extremely low vitamin D

[Lookingforhelp05]

So I got blood work done for my ibs and was told my vitamin D was at a level 7? Which they said the normal is from 30-100. I know vitamin D if super important. So my question is does anyone know if this deficiency could be the reason for my ibs?

[Luisa22]

To be honest, I don't know enough about the possible connection between vitamin D levels and IBS.

Do you mean D3, or D2 which is available from foods?

But what I can say from my own experience is that this winter (from about October onwards) I started taking a liquid vitamin D3, I think I get sufficient D2 from my diet.

I also take K2 and about once weekly, a magnesium glycinate supplement. I usually get good magnesium from foods, but I hear that vitamin D puts extra call on magnesium, and so I thought a bit of a supplement wouldn't hurt. I use the "glycinate" form, as it causes no gut disturbance.

I don't take a high dose of D3. Only about 1000-2000 iu. And I always take it just before I eat something containing fats as it's better absorbed that way.

My IBS has been much better over the past few months. I am not sure if the vitamin D has some part to play or not.

It's easy to become deficient in the northern hemisphere in winter. And even in the summer when most of us are covered with sunscreen!

But at that low level you're on, I think the best thing is to get advice from your doctor and prescribed supplements which will probably be quite high, and for a few weeks or months. Very high doses are better medically monitored and followed up with re-testing at intervals.

I don't know if the NHS will do that. I hope so. If not I'd definitely suggest getting it done privately if you can afford it, because vit. D deficiency is so important.

[Emaych61 in reply to Luisa22]

NHS do run checks on vitamin D - I’ve had several done after I was discovered to be low a few years back and was put on supplements to help with it. It’s certainly worth talking to your GP about this. If your test was done privately your GP may request to have it repeated, but a result as low as yours should be taken seriously.

[Starfush in reply to Emaych61]

looking back on my history got prescribed 50,000IU x 10 10 years ago. I had a blood test few years later and there were a couple of things low, 1 thing high what are all linked to Vitamin D. My recent blood test last here ironically I didn't test for showed Low Phopshate this also showed up in ones before, also linked to vitamin D. Thats why it needs to be a constant intake whether summer sun or supplements regularly, a short high dose is just going raise serum levels of stage 2 in blood tests, and the other markers wont be touched on.

[Emaych61 in reply to Starfush]

I’m assuming - perhaps incorrectly- that they have checked thyroid function?

[Starfush in reply to Emaych61]

I've had thyroid test aswell as pretty much all my organs, these only the same reoccurring symptoms and markers what show up, despite everything else being within range.

[Luisa22 in reply to Emaych61]

It's good to hear that is done on the NHS. It restores my faith!

[Birdiewordie]

I don't know if it can cause IBS directly but your immunity is in your gut and VIT D3 affects your immunity so could be a possible contributing factor. I've seen a few things about stomach problems and D3 but I can't say I know an awful lot. But what I will say is, that is incredibly low, where are you based? In the UK for some reason they tell you 30-100 is normal but you want to be at optimal levels which I'd 100 and above. What I also know is low Vit D3 can make you feel incredibly unwell, mine was 17 last year but I bought 10,000 iu alongside K2 and magnesium took it for 6 weeks and it brought me back up to 128 within that short amount of time. You should watch DR Berg on YouTube he's got some fantastic advice on Vit D3! I don't think it'd hurt to supplement, especially being 7 you must feel dreadful! Best wishes to you x

[Starfush in reply to Birdiewordie]

Did you stop the vitamin D after 6 weeks. I was looking at my blood tests over the years, I got prescribed 50,000IU a week x10 about 10 years ago, need get precise reason. Another extensive test 4 years later I had certain low markers, WBC count, neutrophilic, and high Prolactin all linked to Vitamin D, well as phosphate levels being low. Similar test over year ago has me also low phosphate and similar. I supplemented aswell, but body needs a constant supply, as well as adequate magnesium for the final stage.

[CryptoKid]

I've not explored this, but my Vit D is low, don't know the level, but I am also aware that if I take a supplement my body gets rid of it ASAP. I lean towards IBSd but if I pop aVitD tablet I get diarrhea about 2 hours after taking. And the tablet comes with it!

[Starfush in reply to CryptoKid]

You can get sprays outside summer months and I've never heard of vitamin D supplements causing diarrhoea, Vitamin D plays a big role in digestion health, what would mean body willl struggle beaking down tablets more.

[Luisa22 in reply to CryptoKid]

I wonder if vitamin D (is that D3?) caused your diarrhoea? I haven't found it has done any harm to my IBS D. But I suppose if that really super fast gut transit was caused by something else, and the tablet just didn't get chance to digest?

You might not feel like trying it, and you don't have to, but a liquid supplement with a dropper might work better for you? Thera are very natural kinds that don't have nasty additives, only an oil base (sunflower seed oil and natural orange oil) which helps it to be absorbed quickly, and there are also sprays. But they will cost a little bit more than tablets.

[Musicbox]

l use Vit D spray in mouth 👍🏻

[BabsyWabsy]

Hi 05, I see you are in US. If you are in the Northern hemisphere, you may well be deficient during the winter months, as most people are in UK. Supplementation is recommended here. Particularly if you have a darker skin tone. My late husband used to get 'SAD', seasonal affected disorder, which can have a depressive effect. He was helped a great deal by taking a vitamin D3 supplement, ideally along with Vit K2. I hope you can resolve this and feel better.

[Starfush]

It's highly likely, along with magnesium what is needed to process vitamin D anyway. I would aim for a daily intake of at least 10,000IU and some magnesium and k2 here and there if possible.

[Viklou]

Most people in the Northern hemisphere are deficient in vit d. However with levels that low you need to have a short course of high level dosage vit d. Mines chronically low and I'm on vit D by prescription to regulate my calcium levels

[Boxroad]

I have ibs and my vitamin D level went low I was put on 50,000 international units daily for a week to get levels back up now I have to take 1000 international units a day. I get mine from boots height Strenght ones.

[Starfush in reply to Boxroad]

1000IU is very low dose. Body can produce 10x in several minutes sunbathing

Also levels are likely testing stage 2 of the vitamin D process. Not stage 3 the active form. Also magnesium is needed for all this to happen

[Boxroad in reply to Starfush]

That’s a negative comment did you google that? Or are you trained in medicine? I am seeing my GP this afternoon I will raise it with them.

[Starfush in reply to Boxroad]

How is it negative. You can get 4,000 IU in Holland and Barrett. Online you get 10,000IU and 20,000IU.

Trained in medicine no, but my blood test over years have contain low and high markers, all linked by studies across to globe to Vitamin D. GPs never mentioned it, yet I suffered from symptoms. One being low phosphate, several years apart. I’ve had tests ruling out the other causes of it, yet vitamin D rarely gets tested.

Blood tests general pick which I’ve had few pick up immediate levels ideally for emergency but isn’t full picture.

50,000 IU 7x is 4 1/2 hours sunbathing apparently, not sure how can run a body on that.

No doubt your GP will be very conservative, yet they won’t be able to provide a cure. The RDA is set very low due to some outdated studies, many people myself included have taken 50,000 IU daily for extended periods

[Luisa22 in reply to Starfush]

Yes, I also take a fairly low dose. I don't know why, but I am wary of overdoing it in oral dose, as I have not been diagnosed with any deficiency. I just do it for daily general maintenance.

True, with sunlight, we can happily take HUGE doses of D3 via the skin.

It's weird that the NHS recommend 400 iu daily even in winter when there's hardly any sun, and it's not strong enough to even produce vit, D!

But with a diagnosed deficiency a very high supplement dose is needed.

[QuiltLady]

I'm not sure about the connection to IBS either, sorry, but you are fortunate you found your low levels of D at a young age. I found out in my 50s, started taking a supplement every day and last time I checked it was in the normal range. I'm thinking my low D is what caused me to have osteoporosis in my 30's, which has not been an issue (knock on wood) and I'm now in my 60's.

[Letsfixit1]

It seems difficult to get accurate information. I've just been goggling vit k2, an example question of whether bananas contain this vitamin. One answer said yes, the other said no, it's only found in the gut! I suppose I should read up on the medical studies.

My vit d result was 51, and a dexa scan confirmed osteoporosis and the doctors comment on my notes was this was adequate for bone health. But then she recommended that I take a supplement of 1000 every day. She didn't suggest magnesium or vit k2. I declined Biphosphonate for the osteoporosis and they will do another dexa scan in the years.

[jamiemamie]

My D3 is 7 also. I have this belief. 9 months ago, at the age of 59, I all of a sudden have some major inflammation in intestines. Of course they think it is crohn's. I have had diarrhea for 20+ years and low vitamin d3, but never this low. Do I believe that the d3 is causing the inflammation problems? Yes I do. My problem is this though. Throughout the years, I have tried to supplement with D3. Every time I take it, I get PVCs. I stop taking it, the PVCs go away. I have asked doctors why this is. They do not know. So, I have not been able to keep my d3 up at a good level because I can not stand the benign pvcs. I have read that there are d3s that have no additives. They usually come in a drop. I think I may try that. I have also heard that d3 supplements take from your calcium, and calcium can mess with your heart beats. So, I am thinking that perhaps I will try once more by getting the d3 in drops with only olive oil added and perhaps taking some calcium supplements at the same time. Just to see if this does anything for the stomach issues and the inflammation. But yes, I do believe that the D3 causes, not only digestive issues, but also the inflammation. I shall see what happens.

[Luisa22]

I just watched a video tonight on YouTube by Dr John Campbell. He has been taking between 4000 and 8000 iu daily over winter, and did a "take home" vitamin D test yet found his vitamin D levels were much much lower than he thought they would be. And hung between deficient and insufficient.

He is following it up with another test to be sure the first test wasn't faulty, and is due to post an update.

But the shocking thing is -in his video he shows that the N.I.C.E. guidelines are NOT to test anyone for vitamin D deficiency unless they are displaying certain bone symptoms (such as osteoporosis, and the "softening bone" condition (I am sorry, I have forgotten its name...is it "osteomalacia"?)

Even though it has been scientifically proven that vitamin D has a profound impact on many aspects of general health and on immunity.

That shows that the powers that be in our health system don't seem to care if there is widespread vitamin D deficiency, which has a huge health impact in many different ways.

All I can say is it would be much cheaper for the NHS to do Vitamin D monitoring and prescribe supplements, than it would be further down the line, to have to cope with the consequences of vitamin D deficiency.

It makes no logical sense to me.