Vitamin D level: Hello, I am in the UK... - Bone Health and O...

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Vitamin D level

cmoc profile image
cmoc
21 Replies

Hello,

I am in the UK and the reference range here is 30 to 50 nmol/L as being adequate and above 50 as sufficient.

I started 2 years ago at 30 and managed to raise my level. Have been on Evenity for 2 and half months and the Vitamin D is showing at 112.

I keep reading that it can be too high over 100 and do harm, has anyone any thoughts on this? Also, I am wondering if the drug would make the Vitamin D go up anyway and if it was OK.

Thanks

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cmoc
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21 Replies
Met00 profile image
Met00

I'd be very surprised if Evenity raised your Vit D level, unless it includes Vit D itself (which I assume it doesn't). How much Vit D supplement are you taking? Do you take K2 too?

cmoc profile image
cmoc in reply to Met00

I take 800 iu in a supplement, plus try and get 20 minutes of sun every day I can in the UK.

It has risen steadily of the last two years from 30, then 45, then 65 , 90 and now 112 so maybe its just the supplement. Difficult to know what to do, as I guess we need the extra D and Calcium whilst on these drugs. Would love to do K2 but cant, tried it twice and got bad headaches which I am prone to. I really tried Natto and can eat almost anything if I have to, but that was appalling LOL

Loobielu profile image
Loobielu in reply to cmoc

I was told to stop taking calcium now I'm taking 6000 iu a day as per attached

Info
Met00 profile image
Met00 in reply to cmoc

If you're only taking 800iu supplement, then I really wouldn't be concerned. Is that prescribed, or do you buy your own supplement? You must be a super-absorber if that's all you're taking to get such good blood D levels! Perhaps you're getting extra in your diet from fortified foods? We can't get Vitamin D from the sun in the UK for a large part of the year as it's too low in the sky - depending on where you live, you might get it at about 1.00pm in April and August, and for a longer period around 1.00pm from May to July. The "normal" range in the UK is considered to be 50-150nmol/litre, so at 112 you're only just above the middle of the range. I keep my blood level over 100 (but have to take 2000iu or more daily to maintain that) and the doctor only questioned it when it shot up over 170! Have you tried both K2-MK7 and K2-MK4? Unfortunately K2-MK4 is very expensive, but some people do get on better with that than K2-MK7. It's also possible that it was another ingredient in the K2 that caused your headaches, rather than the K2 itself, depending on what form you took it in. Tablets have fillers for example, that can be responsible for side effects.

cmoc profile image
cmoc in reply to Met00

I get my own supplement as, when my vitamin D was shown to be too low, the GP gave me their supplements full of additives and I had bad migraine, I tried 3 others before settling on one that agreed with me. I eat loads of salmon and veggies to hopefully get the calcium and D I need. I may well be absorbing well, as I can only take one third of a painkiller before getting dizzy and drugged, am very med sensitive. I tried both the K2 M7 and M4. The M4 was better but headaches were increased. I have to restrict my diet to keep headaches at a low level. My diet every day is to try and feed the bones. I wish there was a decent food with Natto in it besides the slimy stuff in the tubs LOL

Met00 profile image
Met00 in reply to cmoc

Some cheeses are a good source of K2, including Munster, Camembert and Gouda, if you're able to eat those. Chicken, butter, sauerkraut and egg yolk too! There's a list here: webmd.com/diet/foods-high-i... and here: medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

cmoc profile image
cmoc in reply to Met00

Cant eat much cheese due to migraine, nor eggs (gallstones) but I do eat a lot of chicken. I will check out the link, thankyou.

in reply to cmoc

Hi cmoc, there is a fact sheet on the ROS website that gives you foods that have a good source of this and explains it all too. strwebprdmedia.blob.core.wi... I hope you find this useful.

cmoc profile image
cmoc in reply to

Thankyou. I particularly like the reference to wine and beer👍

jamr profile image
jamr in reply to cmoc

Hi cmoc

Sorry to bring up the natto, but did you get the same issues when eating natto as you did with taking K2 pills? If you did not, then it might be that natto is perhaps the best option healthwise. The issue with only taking Vit D when supplementing calcium is that Vit D only transports the calcium, but K2 is required to place it in bones and teeth. With sufficient K2 calcium will also be deposited in arteries and other places you dont want it. I think the issue with eating natto is psychological. I eat a small styrofoam pack every second day and since I knew I needed it for health reasons, I never saw the taste as relevant. Now I quite enjoy it, my family does not like it, but I have a friend who eats a pack every morning for breakfast. Some add rice, egg etc, I eat it just with the mustard.

cmoc profile image
cmoc in reply to jamr

Hi, unfortunately, eating the Natto made my brother and I both feel sick, then put us on the toilet, I know it is very beneficial so was quite disappointed. I never got the migraines with the Natto that I had with the supplements. I wish I could eat it.

Southerngirl2787 profile image
Southerngirl2787 in reply to cmoc

You can purchase Natto in capsules...if you really believe they will work for you. I can't get past the smell. Nausea hits, gag reflex, done!

Loobielu profile image
Loobielu

Ive been told that 50 - 220 is adequate and over 220 was toxic (see attached photo). My pain consultant wants me around 125 - 150 and has put me on 6000 iu a day for 3 months. Never heard of Evenity I'm afraid x

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cmoc profile image
cmoc in reply to Loobielu

Hi, can you convert that to UK, is it over 100 nmol/L. Evenity is the latest drug to build bones

Met00 profile image
Met00 in reply to cmoc

The UK measure is nmol/litre, which is shown in the chart above.

cmoc profile image
cmoc in reply to Met00

Oh yes, thanks for that, well according to that chart I am OK at 112.

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase

Last time I tested my vitamin D was 171 nmol/L and normal range for that test is between 50 and 200 nmol/L .

Looking at the graph of my past test results I see that the lowest I’ve been for ages was in September 2019 when it was 93.7nmol/L - which is still not really low.

I broke my wrist the first week of January 2020 after having what we think was covid at the end of December 2019.

cmoc profile image
cmoc in reply to Fruitandnutcase

Thankyou, it seems that 112 is fine. Sorry to hear about your wrist

Fruitandnutcase profile image
Fruitandnutcase in reply to cmoc

Thank you, it’s fine now. Glad you’re ok on 112. My osteoporosis nurse told me ‘you can’t overdose on vitamin D but I wouldn’t want to be in those toxicity levels.

nottowell profile image
nottowell

Hi i went for my prolia injection last week and nurse couldn't give it as vitamin d was to low at 46 mus be over 50 so now have to wait a month which can cause rebound fractures so probably best for it to be a bit high

Southerngirl2787 profile image
Southerngirl2787

There is a relationship between Calcium, Vit D levels, and parathyroid hormones. I had a parathyroid tumor and learned a bit about this in my quest for answers. It's usually a "seesaw" effect, meaning one is up, one is down...but sometimes when Vit D levels go high, your calcium may be high as well. I worked in healthcare 30+ years, doing considerable research...none to date has shown that a Vit D level over 100 will be dangerous. We really don't know a lot about levels over 100 to be honest. We need some good research with folks around the globe on this, and it's so dependent on the person, skin tones, if you have autoimmune conditions, which slows absorption considerably. I've had very low levels, then very high levels without a justifiable reason! My favorite parathyroid surgeon/doctor always says to check blood calcium, vit D3, and PTH if one is wonky. High calcium is far more dangerous, and a high PTH can be a red flag for more inquiry as well. I keep my Vit D levels at about 75-80 (US), as it's useful for autoimmune and keeping me well.

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