Vitamin D cofactors

[pj16]

Hi everyone. I'd appreciate any comments on whether it is necessary when using a vitamin D supplement to take supplements magnesium, vitamin K, zinc, boron and vitamin A if I already have a good diet including spinach, carrots, nuts, seeds eggs etc? For example a recent blood test showed magnesium level of 0.86 mmol/L (0.60 - 1.00). Pending further test results for thyroid antibodies, MMA, homocysteine etc I'd like to start as soon as possible on vitamin D. I was thinking of using Better You spray but don't know whether to order the version with K2 or without. I'm desperate to do all this properly! Regards to all.

[deniseinmilden]

This forum is for B12 deficiency rather than vitamin D but we are a friendly, helpful group and I'm happy to share my limited knowledge with you.

Have you been tested for vitamin D? Have the results shown that you are low? If so your Dr will probably be helpful at guiding you through treatment and can give you the correct dose levels for you.

If not and you just want to supplement to beat the effects of winter then, so long as your kidney function is good, the Better You D3 with K2 is likely to be better for you than just the plain D3.

Be aware of any D3 you might be getting from other supplements if you are taking any and make sure that you don't exceed the recommended levels.

It is much better to get the nutrients you need from your diet and unless you can identify a significant deficiency - specific symptoms backed up by test results - then it is unwise to take supplements, particularly individual ones as they can cause a potentially harmful imbalance.

Your diet sounds OK - although possibly short of heme iron sources and may be B12 too - so unless you know that you have a definite absorption/metabolism problem you should be alright. If you want to make sure, you could safely take a broad spectrum multivitamin and mineral supplement which will give you a good balance of everything except heme iron. Your body should make this provided it works well and you have plenty of other sources of iron - best if you eat some of them without calcium at the same time. The only direct source is red meat and fish and if you can't survive on a limited diet then you might have to look at ethically produced sources.

[pj16 in reply to deniseinmilden]

Hi deniseinmilden. Thanks for your reply. I wasn't sure where to post as I don't have any diagnosis yet. So far I've posted on PAS and Thyroid UK. Like a lot of people with confusing symptoms I'm having to try to diagnose myself as all my results fall within reference ranges. My plan (don't know if it's a good one or not) is to order extra tests and one by one try supplements. My diet is really pretty good and includes leafy green vegetables, meat, dairy, (some) fish etc. and I feel sure that any potential deficiency/insufficiency is not related to what I eat. My recent results are as follows:-

Serum vitamin B12 177 ng/L (145 – 910)

Folate (serum) 6.56 ug/L (2.91 - 50.00)

25 OH Vitamin D 62.9 nmol/L (50.00 - 200.00)

Iron *27.07 umol/L (6.60 - 26.00)

TIBC 69.17 umol/L (41.00 - 77.00)

Transferrin saturation 39.14 % (20.00 - 55.00)

Ferritin 37 ug/L (13.00 - 150.00)

Thyroid stimulating hormone 3.34 mIU/L (0.27 - 4.20)

Free thyroxine 19.300 pmol/L (12.00 - 22.00)

Free T3 4.99 pmol/L (3.10 - 6.80)

Haemoglobin (G/L) 129g/L (115 - 155)

HCT 0.379 L/L (0.33 - 0.45)

Red cell count 4.11 x10^12/L (3.95 - 5.15)

MCV 92 fl (80.00 - 99.00)

MCH 31.4 pg (26.00 - 33.50)

MCHC (G/L) 342 g/L (300.00 - 350.00)

RDW 14.0 % (11.50 - 15.00)

I decided that the best place to start would be to supplement with vitamin D to see if I notice any difference in my symptoms. On Monday I will post finger prick sample to Blue Horizons to check thyroid antibodies. I may end up not being able to figure it all out but I definitely have to try! Thanks again.

[deniseinmilden in reply to pj16]

Hiya!

Thank you for your reply!

Knowing now that your diet has plenty of heme iron and, more pertinently, B12 sources, and seeing your results I can see that you are feeling pretty rough and are going to be getting desperate for a solution to this.

You are coming from the same direction as me and I admire your resolve and sensible approach.

I guess that you are looking at vitamin D as it maybe seems lower in the scale but if you take into account the upper levels you may be able to see that your B12 is actually more of a problem... And therefore really good that you have found this forum.

I suspect you primarily have a B12 absorption problem, which may be complicated by other issues, as it often is.

If that is the case then you will need B12 injections to be well.

Unfortunately it is really difficult to get these at all from your GP - by the time your levels drop below range you will be feeling at death's door and will be probably getting some neurological damage (but I guess you are already). Even then you may get a few jabs and then they will probably try to put you on tablets (which doesn't work with an absorption problem) or only give you booster injections at 12 week intervals which is rarely enough.

Ideally you should try to get your first treatment at least from your GP. If you can cope with waiting for your levels to drop enough for that then please don't supplement with any B12 as they will lift your blood test results but not do you any good.

Don't despair though! Lots of us here support each other and self treat. There are lots (hundreds, if not thousands) of us who buy our own ampoules from perfectly safe German pharmacies and self inject which is a lot easier than the thought of it!

Please read through replies to posts on here to get yourself a better understanding of things and ask as many questions as you need to!

There is light at the end of your tunnel and you won't have to feel this bad forever!

If your GP won't help you with your vitamin D then I think it would be OK to try the D3/K2 spray and then consentrate on getting your B12 problem sorted.

[pj16 in reply to deniseinmilden]

Thank you so much. You have no idea how much reading your encouraging message has spurred me on! I am finding it increasingly hard to deal with so many symptoms (some which come and go) and getting nowhere. These include neurological and gastrointestinal issues. I realise it may still be a long road ahead but today I feel positive about not giving up. I never thought I would hear myself saying this but thanks to so many inspirational stories on here I think I might be able to self inject if it comes to that. I shall keep you all posted.

[deniseinmilden in reply to pj16]

Good to hear! At least you know you are not alone and there are good reasons for feeling the way you do which are manageable so that in time you will feel reasonably well and the improvements will continue for years to come.

Keep in touch! x