,000 D3 per week for about 6 weeks to raise my levels to normal (50).   5,000-10,000 IU D3 is my normal maintenance.   Even with it, about every 12-18 months, I dip back down to the low 20s, and need to super supplement.  I live in FL too.

 

But, I've been tested.

 

 

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Thanks for the input. You all have made me realize I should go to my doctor. I had my level tested a couple years ago and it was in normal range at 54. But I have been stinkin' tired and unmotivated for the last couple years. I've had several other things tested more recently: thyroid (TSH, t3, t4), iron, b12, blood sugar. All normal. I didn't think to ask to be retested for D.

 

I read somewhere that even pale people (me) in northern climates (I'm in northern US) need extra D even if they are in the normal range. So I was going to try D3. I've been on bioidentical progesterone for over 2 years and thought my fatigue was due to menopause. Well, I saw no change with the progesterone, and since I had given it plenty of time and changed up the dosing on the advice of the pharmacist, I decided to quit. Did that 2 months ago and have seen no difference.

 

Funny thing is I run and feel okay most of the time when doing that, although I'm understandably tired after my long runs (currently 10-15 miles and building as I'm training for a marathon). I run at a decent pace for my age and still feel okay when doing it. And at one point I thought maybe running was tiring me out so I quit completely for a few months. No change. Because running helps me relieve stress and because I absolutely love it once I get past the first mile, I started up again a few months ago.

 

Sorry this is so long. I've never been a high energy person, but what I'm feeling now isn't normal for me.

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You may also want to consult loved ones... by chance do they *allege* that you snore? I sadly found out recently that I *allegedly* snore and that I have moderately severe sleep apnea. Sleep apnea means you're waking up a ton each night and getting poor sleep quality/quantity... You may want to check into it, as well as all of the other suggestions listed above. 

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Do consider a sleep study OP. I didn't actually snore, or at least rarely did. But I had moderate apnea in my sleep study. Correcting made a huge difference for me. There are other things that can go on in sleep and prevent quality rest in addition to apnea.

 

My doctor said most people need 1000 IU per 25 pounds to maintain current levels. The vitamin D council said up to (just under) 10,000 IU of D3 per day has never been toxic to anyone. They have detailed information on their site about what it takes for toxicity. It's a lot.

 

It's worth getting the 25 OH D tested.  If you're low, 5000 is not enough.

 

I have a good D level and take 5000 per day to maintain. So does hubby. All that to say, no. I don't think 5000 is going to be too much to start taking.

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For me, there's a big difference in absorption between the prescription D2 and the OTC D3, so it helps to know for sure which version people are using when they talk dosages, especially if it's prescription. My levels were very low (in the teens) and even with 100,000 units a week prescription D2 for well over a year they weren't budging out of the low to mid-20s. I asked my doctor about trying D3 since I had read some studies that D3 may be more bioavailable, at least in some people. After about 4 months of 5000 units a day (so 35000 a week) of D3 I'm finally up to 30.

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