How much vitamin D

[Ruth63]

Hi all, so my latest vitamin d results came up as 36, I have read up on which foods etc to help boost it, (though I have allergy to nuts,) i also bought these vitamin tablets, my question is how much should I take? It says 1 a day on bottle but would I be able to take more with my levels ?

[Ruth63]

Hi thanks for your reply, I can only assume NG as Drs describes it as a little low.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Ruth63

Sorry to say you have bought a pretty duff Vit D supplement. D3 is fat soluble, you would have been better off buying a softgel that contains only 2 ingredients - D3 and extra virgin olive oil (eg Doctor's Best) so that the oil aids absorption. The ingredients in yours are

Bulking Agents (Dicalcium Phosphate, Microcrystalline Cellulose), Emulsifier (Acacia Gum), Sucrose, Anti-Caking Agents (Magnesium Stearate, Silicon Dioxide), Starch, Vitamin E (dl-Alpha Tocopherol), Tricalcium Phosphate, Vitamin D3 (as Cholecalciferol)

which is pretty typical of Holland & Barrett own brand, full of fillers, and cheap for a reason.

As you are in the UK I am assuming that your level is 36 nmol/L which isn't far off the level where you'd be given loading doses (<30). This being the case your 25mcg is 1000iu and you are going to need much more.

If your level was 30nmol you would be given loading doses, they would total 300,000iu over a number of weeks. As yours is 36nmol (assumed) then you need something very close to that. My recommendation - if yours is definitely 36 nmol (you must confirm that) is:

1) Buy some Doctor's Best D3 5000iu strength dolphinfitness.co.uk/en/doc...

2) Take 5,000iu daily for 2 months

3) Take 5000iu alternate days for 1 month

4) Retest, privately if necessary, 3 months after starting

When you have reached the level recommended by the Vit D Council, the Vit D Society and Grassroots Health - which is 100-150nmol/L - then you'll need a maintenance dose which may be 2000iu daily, maybe more or less, maybe less in summer than winter, it's trial and error so it's recommended to retest once or twice a year to keep within the recommended range. You can do this with a private fingerprick blood spot test with City Assays vitamindtest.org.uk/

Your doctor wont know, because they are not taught nutrition, but there are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council -

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

D3 aids absorption of calcium from food and K2-MK7 directs the calcium to bones and teeth where it is needed and away from arteries and soft tissues where it can be deposited and cause problems.

D3 and K2 are fat soluble so should be taken with the fattiest meal of the day, D3 four hours away from thyroid meds.

Magnesium helps D3 to work and comes in different forms, check to see which would suit you best and as it's calming it's best taken in the evening, four hours away from thyroid meds

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

Check out the other cofactors too.

[Ruth63 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you so much for your reply and information, I shall do as you advise.

Out of curiosity is it possible for low vitamin d to cause a goiter ? X

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Ruth63]

Ruth63

Out of curiosity is it possible for low vitamin d to cause a goiter

I can't say with absolute certainty but I doubt it very much.

[Ruth63 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ok Thank you again x

[janeroar in reply to SeasideSusie]

SeasideSusie I have started taking vitamin d liquid with Vitamin K in it. Any thoughts about that?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to janeroar]

Janeroar

No, as long as it is an appropriate dose I'm sure it is fine. I always suggest Doctor's Best softgels, providing the member doesn't have Hashi's, as it has no unnecessary ingredients, is excellent quality and excellent value for money.

[janeroar in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi thanks for this. I do have hashis so is there a problem taking it?

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to janeroar]

Jane

If it is sublingual then it should be fine as it bypasses the stomach, as does an oral spray. The reason for sublingual/oral sprays where there is Hashi's is because Hashi's can cause gut/absorption problems, so bypassing the stomach is recommended where possible.

[Alma1960 in reply to SeasideSusie]

The best way of getting Vit D is ffrom the sun im told Easy now in UK just dont get sunburn

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Alma1960]

Alma1960

Yes, during the summer months, exposing a decent amount of skin, no sunscreen, half an hour a day or less depending on skin colour, is a good way of getting Vit D IF you can make it naturally. Some of us can't, some of us are sensitive to the sun and can't stand to be out in it. One does what needs to be done.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Alma1960]

You also probably have to not wash or shower for 48 hours after being in or it washes vitamin D off

vitamindcouncil.org/washing...

[Ruth63]

These were tested at endocrinologist at the hospital, am I still able to get these printed out , I'm online with my gp but endo hasn't passed test results onto GP.

[Lindslou]

Hi I am not a medical expert but my when I lost my voice I was tested for vitamin D and my result was 37. My Gp also said it was a little low and suggested I take a supplement, one tablet. It did help a bit and then I went on holiday to Florida. After a couple of days in the sunshine my voice came back - miraculous as I had been hoarse for 6 months previously!! I returned to Blighty and within 2 days I had lost my voice again 😖. I checked my blood results and realised it was nmol and the doctor had misread it!! Normal range is 100-200! I upped my dose to 4 x 1000 iu and my voice came back, another blood test and my levels are now at 101!! I also try and eat vitamin d Rich foods - fatty fish, cheese, fortified cereals etc! I really worried about the side effects of taking too much vitamin D but lots of my research showed you would need to be taking 50,000iu to be grossly over supplemented!

[Hidden in reply to Lindslou]

My growing inability to sing has been getting gradually worse for several years. I thought it was acid reflux, which has also improved, even after stopping omeprazole which I needed occasionally. After started on a low dose of thyroxine 5 weeks ago, AND the sunshine, I already feel so much better. And, as a bonus, for the last couple of weeks can actually sing again! Thyroxine and sunshine a good combination it seems!

[Lindslou in reply to Hidden]

Yes I have the same combination, I have no thyroid and couldn’t sing at all!

[silverfox7]

Just in case you haven't had other tests then B12, folate and ferritin should be tested as well as the four of them being optimal help your thyroid to work better.

[Ruth63 in reply to silverfox7]

I only had ferritin tested which came back as 30, was never tested for B12 which I found strange x

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Ruth63]

Ruth

Ferritin should be half way through it's range, yours is low and thyroid hormone wont work properly with it that low.

[Chippysue]

10 to 15 mins in the sun - on face chest and arms every day if possible.

This is the best and most natural way. Sadly toxic suncreams prevent absorption of vitamin D.

Vitamin d from foods are not going to be enough.

I take D3/K2 liquid drops from amazon. Ideally our levels would be 100.

[pamgarner]

my Gp says you shouldn't go below 65,testing is by blood work every 6 months.He has me on prescription of 1- 50,000 mg tablet per week.I was concerned over this amount and my pharmacist says it is very common.

[bolshiesaf]

WHO organisation suggests about 80 unfortunately my CCG will not treat if 50 but their range is 50-250 and anyway the tablets they gave and times to take made me physically sick. Vitamin D deficiency group advises Vit D3 along with Vit K2 and Magnesium daily and minimum 125 as good level. I understand why as vit D3 alone causes clacium to form in wrong places I ended up with calcium deposits in the bursas in my shoulders shown by Physio on ultrasound. I take better you sublingual sprays and take 10000ui per day with K2 and magnesium and much better. Better you do Vit D3 alone or with K2 and multi vit. I also use their B12 sublingual spray although Dr will not check it makes thyroxeine absorb at cellular level feel much better since taking all these have stopped some meds now