Why is everybody talking bout vit. D?

[Alison in KY]

I think I'm missing something.

[justamouse]

It's as close to a miracle vitamin as you can get?

 

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vitamin-d/NS_patient-vitamind

 

The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. Recently, research also suggests vitamin D may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases.

 

When my Aunt fought breast cancer they also gave her Vit d. We don't tend to get enough because we're indoors more, and when we do go outdoors we use sunscreen, so most Americans (I think it's something like 60%) are Vit D deficient.

[Mommyof4ks]

I hope this is ok to link to since it is from the NIH, but if not please delete.

 

http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamind.asp

[vkay]

Fixing my vit. D level has given me a new lease on life. The difference in the way that I feel is amazing!! Just that one little vitamin has made such an improvement in the quality of my life.

 

I'm not one who normally listens to/follows the latest vitamin or heath news, I sort of just stumbled upon the fact that mine was low. Now I'm so grateful that I did, and I also now make sure to tell people to get their vit. D levels checked.

[robsiew]

There is also some evidence to suggest that raising your vit. d levels can help ward off all the silly flu's everyone gets so worked up about. It boosts your immunity.

[lighthouseacademy]

My opinion is that "science" has just realized that vit D is important... not that it is more important than other vitamins, but it is the vitamin dejour at this point... yes, Vitamin D is important, but when anything is out of balance, it will throw off the rest, so I am not jumping on the Vitamin D bandwagon. Eat a variety of fresh fruits and veggies (in quantity) some nuts and seeds, whole grains, get some outdoor time without sunscreen (not to excess), get plenty of rest, drink plenty of PURE water and our bodies will do the rest!

[JudyJudyJudy]

My opinion is that "science" has just realized that vit D is important... not that it is more important than other vitamins, but it is the vitamin dejour at this point... yes, Vitamin D is important, but when anything is out of balance, it will throw off the rest, so I am not jumping on the Vitamin D bandwagon. Eat a variety of fresh fruits and veggies (in quantity) some nuts and seeds, whole grains, get some outdoor time without sunscreen (not to excess), get plenty of rest, drink plenty of PURE water and our bodies will do the rest!

While I would love to agree with this (and this is actually the route I'm taking right now myself, too), I'm afraid it's not so simple. I fear that with all the chemicals in our food, water, and air, our bodies are being depleted of necessary vitamins, hormones, etc. At the same time, I think that in many cases low vitamin D levels are a symptom and not the cause of a problem, so I fear that often we are treating symptoms rather than causes.

[elise1mds]

I had no idea there was a bandwagon. In my case, low vitamin D was causing a LOT of issues. My body doesn't store minerals at all, and I have osteoporosis running rampant in my mom's family. I had been taking a multivitamin and a mineral supplement as well as supplemental calcium with D/magnesium, but it wasn't enough. I was losing hair, experiencing hot flashes/cold sweats, blood sugar issues, etc. - classic thyroid symptoms, right? I got everything tested - thyroid, CBC, all of it... they drew something like seven vials of blood - and the only thing that came back abnormal was vitamin D. It was quite low; so low, in fact, that the doctor put it in gigantic capital letters when I got his note with all the results. Now, in addition to the D that was already in my vitamins/minerals I had been taking, I'm now on 1000 units more. I won't say it's a "magic" cure, but I can definitely tell if I miss a few days (I like to test now and then to make sure I'm not taking anything unneeded). I eat healthfully, exercise, drink tons of water, and garden and play outside with the kids but, like I said, my body just doesn't process minerals very well. It's good stuff, and I'm hoping to keep my body from becoming like my mother's!

 

Funny thing, though, I just read in that NIH article that mushrooms are high in vitamin D. They're some of my favorite foods! Odd how your body just 'knows' when you listen, isn't it?

[Jean in Newcastle]

Very low vitamin D levels were causing acid like pain through my bones. It was also causing extreme fatigue. I'm glad that Drs. are more aware of testing for this since I had these symptoms for 16 years before being tested for vitamin D levels. My levels were at a level where people can get osteopenia - an osteoporosis precursor. For some reason the high doses I was on helped but did not stay in my body so I was not able to take high doses and then taper off. I take fairly high doses (10,000 IU) every day. Vitamin D can be toxic if you get too much - because it is not water soluble your body stores it. So I get my vitamin D level tested every 3 months since I am taking so much.

[tuckabella]

Now, in addition to the D that was already in my vitamins/minerals I had been taking, I'm now on 1000 units more. I won't say it's a "magic" cure, but I can definitely tell if I miss a few days (I like to test now and then to make sure I'm not taking anything unneeded). I eat healthfully, exercise, drink tons of water, and garden and play outside with the kids but, like I said, my body just doesn't process minerals very well.

 

It also depends on the quality of the vitamin/supplement you get. The vitamins/minerals need to be able to be "gotten out" of the pill. I think the term might be called bioligically available. So, it might not necessarily be that you bad at absorbing them, it could be that they that the mitamins/minerals are simply not coming out of the pill you are swallowing.

[Alison in KY]

Fixing my vit. D level has given me a new lease on life. The difference in the way that I feel is amazing!! Just that one little vitamin has made such an improvement in the quality of my life.

 

I'm not one who normally listens to/follows the latest vitamin or heath news, I sort of just stumbled upon the fact that mine was low. Now I'm so grateful that I did, and I also now make sure to tell people to get their vit. D levels checked.

 

Would you please share what it did to help you so much. I haven't read throught the two suggested articles yet, but I'd like to hear what it's doing for people.

 

Is vit D testing common?

[Alison in KY]

Did I understand correctly that for an adult, the RDA is 2,000 IU?

 

Also, do the cheaper pills work just as well? I'm supplement poor already.

[Tressa]

My Vit. D was very low. My Vit. D was tested because my doctor was testing for autoimmune issues at the same time. I live in Washington State where most people, according to my Dr., have some kind of deficiency.

 

I was put on a huge megadose. 50,000 iu once a week. I feel so much better! I can say that it has helped my depression. I also seem to have more energy because I seem to be sleeping better. I am anxious to see what my levels are after all this Vit. D. I am hoping that it helps my joint pain a little more. We will see.

[i.love.lucy]

So, it sounds like if you think you've been having some thyroid issues, but thyroid is checked and seeminly normal, maybe D would help? Do I need to go back to my doc or can I start taking a supplement myself? If so, is there a brand to try?

[stripe]

My opinion is that "science" has just realized that vit D is important... not that it is more important than other vitamins, but it is the vitamin dejour at this point... yes, Vitamin D is important, but when anything is out of balance, it will throw off the rest, so I am not jumping on the Vitamin D bandwagon. Eat a variety of fresh fruits and veggies (in quantity) some nuts and seeds, whole grains, get some outdoor time without sunscreen (not to excess), get plenty of rest, drink plenty of PURE water and our bodies will do the rest!

 

Some people live in areas where one cannot get sufficient vitamin D from the sun for months out of the year due to the latitude and the number of hours of sunlight per day and outdoor temperature at that time (hard to sunbathe at 40 below). African immigrants living in Nordic countries have, for example, been shown to have particular difficulty maintaining sufficient Vitamin D levels especially in the winter time, due to higher melanin content that requires longer sun exposure than very light skinned blondes' skin does. Also some people do not have as much access to the "outdoors" as others -- they may live in a dangerous urban environment, for example. (And some people may not be able to "get plenty of rest" quite so easily, either.) So just going outside is not always as simple as it sounds, but I agree with you that trying to create a wholesome lifestyle for yourself is a good idea.

Edited September 21, 2009 by stripe

[StephinAL]

I have been taking 10,000 IU because I tested low. My TSH (thyroid stumulating hormone) is starting to come down.

[TravelingChris]

My youngest is osteoporotic. She also has low vitamin d. She was breaking bones in non traumatic ways when we lived in Florida, we had a pool, and she is almost the lightest skin anybody can be (red hair, blue eyes). Sometimes our bodies just don't convert the vit d effectively. It isn't just linked with thyroid. Most autoimmune arthritics have deficiencies too. So do people with many other diseases. If you aren't having any problems, I don't think your doctor will necessarily test you. But my other daughter was tested since both her sister and I were low. She is low normal and takes just regular amounts of vit d and calcium supplements. Both my other dd and I take extra amounts. DD12 takes 1200 IU once a day, plus drinks 3-4 cups of milk, and takes 400mg. Calcium. I take a megapill once a month.

[Only me]

Is the amount that kids get in a normal multivitamin enough? My son (11) and my daughters (14 and 17) all get 400 iu in their vitamins.

[vkay]

Would you please share what it did to help you so much. I haven't read throught the two suggested articles yet, but I'd like to hear what it's doing for people.

 

Is vit D testing common?

 

Before being tested, I had terrible fatigue, some depression (much worse in winter), and joint pain. These had been going on for about 5 + years, getting worse each year. Finally in March I realized that what I was feeling just wasn’t ‘normal’ so I finally went to a doctor that was willing to test for all sorts of things.

 

I feared something major was going on, but all that showed up was low vit. D and autoimmune issues (psoriatic arthritis). He put me on 50,000 IU bi-weekly, and 1000 IU/day. I started to feel better by the first month, and even better each month after that. I think I felt completely wonderful by month 3. The depression and fatigue are 100% gone. I still have joint pain issues due to the arthritis, but to me the fatigue was much worse to deal with, so I’m very happy.

 

I have a clearer mind and much more energy now. I feel like the ‘old me’, one that I hadn’t seen in a few years. My vit. D level is fine now and we are tapering off from the big dose, down to 50,000 once a month, and keeping the 1000 IU/day. I’ll get it rechecked in January.

 

Oh, and something else that cleared up that I didn’t expect: I had been getting PMS migraines once a month, rarely missing one. Ever since fixing my vit D level……not one migraine!! I’m very surprised to have this happen. I had gotten migraines monthly for at least 5-6 years now. Every month I hold my breath thinking one might be on it’s way, but it never shows up. :lol:

[Jean in Newcastle]

Is the amount that kids get in a normal multivitamin enough? My son (11) and my daughters (14 and 17) all get 400 iu in their vitamins.

 

It is enough if their bodies don't have a deficiency, they get enough sunlight, don't live in a northern climate, and their body processes vitamin D correctly. That isn't true for all children.