Its been a long time coming but I think at last the NHS are beginning to recognise how helpful vitamin D can be for lung patients. Here is an official recognition with the emphasis of the word 'May' help severe asthma.
Check out the articles below:
NHS Choices: nhs.uk/news/2013/05May/Page...
BBC News - Sunshine vitamin: bbc.co.uk/news/health-22570859
For years doctors in the US have been prescribing vitamin D in personalised dose to their patients. In UK lung patients that are aware have asked for a vitamin D deficiency test and found to be deficient or not. We cannot at this stage get vitamin D on the national health, but fortunately it is fairly inexpensive to buy.
Vitamin D deficiency can be the cause of many illnesses, and generally your doctor won't test you unless there is a reason for doing so. Lung patients that have been diagnosed with osteoporosis, patients who get repeated lung infections and take oral steroids frequently and those that have been on a maintenance dose for a number of years, may want to ask their GP to be tested for vitamin D deficiency.
If you are diagnosed I am sure your doctor will explain about sun exposure needed and also that if you are supplementing with vitamin D yourself agree a safe dose for you, also that the vitamin D you need to buy is called vitamin D3 (Colecalciferol). Vitamin D in low doses will not do the job neither will vitamin D2.
The guidance I was given:-
~~~ The natural method to help the body manufacture vitamin D would be to aim for sun exposure 20 - 30 mins daily between the months of May and September. Skin should not have any cream on at all for maximum absorption and at least the forearms and face exposed, but if you can get the legs exposed too (even better). During very hot weather avoid the mid day sun, you may want to try exposure before 10.30 am and after 4pm.
~~~~ I was 32 % (lowest normal is 50%), it was agreed the safe dose for me would be 1,600 IU of vitamin D3 Colecalciferol. + any sun exposure I can get.
~~~~ In 3 months of supplementing 1,600 IU daily, test showed I was back up to 62%, following years, levels maintained by sun exposure through the summer and supplementing through the winter of 1,000 IU vitamin D3 Colecalciferol. After the dreadful summer we had last year my supplementing continued for 2 week periods every month during the summer as well as daily through the winter.
~~~~ I have just been retested and my vitamin D levels are 72%. The doc informed me all my blood test results were excellent! Its not just taking vitamin D that has helped me achieve these good results, I have always kept up my exercise (from time of attending PR many years ago), I eat healthily but not necessarily exclusively, but I do not neglect my nutritional intake through food. I do the usual thing in trying to avoid those infected with a cold or virus of any kind and I do not do public transport during the months of October to May, (this just helps me avoid the bugs as much as I can).
If you are vitamin D deficient, raising your vitamin D levels could make a world of different to your health and reduce the amount of infections you have, especially if you are taking other health maintenance precautions too.
Keep well and breathe easy.
BC
More from the Express on Line (Soaking up the sun COULD be a cure for asthma) express.co.uk/news/health/4...
