What is best way to get Vitamin D?

[MAIMOM]

We have moved way north and it will be getting dark here soon. We do not drink milk so I am not sure how to ensure we get vitamin D.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Drops are absorbed best.  http://www.soap.com/p/now-foods-vitamin-d-3-400-iu-liquid-46799?site=CA&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_S&utm_term=ANO-115&utm_campaign=GoogleAW&CAWELAID=1323228891&utm_content=pla&adtype=pla&cagpspn=pla  This isn't a recommendation of this brand, as such, but just showing what I mean.

[flyingiguana]

Sunshine in the north is no use after mid October or so.

 

I'm eating a lot of fish.  I haven't yet found a vitamin D supplement that doesn't make my feet swell up.  I'm guessing it's because synthetic vitamin  D is made from lanolin, and I'm allergic to sheep.

[J-rap]

We take capsules. I've heard that this brand is good.

 

http://www.athleticgreens.com/wp/products-page/products/vitamin-d3/

 

We've taken their Vitamin D3 capsules before, although it looks like they just have the drops now. I assume drops are ideal! Right now we have a different brand but it's at home and we're out of town for a couple days (so I don't have the name).

 

Of course sunshine is the best, but we don't live in a sunny climate either. Interestingly, my daughter was low in vitamin D even after a couple months of sunshine. (She has been put on a prescription of 50,000/week!) We are thinking it's because even though she is outside a lot, she almost always wears a sunhat and doesn't get a lot of actual sun exposure to her skin.

[gardenmom5]

Sunshine in the north is no use after mid October or so.

 

I'm eating a lot of fish.  I haven't yet found a vitamin D supplement that doesn't make my feet swell up.  I'm guessing it's because synthetic vitamin  D is made from lanolin, and I'm allergic to sheep.

try a compounding pharmacy - they might be able to get a different kind.

 

 

OP - d3 is the form you want, and you do want to make sure that is the form the vitamin contains.  most people absorb the geltabs just fine.  the drops contain other vitamins and minerals that assist absorption.   (most of us just use the geltabs between 2K & 4K IU's-  oth: even at 10,000IU's daily dd's levels were in the teens. she must use drops.) 

oh -usrda of 400IU's is a joke. milk will keep you above rickets territory (7), but not as high as it should be.  this is something you should find out your levels on.  It used to be 30 was thought to be okay (my ND had stated 45)  - but supposedly the minimum has been raised to 50.   one oncologist said she never had a patient with a d3 level above 30.

 

eta: not everyone produces d3 adequately from sun - even in sunny climates.  

[KatieJ]

Vitamin D deficient here.  I buy Nature's Made D3 from Costco and got my levels up. Every brand I tried before that didn't work.

[justamouse]

We use Costco's D3. We take between 4-6000 units daily. 

Also, a big thing that they don't tell you about sun and Vit D is that you cannot take a shower every day. The D needs 24 hours to process in your skin, and you will wash it away if you shower every day. Another reason Americans are so D deficient. 

[Shahrazad]

Does anyone know whether it would be better to self supplement d3 in large doses or take the prescription d2?

 

My vitamin d level was 7 when I was tested which I'm told is very low and the doctor prescribed d2. I've been taking it but don't feel any improvement at all and the last time they checked, levels hadn't increased much. The prescription is for 50,000 iu weekly. I assume even after I stop taking it I should continue to take some sort of supplement regularly to avoid going back to this low.

[Staceyshoe]

I was still severely deficient after spending almost every day of the summer at the pool with no sunscreen and eating fish oil every day.  Rx vitamin D raised my levels somewhat--but still not to the bottom of the normal range.  I'm now taking 25K iu of OTC vitamin D3.  Although I haven't had another blood test yet, I suspect that I might finally be in the "normal" range.  If you are very deficient, sunshine and fish oil just aren't enough.

[sbgrace]

OP, a D3 supplement is the best way in my opinion.

 

Sun exposure as a sole source for good levels is iffy at best, even with great latitudes. A lot of people just don't make adequate D through sun exposure. There is a really good study showing that actually, here is a link to a pdf of the published study so you can see details and here is a non-pdf version--you can find abstracts and summaries without the details too. The title is "Low Vitamin D despite Abundant Sun Exposure." 

 

If you look at the study details, this was done in Hawaii (peak latitude), on individuals with extensive sun exposure and no sunscreen use, and using subjects with a variety of skin tones/ethnicities.

 

The study concludes that "variable responsiveness to UVB radiation is evident among individuals, causing some to have low vitamin D status despite abundant sun exposure" and then the authors speculate on biological causes. But if you look at the actual graphs, the pictures is even grimmer.

 

Almost no one had an adequate level. They put the "adequate" cut off in the study at 30. Nearly none of the subjects had a level above 40. Most doctors who know their stuff would say 30 is low and 40 is suboptimal. You want a level between 50 and 80. The vitamin D council online has good information about adequate levels.

 

So it's alarming. It's also consistent with what I've seen. I've yet to know anyone tested who had adequate D without supplementation. This includes Caucasian family members with a lot of sun exposure, just as bad as Asian family members who I've seen test in actuality.

 

My point? I think even fair skinned people depending on sun exposure for D should probably test to make sure they are really producing adequate levels from sun. Because most of us aren't.

 

Does anyone know whether it would be better to self supplement d3 in large doses or take the prescription d2?

My vitamin d level was 7 when I was tested which I'm told is very low and the doctor prescribed d2. I've been taking it but don't feel any improvement at all and the last time they checked, levels hadn't increased much. The prescription is for 50,000 iu weekly. I assume even after I stop taking it I should continue to take some sort of supplement regularly to avoid going back to this low.

 

Your instincts are correct. I'd switch to D3. http://www.vitamindcouncil.org/blog/meta-analysis-looks-at-efficacy-of-d2-vs-d3/

 

What I would (did) do is 10,000 IU of D3 6 days a week, with 5,000 the 7th. Actually I did 10,000 7 days a week for quite a while before I dropped down because I was deficient. If you are using D3, a healthy adult won't get too much with the 10,000 per day rule, even if their levels are ok. If you stay just under that, you'll be good. I expect this will raise levels faster for you. I took mine with magnesium, vitamin K, and some fat too. But I do recommend you switch to D3.

[MAIMOM]

[quote name="sbgrace" post="5198758" timestamp

 

So it's alarming. It's also consistent with what I've seen. I've yet to know anyone tested who had adequate D without supplementing.

 

 

Testing? Where or how do I test for Viamin D levels. We are loosing and hour of sunlight every 10 days so it will not be long before there is no sun....at least until after the New Year I think. This is our first winter so I am not really sure what to expect. Should I look into a SAD light? It sounds from your post that the light may not be beneficial either. I have been told to get ready to go on meds as most people up here do....I would really rather not if there is so,etching I can do to prevent that. Plus I have my husband and Xhildren to consider. The extreme cold will be enough of an adjustment without suffering from the effects of a vitamin deficiency.

[MAIMOM]

Drops are absorbed best. http://www.soap.com/p/now-foods-vitamin-d-3-400-iu-liquid-46799?site=CA&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc_S&utm_term=ANO-115&utm_campaign=GoogleAW&CAWELAID=1323228891&utm_content=pla&adtype=pla&cagpspn=pla This isn't a recommendation of this brand, as such, but just showing what I mean.

Oh thanks... I think my kids would prefer drops to tablets/capsules. I will look into the d3 as another poster mentioned.

[Orthodox6]

The doctor did not have an answer for me; however, D2 is the prescriptive form. I took a month's run of the 50, 000 once per week and was supposed to have blood levels rechecked before starting a maintenance level dose of D3. (I did not follow through, but that is from other interfaces of life.)

 

If vitamin D levels are low, it is wise to work through an endocrinologist because of the connection between vitamin D levels and parathyroid hormone.

[flyingiguana]

Also, a big thing that they don't tell you about sun and Vit D is that you cannot take a shower every day. The D needs 24 hours to process in your skin, and you will wash it away if you shower every day. Another reason Americans are so D deficient. 

 

Discussion and numerous links arguing against this idea:

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=517777

 

This idea is being promoted by the Mercola website, which doesn't have the greatest track record, in my mind.  He cites animal research -- that the vitamin D precursors are in greases on the fur of the animal (which is then licked off by the animal?) -- and some research saying that lifeguards have higher vit D levels than surfers because they don't go in the water.  He assumes the water washes off the vit D precursor.  It's more likely that the surfers spend more time in the water which blocks some of the UV exposure, while the lifeguards aren't just in the sun, they're getting some of the UV bouncing off the water as well.

Here's the Mercola claim: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/03/26/maximizing-vitamin-d-exposure.aspx

Here's his citation of the paper supporting this claim: "Dr. Cannell will actually be publishing a paper specifically detailing this position later this year. Rest assured as soon as the paper is published I will let you know about it."

 

So the evidence looks a little weak at this point.

 

If showering was going to take off all the vitD precursor, so would sweating heavily.  If Mercola was right, early humans even in Africa would have been vit D deficient if they sweated at all.  I'd guess this would be why the vit D precursor production got moved inside the skin. 

 

 

[flyingiguana]

And one problem with straight fish oil is that it can contain a lot of Vitamin A as well as D.  The vit A can be toxic in high doses.

[wapiti]

D3

 

It is widely available in any form you can think of (drops, chewable, etc.), with many many good brands to choose from.  My kids take these or these.  I take NOW brand 2000 IU softgels.  I take them in the morning because they keep me awake if I take them at night.

 

Do some reading, but I vaguely recall that one can take up to 10,000 IU per day.

 

I like to read reviews on Amazon before I buy and peruse the vast shelves at the vitamin store.  D3 is probably the least-complicated vitamin to purchase.  Just pick one.  Happy shopping!

[Tess in the Burbs]

We use Costco's D3. We take between 4-6000 units daily. 

 

Also, a big thing that they don't tell you about sun and Vit D is that you cannot take a shower every day. The D needs 24 hours to process in your skin, and you will wash it away if you shower every day. Another reason Americans are so D deficient. 

the shower thing is interesting b/c when I get outside I sweat, so I want to shower!!!  

 

OP:  I get some from my vitamin, some from my liquid cal/mag/vitd drink at night, and the rest I get from a pill.  I take 10k daily and I got my levels over 30....I was near 50!!!  So it can be done!

[gardenmom5]

We use Costco's D3. We take between 4-6000 units daily. 

 

Also, a big thing that they don't tell you about sun and Vit D is that you cannot take a shower every day. The D needs 24 hours to process in your skin, and you will wash it away if you shower every day. Another reason Americans are so D deficient. 

or sunscreen.

 

Does anyone know whether it would be better to self supplement d3 in large doses or take the prescription d2?

 

My vitamin d level was 7 when I was tested which I'm told is very low and the doctor prescribed d2. I've been taking it but don't feel any improvement at all and the last time they checked, levels hadn't increased much. The prescription is for 50,000 iu weekly. I assume even after I stop taking it I should continue to take some sort of supplement regularly to avoid going back to this low.

7 is rickets territory.  dd's was 10? (dd said "practically single digits", she didn't remember the exact number. her provider called it "catastrophically low".).  even after two months of 10,000IU's of d3 daily her levels had barely budged.  she must use the drops, which contain other things to aid in absorption.

30 was considered a bare minimum (my ND said 45.)  though I'm told the minimum has been raised to 50.

the usrda of 400IU's is utterly worthless.

 

do d3.   d2 is synthesized in plants vs d3 which is the form synthesized in human skin.

[ChiMomNP]

We use D3 tabs. We were severely deficient. My husband takes 50,000 units a week. I take 5,000 units Sun-Fri and 10,000 unit on Saturday. We live in Phoenix and get plenty of sunshine and eat lots of fish. It still is not enough alone to bring our levels up to normal or above. Vit D is important too. Low levels are linked to so many diseases and health problems.

[Dahliarw]

Just googled.  If the vitamin D is cholecalciferol it is from wool.  The other form is from fish oil.

[Scarlett]

try a compounding pharmacy - they might be able to get a different kind.

 

 

OP - d3 is the form you want, and you do want to make sure that is the form the vitamin contains.  most people absorb the geltabs just fine.  the drops contain other vitamins and minerals that assist absorption.   (most of us just use the geltabs between 2K & 4K IU's-  oth: even at 10,000IU's daily dd's levels were in the teens. she must use drops.) 

oh -usrda of 400IU's is a joke. milk will keep you above rickets territory (7), but not as high as it should be.  this is something you should find out your levels on.  It used to be 30 was thought to be okay (my ND had stated 45)  - but supposedly the minimum has been raised to 50.   one oncologist said she never had a patient with a d3 level above 30.

 

eta: not everyone produces d3 adequately from sun - even in sunny climates.  

 

 

Mine was in the teens back in the spring.  I took 10K units a day for 30 days, then 5K a day for 30 days...then summer was here and I spent A LOT of time out at the pool...I feel sooooo much better than I did last winter. 

[Jean in Newcastle]

I feel best when mine is in the 80's (still within the norms).  

[Susan C.]

Just googled.  If the vitamin D is cholecalciferol it is from wool.  The other form is from fish oil.

EEEKS I'm allergic to wool... and had hives of unknown cause. I haven't been taking my vitamins and don't have them. hmmmmm

 

So any D3 w/o wool?

[Jean in Newcastle]

EEEKS I'm allergic to wool... and had hives of unknown cause. I haven't been taking my vitamins and don't have them. hmmmmm

 

So any D3 w/o wool?

Try this one:  http://vitashine-d3.com/vitashine.html

[Susan C.]

Try this one:  http://vitashine-d3.com/vitashine.html

 

Jean, which do you like, tablets or spray? Is spray sublingual?

 

I need to take something, very humid summer and haven't been out at all.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Jean, which do you like, tablets or spray? Is spray sublingual?

 

I need to take something, very humid summer and haven't been out at all.

I'm sorry, but I haven't actually taken this kind.  I just did a search for D3 that did not come from sheep.  

[MAIMOM]

I feel best when mine is in the 80's (still within the norms).

How do you know what your level is?

[gardenmom5]

Mine was in the teens back in the spring.  I took 10K units a day for 30 days, then 5K a day for 30 days...then summer was here and I spent A LOT of time out at the pool...I feel sooooo much better than I did last winter. 

dd feels significantly better.  we all see how much better she is.  night and day difference.  I don't know how much she takes, just that she's doing the drops.

 

How do you know what your level is?

a blood test.

[Jean in Newcastle]

How do you know what your level is?

My doctor tested it (blood test).  

[ChiMomNP]

I'm trying to get mine in the 80s. It was only 21 in August (which was up from 9), we will check again in November. I do feel better than I did then, so I know it is coming up. It is crazy how horrible I felt when it was super low.