Vitamin D deficiency

[Kate in Arabia]

In pursuit of finding an answer to why I'm having bouts of hypertension/panic attacks, it was discovered that I have a vitamin D deficiency. They did a huge round of tests, and thankfully everything else is normal.

 

We talked about the issues specific to Muslim women, i.e. that we are generally so covered when we go outside we lose access to vitamin D through sun exposure. But I spend a lot of time outside in my private garden without the covering, and the dr commented that while that could contribute, vitamin D deficiency is also found is non-Muslim communities around the world.

 

I was interested to note after an internet check that many of my current medical complaints could be tied to vitamin D deficiency -- who knew it could have such a broad range of effects?

 

I asked whether I should simply increase time outside, include different foods in my diet, etc. He didn't say that was not helpful, but for the immediate period I've been put on a prescription supplement. Apparently even the over-the-counter multi-vitamin I'm taking isn't sufficient.

 

Anyone else been through a vitamin D deficiency? I'm interested (and hopeful) to see how taking the supplement will help my overall wellness. I have to go back in two months for another round of bloodwork.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Kate,

 

Well, I know some people on here have had great results so hopefully they will weigh in.

 

Though I had vit D deficiency, I didn't find a huge difference in supplementation (I've mega-dosed for several weeks on two occasions while taking a daily supplement also). I had a significant jump in numbers but haven't been tested in awhile. Another thing to get around to.

 

I hope it is just what you need though :) As a Texan (mowing an acre yard, having flower beds, playing with kids outside, walks, sitting with hubby on porch, etc), I know that sun just isn't enough.

[Sherri in MI]

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/aboutUs.shtml

 

It seems to have some helpful info.

[JVA]

http://www.naturalnews.tv/v.asp?v=9612F397A28136DAA6AEA741E2B34D15

 

I found it interesting. I also had a deficiency and took the 10,000 units/week for a few months. My levels are back up and I'm taking 1000 mg daily now. It seems to affect a variety of things, doesn't it?

[Chris in VA]

Hi Kate,

I've got a D deficiency that I'm currently on OTC supplements for--

A "normal" reading is somewhere around 32--I'm at 20. I have no idea what the numbers mean, other than seeing that I'm a third of the way low!

Thanks for the website info, PP--I knew low D could contribute to strokes, but I didn't know the other things.

 

I'm also low iron right now, so I'm not sure if fatigue is from that or D or both. Hopefully, things will get better. I have to go back to the DR in 3 months, after a colonoscopy to determine if there's an unusual source of bleeding. THey will check my levels then. I don't know how long it takes for D levels to rise.

 

Hope you feel better, Kate.

[gpsings]

I'm deficient currently. My dr just prescribed 5,000mg a day supplements for me two days ago. I honestly don't know what causes it. :( I wish I could help more. :grouphug:

[stripe]

I've heard about African immigrants to Scandinavian countries having a lot of health problems as well as kids who neither play outside nor drink much milk becoming deficient. Also, no matter what you (don't) wear, you can't get Vitamin D from the sun in many parts of the US in the winter as the angle of the sun won't allow it -- not to mention it may be too cold to go outside in shorts! ;) So I think it's important that doctors not make assumptions about who is deficient or who's not based on their guesses about people's behaviors. I am surprised that it has had such an impact on your health, but I'm glad you found out about it so I hope that you are feeling better soon.

[abbeyej]

My deficiency was discovered in connection with a strong flare-up of Raynaud's syndrome that I was having. FWIW, I'm a white woman with medium skin-tone living in the American south and wearing fairly standard American clothing (arms often bare, 1-piece swimsuits in the summer), etc. Even as far south as we are, the angle of the sun's rays aren't right for creating vitamin D from October-April. Then from May-September, we really need a *lot* of bare-skin exposure to the sun between 11am and 3pm. Very few of us actually get that.

 

So what I'm trying to say is, yes, dressing with significantly more of your skin covered at all time will make it worse. But even those of us who *don't* can develop pretty severe vitamin D deficiencies. Especially after certain illnesses, which can severely deplete your stores. My Raynaud's flared up after the flu knocked me flat for a week or so. I don't know if I was deficient before, but I suspect that I became more so after that flu.

 

And your doctor is right -- you probably can't get back up to an ideal level without supplementing your diet with vitamin D. I started at 2,000iu per day without much improvement. I had to go to a regimen of 1,000iu per 25lbs of bodyweight each day. (So a 125lb woman would take 5,000iu per day.) And more if I feel a cold or sore throat coming on.

[Kate in Arabia]

I am surprised that it has had such an impact on your health, but I'm glad you found out about it so I hope that you are feeling better soon.

I don't know that it has. I mean, he did a really wide spectrum of tests just to get a general status and to rule out certain things. I don't think he was looking to this as a possible cause, and maybe it isn't, kwim? I guess we'll know once I (hopefully) bring my numbers up and see if anything changes.

 

Unfortunately I forgot to ask him for what the reading was, but he has prescribed for me tablets (they look like clear gel beads) that are 50,000 lU of vitamin D2; I take two a day. Looking at numbers others are posting, this seems really high?

[ReneTL]

You can find lots of info about Vit D on this site: http://www.mercola.com

 

Dr. Mercola has been talking about this for years, now it's really hitting mainstream medicine.

[UmMusa]

Assalamu alaikom Kate,

It's not just the hijab even though some would be quick to assume that's the cause. A relative had this deficiency last year, and she does not wear hijab. She actually works in the garden a lot! Anyhow, after taking prescription Vit D for the allotted time her Dr recommended, she felt so much better and now takes daily calcium w/ vit D supplements.

 

I"ve had a similar situation with Iron. I'm currently taking two prescription tablets a day to bring my levels up. It's amazing how many things are affected in our bodies just from one little deficiency!

 

Insha'Allah you'll feel the benefit of the VitD supplement soon and you'll be back to good health.

[Kate in Arabia]

It's not just the hijab even though some would be quick to assume that's the cause. A relative had this deficiency last year, and she does not wear hijab. She actually works in the garden a lot!

Yeah, the doctor was commenting that some say those women who cover (not meaning covering their heads, but wearing long sleeves whenever outside, etc.) are more prone, but he seemed kind of dismissive at the same time. In any event, I spend more than an hour every day working in my garden (usually in short sleeves); plus I'm out in the sun a lot with the kids (like at the beach), although then I am pretty covered.

 

I wonder if there have been any studies done among the more conservative ladies -- thinking of some of my inlaws who really are covered every time they go outside -- gloves, socks, niqab, etc.

 

Anyway, we'll see how it goes!

[cjzimmer1]

A year or two ago, I was having huge sleep issues. I kept waking up in the middle of the night and would be wide awake for an hour or more, then fall asleep for an hour, repeat all night long. During the day, I was tired, grumpy, extremely short with kids, half the time I didn't know if I felt like screaming or crying, mentally every task was difficult, focusing on anything was difficult. Some of those things I could attribute to lack of sleep but not all of them. In the past I have been severely anemic - my daytime issues felt just like that but without the shortness of breadth that accompanied anemia. I really thought my iron stores were dropping again.

 

I read something on this board about Vitamin D, that clicked in my head relating to my sleeping issues. While I always take Vitamin D because I have other medical issues that require me to do so, I went ahead and doubled my dose. Withiin a week, I was sleeping soundly again, and to my great surprise everything else cleared up as well. When I discussed this with my doctor (after the fact), she was surprised. She hears complaints like I described all the time but she had never made the connection to Vitamin D. (Vitamin D is one of her areas of interest, she always appreciates new info on it even if it's only antidotal).

 

Vitamin D is a low risk vitamin. It's pretty hard to overdose on it (think doses over 200,000IU daily for an extended period). More and more research is showing what a valuable vitamin it is and that most people are deficient on some level. I'm hearing more and more recommendations on the 25IU per 25 pounds of body weight.

 

I don't know what dose your doctor has you on, but if it is lower than the above dose, it may take longer to see an improvement if the low D is causing your issues. Hope you find relief.

[Alicia64]

I just have to chime in: I took 1200 IU's or whatever they're called -- 3 vitamin D tablets in one day and the next day I felt awful.

 

Be careful about taking mega doses. Only do it through a doctor.

 

I should never have taken 3 vitamin d's at once. Really, I felt horrible. Like I had a virus. I drank a ton of water and woke up the next morning feeling basically normal again.

 

Vitamins are more potent then we realize.

 

Alley

[dancer67]

I was also DX with Vit. D Deficiency last year. Normal range is 30 and above. Mine was 9!!

 

I have been on 2,000 IU of Vitamin D now, and I have broken the 30 level.

 

I have been told that Vit D def, can lead to a number of health issues that I was not aware of.

 

I also have high blood pressure. I have been able to cut back on my BP meds. But I do think that is also related to me being Iron Def. as well, and my levels have jumped since taking two IV iron supplements, and now maintaining with Blackstrap molasses, and Floradix.

 

I think Dr's have just started testing for D Def. and I think that is good. I live in the North and sun is rare here!

[cjzimmer1]

I don't know that it has. I mean, he did a really wide spectrum of tests just to get a general status and to rule out certain things. I don't think he was looking to this as a possible cause, and maybe it isn't, kwim? I guess we'll know once I (hopefully) bring my numbers up and see if anything changes.

 

Unfortunately I forgot to ask him for what the reading was, but he has prescribed for me tablets (they look like clear gel beads) that are 50,000 lU of vitamin D2; I take two a day. Looking at numbers others are posting, this seems really high?

 

Around here 50,000IU's is used commonly when someone is really low to help bring vitamin levels up quickly(and I take 2 a day myself). That wouldn't bother me at all, however, the D2 is not easily absorbed by the body . You really want D3. Unfortunately I only know of two suppliers who produces a 50,000 IU dose of Vitamin D3 (there may be others overseas but this is what I have found in America).

 

These are the two places I get the Vitamin D3 from. I know your are overseas, I don't know if they will ship to you but at least it will help you see what you are looking for.

 

http://www.vitalady.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=1070

This second link is simply an in house brand of the above. both are made by biotech.

http://www.vitalady.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=1079

 

The second place I have purchased from is here:

http://www.applehealthfoods.net/shop/product_view.asp?id=1390292&StoreID=9468956E574944268DFC4C72B33A1B61&private_product=1

 

This second one is the one I've been taking for a while and it's been working well for me.

 

If you can't get these, personally I would take a bunch of pills of smaller doses of D3 than the one dose of D2.

 

HTH

[wapiti]

however, the D2 is not easily absorbed by the body . You really want D3. Unfortunately I only know of two suppliers who produces a 50,000 IU dose of Vitamin D3 (there may be others overseas but this is what I have found in America).

 

I think this is an important point, about the D3.

 

As for dose, you could just take five 10,000 IU softgels.

 

Also, FWIW, there was a story on the news here the other night about vitamin D deficiency, how it's the new epidemic here in North America.

[DragonflyAcademy]

I had this (still do perhaps?) last Spring.. and I do spend quite a bit of time outside.. but with sunscreen it also prevents getting the Vitamin D one needs.. or so I was told. I went on a few months of prescription vitamin D and felt SO much better.

 

I try to remember to take my Carlson vitamin D drops daily to help prevent this again.. I haven't been retested since that spring.. I do find that when I take the drops regularly I feel more energy..

 

Hope you feel better soon

[Sue G in PA]

My dr. just prescribed the 50,000 iu dose to take 1x each week for 8 wks. So, Stephanie, you are saying that this d2 megadose will not really help? :confused: Why on earth would a dr. prescribe it then? Ugh. I hope it helps a little b/c I'm feeling horrible.

[musicmommy]

Last February, my Vitamin D number was at 10. Living in the Pacific Northwest, that isn't all that surprising. From the research I did, I discovered that even getting the sun in the winter rainy months wouldn't help at all because the tilt of the earth and the angle of the sun meant I wasn't getting enough to convert it to usable Vitamin D. (It made sense when I read about it, but I'm not always good at re-explaining something.) Not to mention that during the summer, I'm lathered in sunscreen and wear a hat most of the time because I'm blonde and fair.

 

I definitely noticed a huge difference when I started to get my levels up through the mega dose and then just maintenance. Emotionally, I was much more level. I was sleeping much better and have had fewer instances of atrial fib.

 

I know that the health things cycle through and this may just be the newest "fad", but it definitely has helped me.

[cjzimmer1]

My dr. just prescribed the 50,000 iu dose to take 1x each week for 8 wks. So, Stephanie, you are saying that this d2 megadose will not really help? :confused: Why on earth would a dr. prescribe it then? Ugh. I hope it helps a little b/c I'm feeling horrible.

 

The body has to convert D2 into D3 (it's been a while since I researched it so I don't remember the exact details of how) because D3 is the form that the body absorbs and uses. So while you will gain some benefit from the D2, it will not be the same as an equivalent dose of D3 since some(or much I don't know the statistics of how much is lost) is lost because of the conversion.

 

The doctors prescribe the gelcaps because either 1)they don't know there is a difference between D2 and D3 or 2)because the high doses of Vitamin D3 are not produced by the big pharmaceuticals so relatively few people know it exists let alone how to obtain it. My insurance won't cover the D3 but they will cover the D2 because it's not about my health, it's about their pocketbook.

[wapiti]

I don't know if this helps if you're outside of North America, but (at least for lurkers?) a quick search on amazon yielded two brands of 50,000 IU of D3:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-Extreme-trade-50000-capsules/dp/B002V0LHI6/ref=sr_1_35?ie=UTF8&qid=1286032178&sr=8-35

 

http://www.amazon.com/Biotech-Vitamin-D3-50-50-000/dp/B000A0F2B2/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1286032391&sr=8-13

[wapiti]

The body has to convert D2 into D3 (it's been a while since I researched it so I don't remember the exact details of how) because D3 is the form that the body absorbs and uses. So while you will gain some benefit from the D2, it will not be the same as an equivalent dose of D3 since some(or much I don't know the statistics of how much is lost) is lost because of the conversion.

 

The doctors prescribe the gelcaps because either 1)they don't know there is a difference between D2 and D3 or 2)because the high doses of Vitamin D3 are not produced by the big pharmaceuticals so relatively few people know it exists let alone how to obtain it. My insurance won't cover the D3 but they will cover the D2 because it's not about my health, it's about their pocketbook.

 

Just to pick your brain, do you have any thoughts on whether a person might need to take less D3 than D2 for the same effect?

[cjzimmer1]

I don't know if this helps if you're outside of North America, but (at least for lurkers?) a quick search on amazon yielded two brands of 50,000 IU of D3:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-Extreme-trade-50000-capsules/dp/B002V0LHI6/ref=sr_1_35?ie=UTF8&qid=1286032178&sr=8-35

 

http://www.amazon.com/Biotech-Vitamin-D3-50-50-000/dp/B000A0F2B2/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1286032391&sr=8-13

 

I haven't seen the first brand before but it is very expensive. The second brand is Biotech carried at one of my previous links, but your price is several dollars cheaper. I didn't know Amazon was carrying it now, but I'm glad to see it there especially with it being including in the free shipping after $25 offers.

 

Just to pick your brain, do you have any thoughts on whether a person might need to take less D3 than D2 for the same effect?

 

I suppose you would need less D3, but I've never really tried to investigate the specifics. I know D3 is better and have always taken it and have simply based my dosage on my lab work.

 

But for those who are more interested in the specific differences. I googled "difference between Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3". Initial perusing indicated D2 is alot worse for you than I thought. It would definitely make me rethink take Vitamin D2 especially since D3 is pretty easily obtainable.

 

Also the Vitamin D council is a good source of information about current research on Vitamin D. Lots of good information for those who want to persue the topic further.

 

http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/

 

hth