Vitamin D study

[peace_lover]

theguardian.com/society/201...

Thoughts anyone?

[SnazzyD]

Hmm, well I will continue to take my Vit D because in three members of my family including me, having very low Vit D caused muscle pain, low mood and fatigue. I also suspect that just taking Vit D as a magic bullet for bone building is too simplistic and requires all the other building blocks like Vit K2 on top of a very good diet. My experience of diet in the elderly (there are exceptions eg on this forum!) is that for various reasons it is not as nutritious as it should be by a long way. It doesn’t help with all the extra bodily pressures of ageing let alone bone building.

[jinasc]

I read the article and the bit I was most interested in was as follows:

"Martin Hewison, professor of molecular endocrinology at the University of Birmingham, agreed, adding that many trials for vitamin D supplementation have shown it is only effective if individuals are vitamin D-deficient to begin with – but that in this research very few participants started off with low levels of vitamin D.

“What the current study illustrates,” he said, “is that more studies are required that target vitamin D supplementation where it is needed – in people with vitamin D deficiency.”

I had Vit D deficiency tested after 6 months on starting on 60mg and slowly down to 40mg and then the test. So low that 40,000 units per day for 4 weeks, another test and then 20,000 units for 5 days. Deficiency corrected. U then had a Dexa Scan and

1,000 units per day since then and bones still at 97%.

I think that until any study includes are large proportion on people on longterm prednisolone is done and they prove that we don't need to be tested, I will stick with my 1,000 units per day.

However, as usual, it is a very personal decision.

[Hidden in reply to jinasc]

Studies Studies Studies! Some good! Some rubbish! AHH!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I agree with all that Snazzy says. I know that if I don't take supplements my vit D level heads south despite me spending a lot of time outside, at a latitude that should allow vit production all year, although I am not often in direct sun. I had taken the calcium/vit D supplement all along and my vit D remained OK, I cut back on it last summer because it was causing bladder irritation. Then it fell. I hadn't changed my diet - I regularly eat oily fish but eggs and mushrooms only occasionally so my diet wasn't making enough available..

Now whether that makes a difference I don't know BUT I do know I am potentially at risk because I am on steroids. So I come under that clause in this article. And there is the usual guff from Levy at PHE - very few people EAT enough vit D, unless they are eating loads of wild salmon. Which in the UK I know they are not. Vit D helps with respiratory illness, especially asthma - and that is rife in the UK.

And the devil is, as always in the detail - it helps if you are deficient. Most of us with autoimmune disorders have low vit D. So - define deficient?

[peace_lover in reply to PMRpro]

As I just responded to someone on the Bone Health forum - I totally agree with you. I had my Vit D levels tested recently after a year taking Adcal and they came back as “adequate” so I’m hardly overdosing! I shall continue to take it.

[Hidden]

Interesting reading peace-lover, thanks for posting, but I think I will take the article with a pinch of vitamin D. oh er, I mean salt

[piglette]

I believe that this particular bit of research is now being questioned. It seems that the sample of people with low vit D was very small and not truly significant. It seems it was mainly people whose vitamin D was pretty well OK. Apparently there is a very large study coming out in a year or so which they think will be much better.

[peace_lover]

bbc.co.uk/news/health-45736465

A slightly different view.....

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to peace_lover]

And while I hesitate to praise the Beeb - rather better balanced...

[peace_lover in reply to PMRpro]

Yup

[MhairiP]

Thanks for the link. Interesting reading, but I'm going to carry on with my Vit D supplement to be on the safe side!

[HeronNS]

I'm sure some of our Australian friends have mentioned that the widespread success of sunscreen promotion down under has led to children, among others, becoming vitamin D deficient and new rickets cases, a disease which should have been left behind with the 18th century.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HeronNS]

Plenty of cases of rickets appearing in the UK - because mummy plasters her bairns in Factor 50 to walk down the garden in mid-winter. And almost all dermatologists in Australia are claimed to be vit D-deficient...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

It seems cases of rickets according to the Lancet is the highest in five decades. The Daily Mail is blaming immigration.!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

The cases I read about in Southampton seemed to be very definitely locals...

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

You mean the Daily Mail got it wrong?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa - how could I dare to insinuate that???????????

[piglette in reply to PMRpro]

Absolutely anything there is Gospel!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to piglette]

Of course - how could I htink otherwise...

[karools16]

This past week, there was a tv feature about Vit D and Vitiligo. Sory can't remember which channel. Dr said to take from October to April, when no sunlight, but not to take it in the summer.4 young ladies were shown, with different stages of Vitiligo and other pigmented skin probs. 1 poor lady had it all over her face, and said she had a lot of bullying/stares and asked if she had burnt herself. When I asked my Vascular Surgeon, recently, why my lower legs were so pigmented, he didn't have the answer.It was PMRpro who said it was Vitiligo. No dr has ever suggested/discussed taking Vit D, with me. Will ask my dr when next I see him.