I previously posted to say I declined this years infusion for osteoporosis and wished to try bone density improvement myself. I have bought the above vitamins and they say take with food. I normally take 1mg pred on wakening and my Adcal sometime in the afternoon. My question, what is the most effective time to take the vitamins.
Many thanks.
I suspect, unless you are on a warfarin type blood thinner in which case you need advice from a pharmacist or your doctor, it doesn't really matter. Fat helps you absorb the vitamins better. Some people seem to think it's better not to take D and K2 together, although I don't know what the reasoning is and I haven't found the reference where we are told this. As vitamins are commonly got from food, I think logically it would be best to take them when you are having a meal or snack, preferably including some sort of healthy fat source.
Here in Aus, you can buy K2D3 together in one capsule. Also, a friend of mine who manages a health food store told me just this weekend that you take vitamins in the morning and minerals at night. Needless to say I had to change a few of mine around....l
And HOW does the time make a difference?
To be honest I have no idea .... i did ask but before she answered the coffee arrived and we got sidetracked. I’ll follow up.
Hi again, I just put the question to her and this is her reply.
“Our bodies absorb different products more efficiently at different times. Minerals are taken up by the body better at night, while our bodies are resting. Vitamins, as they are mainly energy producing, are absorbed and used better by the body when taken in the morning.”
I sort of assumed that was what she would say - but is the scientific evidence for the claim?
If magnesium is anything to go by - what foods are eaten when seems more likely to influence the absorption that the time on the clock.
I agree with you, I have been taking the K2D3 combo with my calcium at night for 2 years, mainly because I read somewhere that you shouldn’t take calcium at the same time as prednisone, (which I took in the mornings ) and you need the K2D3 to help the calcium (and in my case the Prolia as well) if you have osteoporosis, which I do. I was taking the magnesium in the mornings, although later than the pred. I now have no idea what to take when...but I must have been doing something right because I’ve managed to taper off the pred just recently, although now my rheumatologist has diagnosed RA and wants me on methotrexate...which I’m not agreeing too at the moment.
Oh dear - is he sure?
He is...I’m not. Bloods didn’t throw up any sign, but he diagnosed serum negative RA. I had an X-ray and ultrasound on one shoulder, showed tendinitis/bursitis and a small tear and both shoulders are just as bad. Have a few finger joints going south, but nothing in the feet. Rest of me has sore joints as well but if it is RA I can manage with occasional heavy pain relief at the moment. I wonder if some of the aches and pain could be attributed to Prolia though.
That is an option - it is listed isn't it? Mind you - sometimes I do wonder if there are any drugs that don't have aches and pains as a side effect?
Some of the listed side effects of Prolia are weakness,,back pain,muscle pain,pain in your arms and legs,... I have all of these in moderation (compared to the intense pain and frozen shoulders of PMR) so I’m just at a loss to know which causes what with me. It could be PMR/Osteoporosis/RA or Prolia. I just know I don’t want another lifetime drug if I can help..
Especially one like Methotrexate.
Quite - mtx caused me to feel as bad as I did with PMR and no pred!!!
You were on that too??!!! Ok, well that’s it. I’m not taking it.
I did do a post/reply about it I thought. My hair started falling out in clumps after less than a week! I had a load of effects that are normally ascribed to steroids but which I don't have on pred on its own: hunger and put on 1kg in a month, I bruised, ached, itched. And then the fatigue started after about 10 days and steadily got worse. I took the mtx on Sat night/Sun morning and felt almost human the following Friday pm! No nausea though - only thing I didn't have, it felt like. Took a couple of weeks after a stopping after a month to feel better, didn't lose the weight until very recently and I took the mtx a year ago.
Oh good grief! It was bad enough in pred!
“On” pred I should say.
That's what I said!! But I have no problems worth speaking about even at 15mg pred.
Thanks for your reply. That’s interesting, I wonder why. The health shop here has K2D3 together so I might try that.
This site says not to take Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 together:
consumerlab.com/answers/whi...
I have just read labels and realize shop had supplied vitK2 with D3 included (not what I ordered) so have had an extra dose of vitD3 for the last two days!
Unlikely to do any harm. Unless it is IRO 60,000 IU per day and you keep taking it for weeks!
It will teach me to read the labels! What is your opinion regarding not taking vitK2 and D3 at the same time ?
No idea to be honest - I take vit D, I have never taken vit K2 because I am on anticoagulants and it is extortionately expensive here in Italy!! My bone density still remained about the same for over 7 years of pred.
And you might be getting it in your diet anyway. I think we North Americans are more at risk from a degenerated food supply than Europeans who have a better attitude towards food.
I take D3 with a decent meal or it gives me indigestion and/or makes me feel sick.
I take my vitamin supplements with my proper breakfast ( not my early Pred breakfast) , mid meal , not before , to help retain it in the stomach longer for better absorption.
If you take other medications at that time just check if you can take the supplements at the same time as those medications , if you can't try it at lunch or dinner .
It's always good to take any meds with food ( yoghurt and honey if it's not a normal meal time to protect your stomach) and a good sized drink.
Ditto
Thanks for your reply. Do you take Adcal later in the day as I believe 4-6 hours after pred is recommended?
I take my Calcium at dinnertime well between any medications that can cause side effects by taking it at the same time😁
Vitamin D is apparently fat soluble rather than water soluble. I take mine with my full fat milk kefir. Someone above mentions yogurt as well.
Best wishes Ruth
Thanks.
Yes, both D and K2 are fat soluble vitamins. My D comes in the form of an oily capsule, but so far haven't found that form of K2. If you're having the two vitamins in one pill make sure you're getting the right amount of each. Some of us may need more or less of one or the other.
I bought a k2 spray...it's still got nasties like xylitol but I couldn't bear yet another pill. It has peppermint oil in it, I presume for taste but I liked it for the fat content. Spray 3 times a day. It was expensive but is 3 mths of dose so 5£ a month. Oh and xylitol helps my gums/teeth due to dry mouth.
The spray sounds interesting because I suffer from having a dry mouth. Do you buy it online?
No I tend to like to shop for things I put in my body unless I buy directly from say boots, or Holland and barrett. The latter is where I got it from on a special deal so worth looking out for the 10% off deals. I could tell where you were in the world! Any reputable heath shops should have it. If you have dry mouth make sure you use tooth pastes without Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. It dries you'd mouth and no alcohol based mouth wash.
Thanks
Am I a rookie again! 🙄
Hi what is K2 for? Will it help my thin skin? My legs are covered in round red blotches like flat blood blisters they just appear consultant said causes my the steroids but they look awful some have been there for weeks using doublebase gell and some stuff for bruising.Dog has burst one still got scar.
Hi I am taking these to help with absorbing my calcium dose. Others more knowledgeable should be able to help you. Good Luck
Vitamin K2 is one of the things which enables the body to absorb calcium and deposit it in the bones where it belongs. I imagine your skin problem is a side effect of steroid treatment. I've had small red blotches on my forearms for several years and earlier this year discovered somehow I'd damaged the skin on my arm and a layer of skin had peeled back (not aware of how I did this). It took a long time to heal. The body cream I used to use has been discontinued and this injury coincided with my lack of moisturising. So, long story short: keeping the skin well moisturised may help. You should also try to avoid bumping the sensitive areas and I understand there are even people who use a special kind of arm and leg protector, like a kind of stocking, which protects the skin, because they have sustained some fairly serious injuries from very slight trauma.
As far as nutrition is concerned I believe that Vitamin C and the B vitamins are particularly important for skin health, and we also need to make sure we include sufficient healthy fat in our diet.
I found the conversation I'd had with someone on the Patient forum and here is the link we found (I believe she did send for the items and found they were very helpful):
I found this and as far as I can tell Consumerlab seems to be a good site:
Vitamins
Vitamins and urinary tract infection
Vitamins and Supplements 
Vitamins 
K2 or K1....help please?
