Taking vitamin D

[caroleoctober]

I bought some vitamin D tablets today as I had read that they were recommended for COPD sufferers in the winter but I'm not sure what dose I should take, can anyone help?

[Perce]

I take 5000 IU a day as recommended by a lady who knows about this stuff.

[Hidden]

I have been diagnosed with vit D deficiency. My doc says a dose of 1,400 IU daily is quite safe for me. In the US patients are advised their dose in accordance with their deficiency. Their safe dose generally is usually much higher than would be considered safe in UK for someone who has not been tested deficient.

I think it is only time before UK medics recognise the need to determine if patients are deficient and to treat that deficiency.

As a guideline, I was measured at 36%, in UK my doc said you are ok if you are 50%. Within three months of supplementing, I was measured again at 62%. So you can see in my case 1,400 is adequate.

I'm not a medic but I think 600 iu or 1,000 iu would be safe for most people as it is likely most people are vitamin D deficient as the body cannot make vitamin D unless is gets exposure on skin (at least face and forearms) for about 30 mins daily between the months of May and September (so my doctor advised). You cannot get enough vit D from food alone. Also the skin exposed should be without any sunscreen or cream on the skin, a safe exposure also has to be taken into consideration because of the skin cancer risk. In a good year I would get the vit D exposture done before 10am and after 4pm and would still supplement during the winter months. In UK, the opportunity for exposure and manufacture of vitamin D by the body, 2012 hasn't been a good year.

By the way you need vitamin D3. (that's Cholacalciferol) People in the US generally think its ok to take 10,000 IU I wouldn't want to risk that as there is a risk of Vit D poisoning as Vit D in supplement form is fat soluable.

Some links for you below:

guardian.co.uk/society/2012...

gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage...

bbc.co.uk/health/treatments...

It might be worth checking with your doc about this, or just letting your doc know the dose you are taking so when your bloods are done the doc is aware of this supplementation.

Vitamin D deficiency can result in additional health problems if not treated.

Hope some of this information is of use to you.

[Gordon57]

Although it's advised to 'get some sun', without the sunblock, to absorb Vitamin D, don't forget that some antibiotics, like Doxycycline, say you should avoid sunlight. Check the information leaflet on your existing medication before you go out.

Sorry Pooh, but which advert are you referring to ? I've not seen anything that frightened me into buying pills to pop. Carole says she read that they were recommended for COPD sufferers in the winter. It's been mentioned in these blogs several times that D3 is useful to COPD sufferers, especially in keeping chest infections at bay. Last I read was at blf.healthunlocked.com/blog...

I've found out that I need it and was taking D3 tablets through the winter months. A recent consultant appointment has had him get blood tests done to see what dose is recommended this winter. I had stopped taking them when the warmer weather arrived.

[caroleoctober]

Thank-you all think I will ask my respiratory nurse to be on the safe side.

[EmmyH]

This is all really useful information. Thanks. A family member who is a qualified nutritionist suggested I get my Vit D levels checked, but both my gp and my consultant (very good professionals) just said "Not necessary - get out in the sun"! Of course that hasn't always been so easy this year...

I think I'll take some supplements over the winter months anyway, and see if it helps. Raining and grey today, but actually there's been some nice sun these last couple of weeks.

[derrylynne]

Research found that most that have copd are low in vitamin D. Living here in the UK, and more so after this summer with little sun, most people will be lacking, many seriously, as we need to be outside in the sunshine for at least 30 minutes three or four days a week at least. From September till March the sun is not strong enough to be of any use to you. I have done lots of research on this, and read a lot on vitamin D. Lack of this is said to be the cause of not only rickets making a reappearance in children, but is said to be the cause of many other illnesses including some cancers. Yet a supplement is not expensive. Having a good level of D as I call it also helps to protect you against colds and flue, and if you do get these are likely to fair a lot better than otherwise. I have been taking 5,000IU of D for nearly two years now, as has my wife. Many others that have read my blog where I go into vitamin D at more depth also started to take it. And every one of them say it has helped them. I am of course proof after two years of taking 5,000IU that what I take is not toxic. In fact in america that is the amount that is recommended in many cases. You will have to search for my blogs on vitamin D as of course it is a copd blog. But can be found at bitz-and-bobz.co.uk/copd

[caroleoctober in reply to derrylynne]

Thankyou Derrylynne

[Bumley]

Hi CaroleOctober,

Please note I am not medically trained or qualified.

I read an article on one of the sister blog here Thyroid UK, It said that patients with COPD had a tendency to low Vitamin D. I asked my GP about it and I was also told to get out into the sun.

I was then told about a blood test you could get from an NHS Lab in Birmingham. It is a private test and cost £25 and better still it is a finger-prick test you do at home. Web site is vitamindtest.org.uk .

I ordered the test and found that I was severely deficient at 10.3! I took this to my GP and he sat up in his chair and arranged for a Vitamin D, Parathyroid and a bone profile test. This came back showing Vitamin D low and Parathyroid and Bone profile OK.

He prescribed 6000 iu of Vitamin D3 every day for 1 month and 1000 iu every day thereafter as a maintenance dose. After 3 months I was up to 50 and have now continued for the last two months with another 2000 iu making 3000 iu in all. I intend to get up to around 80 and will test again in a months time

Its important that you should not take the calcium and Vitamin D tablets (ADCAL is one of them) without checking your calcium levels first. My GP had checked mine with the bone profile test. You will be safe with Vitamin D3 (Cholcecalciferol) particularly at the doses mention above of 5000 iu a day.

regards

David

[caroleoctober in reply to Bumley]

Thankyou David