If anyone of you would be willing to share your personal experience with Vitamin D that would be appreciated.
All good with what is thought to be true in the medicial field I am well versed in that angle.
I have taken D3 with K2 and the results were not definitive so I discontinued. I have lived in Florida, traveled to the sun in Ecuador twice with positive effect. I have also driven to the sun in the USA. I may go to Greece or somewhere else this winter. I work with sun energy and morning sun when I can.
My thought process has always been do not get pink and get as much sun as I can. Starting at age 10.
I am thinking of supplementing Vit D and would appreciate anyone sharing the amount and frequency they have found effective.
I was thinking of doing a trial in October but I feel the need for sun now due to the amount of clouds in my area.
Thank you in advance.
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WIZARD6787
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Hi, I started with a 1000 iu tablet some years ago and it made little difference to my blood level, although my partner's level improved moderately. We'd been on it for a few years before retesting. At that point we found him a better quality 2000 iu tablet for a while then he dropped to the same brand 1000iu unless ill, then back to the 2000. I take a liquid form at 2000iu daily in summer unless outside all the time, and 4000iu in winter. Seems to keep me at a reasonable level. Individual requirements vary hugely. Cheers
Going back a few years, my Doc found that my vit D was below reference range, so I was started on some high dose capsules - I can't remember the dose. I was on those for 3 months, then I put myself on 1000 iu a day. Last test in 2022 showed a level of 86 nmol/L .
I didn't feel any different in myself when the level was low, or now its OK. Doc thought that the low level could be causing my tiredness. I come out in an itchy rash when out in the sun, so either cover up or wear sun block, so catching some rays is out of the question for me - I remain pale and interesting all year. 🙂
not sure what to say that won't get me in trouble.
Get the level tested. It was the best way for me to know. And yes I still believe it can be toxic.
For what it's worth this is my experience. I too do better after sun exposure by the way.
I had my gallbladder out in 2011. In 2012 I was found SEVERELY low on Vitamine d. For others reading, the Gallbladder concentrates bile, which in turn helps digest fat soluable vitamins. d being one of them.
Symptoms: tired beyond belief. Devastatingly so. I would sleep 10 hours, my norm is 6-7, and wake up feeling like a train ran over me.
they put me on 10000 Iu per week for 2 months. It took a month to feel any affect.
Now, in order to stay normal, without a gallbladder, I take 5000 IU /day in the summer and 10k IU daily in the winter. That keeps me at just above normal.
Dosage very much depends on your body weight, absorption capabilities and how much sun you get. Below is what works for me.
I weigh 60kg give or take. Around 3000iu per day (liquid D in oil) keeps me stable around 125-150 nmol. I also take a separate K2 200mcg (liquid K2- Mk7 in oil) . I keep them separate so that I can decide when I want to stop my vit D for the summer but still want to take my K2 all year round.
To raise my levels I needed to take 5000iu's for a few months - can't remember, too long ago, but it was less than 1 year. I don't know what my start point was as the first time I ever measured was 3 months into 5000iu and I was at 67 nmol at that point so just kept going for another few months before I measured again and then went to my maintenance dose. It was a bit hit and miss to find what worked for me.
Like you I prefer to get my vit D naturally from small doses of sun. This of course is the natural way our bodies make vit D and there are other benefits to be gained from careful sun exposure past the benefits of vit D production that I believe the human body needs.
As soon as the sun is warm enough to get out into (can be April in the UK if we are lucky) I begin to go out in my garden in my bikini (yes bikini so full body is exposed!) starting at 10 minutes and building up to 30 minutes over a few weeks. Some weeks it's raining so no sunbathing at all, others I can get out everyday. I do this around 10.30 to 11.00am. The sun at this time is strong enough to make vitamin D but not too hot to stand. If the sun comes out later in the day, and I'm not at work, rather than earlier then I will get out in it later but my preference is late morning.
I have reasonably sun tolerate skin so never burn with this regime and build up a golden colour over the weeks but someone fairer would have to go more slowly. I do go a bit pink from the heat but this disappears within an hour of being in the shade/inside again. I know my skin well so I know what it tolerates to never get burnt. I would not start at 30 minutes, that would be too much, I wait until I have built up a base colour before increasing in 5 minute increments.
I don't take my vit D supplement over the summer months if I feel I've had sun at least a couple of times per week and so resume around the end of September. I measure my levels twice per year and this regime keeps my levels around 125-150 nnmol. I still take my K2 every day regardless of sun exposure hence keeping it as a separate supplement.
This is what works for me but it was devised from trial and testing so may well not be suitable for someone else.
I was put on 10 000 iu a day for one month, when this was found
And 5000 iu a day for the next two months.
Retested at three months at the low end of normal here around 72?
It is very important to retest at high doses as it can be hard on the kidney & heart. No one should be going rogue with high doses.
I felt awful on every form of vitamin d - pills, sprays etc. It is a hormone, not a vitamin. But pushed through regardless.
At one point afterwards I did injections and felt better with that choice.
There must be some connection to the thyroid. After my thyroidectomy, with proper thyroid hormone replacement, my vitamin d was higher and I had not been supplementing nor without sunscreen.
When a recent test gave a reading of 38, the NHS hospital sent around by taxi on a Sunday (!) some 800iu tablets. A few days earlier, my GP had suggested I buy 1000iu. I already had some 400iu and had started taking two of these a day.
Ten years ago, a skin-cancer scare prompted me to take great care in the sun, hence the low result. A while later, I asked my GP practice if a test might be useful, but this is only done if "something appears to be wrong".
I have problems with intermittent fatigue, and yesterday an NHS haematologist was adamant that low Vit D is not a cause. Which puzzles me, as most authoritative websites says that fatigue is a symptom.
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