Some info about Vitamin D

[PMRpro]

I don't often use the links from one of the bone health notifications I get - they lady is a bit "born again" about some things. But this I thought was good:

womenshealthnetwork.com/blo...

[whitefishbay]

Grazie mille.

[HeronNS]

I just read this very article! Considering how many of us have been inside more than usual the past few months I think it a really good idea if those who can get a Vitamin test do so. I was thinking it would be great to get a Vitamin D test BUT right now they are so backed up you have to make an appointment for a test and doctors are only making requisitions for emergencies. My husband has B12 deficiency and he doesn't think a year of taking the pills has worked, and he can't get a test. I will be laughed at if I ask for anything - CRP, Vitamin D, iron.... At the best of times they won't let a person get tested for D level more than once a year.

[Longtimer in reply to HeronNS]

My sister was told the same till I insisted on it for her just before xmas gone....she was very deficient, I knew by her symptoms....she is vegetarian, dosen`t eat eggs or fish, so doctor told her 25mg for life....and yes they do only test once a year, but it is very cheap.....but tricky at this time..I take the same amount, have Osteoporosis, but don`t know if it`s helping...

.I asked for blood test last week...and requested the HB1(?) they said normal, so I said what was the reading....41...just under prediabetic....glad I rang, now no more nibbling when stuck inside....

[HeronNS in reply to Longtimer]

My situation is a little more complicated as I have a diagnosis of sarcoidosis (non-symptomatic) and this causes a person to activate too much Vitamin D. So when I was taking probably a total of about 4000 IU Vitamin D my level got rather high. I cut out all D supplements for the winter and level went to "low normal" - actually still higher than what she is criticizing in the article. A 1000 supplement (25 mg?) after that brought it into optimum range. But I have not been tested since then and it's now several years. I had to pay a naturopath to get me tested the second, middle, time.

[Gaz227 in reply to Longtimer]

I find it very confusing on the vit D tablet bottles why do they use so many different symbols , mine says 5ug , 2 tablets a day and calcium is 800mg in the same tablet . Is that enough taking into consideration sunlight and food?

[Longtimer in reply to Gaz227]

On my bottle it says 25 pg.....like you say confusing..there are websites with conversion tables, hope that helps....sorry , but as you say so many symbols!...

[Gaz227 in reply to Longtimer]

I even found the conversation tables confusing 😂

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gaz227]

5mcg is 200 IU - so you are taking only 400 IU vit D altogether if I understand you correctly. That is pretty low - I take 2000 IU always, currently 4000 IU

[Gaz227 in reply to PMRpro]

So is 5 mcg the same as 5 ug , if so why do they say that two tablets are the max you should take on the tub , sorry if I sound thick but when it says don’t take more than the max dose per day I have to question it , thanks in advance For any help on the matter .

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gaz227]

I am assuming that these are combined calcium and vit D supplements? Two tablets daily is the maximum dose of calcium, if you need more vit D it should be purchased separately as just vit D supplements.

mcg is another way of saying micrograms, the u with a tail is the symbol for micro

[Gaz227 in reply to PMRpro]

Ok , the fog is clearing lol , so it’s probably a good idea to get some more vitD without the calcium , you would think the GP or the Rhuemy would have explained this at least once in the last 5 years 🙀

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Gaz227]

Most of them still are in the realm of "get out in the sun for 10 mins" - which might possibly work from May to October in the UK but doesn't do as well as you age either! I've even heard them tell patients a good diet is enough - well it would be if you ate half a pound of salmon a day, or 17 eggs or loads of light-treated mushrooms. There are few foods with much vit D in Europe. Different matter in the USA where foods are fortified - milk, orange juice and cereals have it added.

Nor do they believe that low vit D is much of a problem - there are white children presenting to hospitals in the south of England with rickets!

[HeronNS in reply to Gaz227]

Sounds like you should be taking additional Vitamin D. Also, are you getting 800 mg per tablet calcium? That's already too much for an ideal optimum dose, the body can only absorb about half that at a time. Sounds like you need something with half the calcium and at least twice the dose, preferably more, of Vitamin D.

We get calcium from our food, but not many foods contain enough D to be of consequence. Also, sunlight as a source of Vitamin D is iffy half the year unless you live in the tropics, and even iffier as we age or if we have naturally dark skin.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to HeronNS]

At least much of it was the time we don't make vit D in skin anyway!

[HeronNS in reply to PMRpro]

I'd go outside and get some D now, but it's been day after day of fog, quite suddenly after a very dry, sunny spring.

[Joanbill13]

Very interesting as you say. Thanks fir the link

[Grammy80]

Since I have a memory like a strainer.......

I read 'somewhere' that research has shown that previous diagnosis of anemia and Vit D deficiencies has been a common factor in the health history of people ultimately diagnosed with vasculitis, sometimes GCA.

Sorry I can't give a link to back that up, just saying...xo

[JudithWarrior]

Thank you - really interesting, I've started reading the book "Your Bones" by Lara Pizzorno that someone on this site recommended. Fascinating and so very helpful. I'm learning such useful stuff about the Biphosphonates like Alendronic Acid. In 20% of women it causes severe damage to the oesophagus and digestive tract - which is what my mum has to such a debilitating effect she struggles to eat and is sick every week. I weep to see how much she suffers and am glad to have this confirmed by scientific research in this book. So far - thoroughly recommend this book and thank you everyone for helping me discover it and giving me your helpful feedback on AA and infusions.

Judith x

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to JudithWarrior]

It is claimed that most of the oesophageal problems were due to patients not taking the tablets strictly according to the instructions - lots of water and remain upright for 45 mins after taking. I would like to know if it has changed since the emphasis was put on compliance. Somehow I'm sceptical ...

[MsDirecto in reply to PMRpro]

I followed the guidelines faithfully. Even took a PPI the night before. Still caused wretched pain . I already had osteoporosis before going on prednisone, so agreed to prolia injections every 6 months

Some dentists here (US) won’t do extractions and other surgical procedures on people taking these medications because of potential for osteonecrisis of the jaw.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to MsDirecto]

I don't think the claim is entirely the case - I think a bit of diagnositics/questioning before starting it would show a lot of older people have enough stomach/swallowing problems to nake it risky. But i have no proof of course.

The refusal to do invasive dentistry is also the case in Europe - and it does say very clearly that AA should not be started until all foreseeable potentially invasive dental work has been completed. They wanted me to take it 11 years ago (I refused) - my first need for invasive dentistry was not until a good 3 or 4 years later.

[Hildalew]

I really appreciate her clear language. One quibble I have is that she doesn't mention the different levels of Vitamin D needed by people with darker skin. In the paragraph where she is specifically talking about the mistakes doctors are making when judging how much their patients need. Darker-skinned people need more Vitamin D than paler-skinned people. The author does mention dark skin as a risk factor - but if a dark-skinned patient were to receive treatment designed to get their Vitamin D up to 'normal' levels as suggested, they would still be deficient in Vitamin D.

[Ruadh in reply to Hildalew]

Hildalew - one treats to target - Targets to work to are generally between 60 - 80 ng/mL : (50 ng/mL =125 nmol/L)

With particularly low levels, then us a higher dose of D3, remembering that additional supplements are needed to put the D3 in the right place - as has been discussed. Initial dosing could be as high as 10,000 Units. One needs the diagnostics in order to target the levels, and to that end, will need to work with one's GP / medical team.

The emerging information on D3 is most interesting - and the fact posted by PMRpro that children in the UK are turning up with the once banished rickets. That is a real humdinger. One that could so easily be righted with D3 and the supporting supplements. Sigh.

[Hildalew in reply to Ruadh]

Thank you for your kind reply to my not terribly well-informed outburst.

I have messaged you with a more detailed response.

[Slosh]

Just remember that Vit requires Vitamin K2 and magnesium for proper absorbtion K2b(MK-7) for calcium to deposit where it should - in the bones and not in soft tissue.

[tangocharlie]

I My GP told me my Vit D levels were low last winter so I've increased my levels this last year, I take 4000 IU a day in winter and even now am taking 2000 a day in summer. I've also started taking Omega 3 every day, and have taken magnesium for over a year now to stop the leg cramps. The Vit D is making my nails and hair grow so much faster, a bit of a problem in lockdown when you can't get to a hairdesser or chiropodist! Also interesting, one of my best friends is a GP and she says GP's have had a bit of a wake-up call on VIt D, so many people with chronic problems also have low Vit D levels. I can't say it's relly helped me much, my inflammation levels are up again, though maybe they'd be worse without the vitamins, who knows

[MsDirecto in reply to tangocharlie]

Although I live in a sunny area, many women use sunblock and wear hats to protect their skin, so have relatively low exposure to sunshine I have been taking 4000 IU Bit D3 for years, in addition to multivitamin. Get my levels checked every year and am always at low end of normal range,

I take no extra calcium. I eat plain full fat yoghurt every day and milk in my coffee and my calcium levels are within normal range

[sassykitty]

My doc has me take K2 with my Vitamin D supplement.