Vit D supplementation

[knitwitty]

I recently had a blood test and am still low on Vit D it has gone up from 38 to 51 ( 30 is classed as deficient but up to 75 insufficient) but considering the summer we have had I obviously need to take more.

I have been supplementing 1000iu daily since April.

I have had conversation with the pharmacist at our GP surgery and she was recommending 800iu daily to raise it , but I said I had already been taking more than that for the last 6 months.

I have some better you D+K2 3000iu(1 months supply) and I have Thermodrone D3+k2 (3 months supply) same amount.

I do have Hashi's so I'm guessing absorption could be a problem.

The pharmacist said that 3000iu per day would be too much but I'd like to know what you think.

I don't mind supplementing at this level for 3 months, then testing privately, if you think it's safe to do so.

Also does anyone have any experience of Thermodrone I picked it as it got good reviews on Amazon but now I have opened it have discovered it is powder in capsules rather than soft gels in oil. Will that matter?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

knitwitty

As you have Hashi's then for best absorption you should stick to the BetterYou spray.

The Vit D Council, the Vit D Society and Grassroots Health all recommend a level of 100-150nmol/L. For a level of between 50 and 75nmol/L the Vit D Council recommends the following:

To achieve 100nmol/L take 2000 IU D3 daily

To achieve 125nmol/L take 3700 IU

To achieve 150nmol/L take 5800 IU

As we can't make Vit D naturally from the sun at this time of year and we draw on the store we made during the summer, then personally I would go for the higher end of the range.

It's safe to take much higher than you are currently taking (doctors and pharmacists aren't trained in nutrition so we don't expect them to know as much as the Vit D Council). When I was severely deficient I took 40,000iu daily for 2 weeks then 5000iu daily. I still need 5000iu daily to maintain my level at the top of the recommended range.

Don't forget that magnesium is an important cofactor of D3, it helps the body use the D3, so you will need that too. Magnesium 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...

D3 should also be taken 4 hours away from thyroid meds.

[knitwitty in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you Seaside Susie, I do take magnesium citrate. Regarding Vitamin D I think I will use the better you spray to begin with it is only a months supply so I may resort to using the tablets afterwards as I can't afford to keep buying new vitamins all the time.

I will retest in 3 months privately I have been paying for my thyroid tests because the CCG in their infinite wisdom refuse to test anything other than TSH.

You have reassured me that 3000iu daily won't kill me, Thank you.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do NOT supplement any vitamin K if you take any blood thinning medication (Including aspirin)

drsinatra.com/vitamin-k2-su...

Many people with gut issues like Hashimoto's or coeliac or gluten intolerant need much higher dose of vitamin D

Pharmacist, is not correct

It's trial and error what dose each person needs.

Once you Improve level, very likely you will need on going maintenance dose to keep it there.

Obviously very important to retest twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk, especially until you work out what dose you need

Often need more in winter compared to summer

Many of us need even a maintenance dose of 2000iu-3000iu, occasionally even higher

Better You mouth spray is good as avoids poor gut function of Hashimoto's. You can get it without any vitamin K in it

Personally I needed 6000iu to improve levels and about 3000-4000iu maintenance dose, plus masses of sunshine, with Hashimoto's and gluten intolerance

Magnesium supplements should be at least four hours away from Levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

healthy-holistic-living.com...

[knitwitty in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi Slow Dragon,

Thanks for replying, I don't take blood thinning medication so I think I am ok to take K2 with the Vit D, it was only on this site that I realised that K2 is needed to ensure the calcium goes to the bones and teeth and not the heart an arteries.

I will use the better you spray up first and then I might move on to the tablets I have bought as I can't really afford to buy the better you until I've used the others up. I am paying about £50 every 6 weeks for my blood tests until my thyroxine is at the correct level.

The pharmacist was saying that I needed 800iu daily to raise my levels but I pointed out I'd been taking more than that daily for 6 months and my level hadn't gone up by very much.

I think they are only allowed to prescribe according to certain guidelines and that wouldn't have been much help to me!

I have also gone GF, but I'm not sure if it's helping or not.

I have recently been taking my levo at night at about 11 o'clock, so I'm assuming it would be better to take the magnesium with my evening meal and no later than 7 o'clock, is that correct?

Would it be ok to have a drink with milk in 2 hours before I take my levo?

Thanks for your input.

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to knitwitty]

Calcium rich foods (eg milk) should be four hours away from Levo

See point 8

Any food to avoid

beta.nhs.uk/medicines/levot...

You could have other drink eg tea 2 hours away

Yes magnesium fine early evening (four hours before Levo)

[knitwitty in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi again SlowDragon,

Thanks again for the excellent information. I drink decaf tea but I'll probably have to have it without milk if I want it to drink it with milk in the evening after 7pm.

Cheers

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to knitwitty]

Small amount of milk in tea is probably fine 2-3 hours before

[knitwitty in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you, again, you are a goldmine of information.

[Susieibbo301]

Seaside Susie is right. You do need more. I have just been to see my wonderful endo who is also a Vit d specialist and as my level is 56, he has prescribed 3,000 ounces to get it up to 125 but if I don’t achieve that on 3,000, he said 5,000 iu.

Best of luck knitwitty.

[Susieibbo301 in reply to Susieibbo301]

For ounces read iu!

[knitwitty in reply to Susieibbo301]

Thank you Susie, I have started on 3000 iu today I have a spray which I hope will be better absorbed than the tablets, however I shall have to resort to the tablets once the spray is gone because I cannot afford to just throw them away . I'm hoping that the spray will give me bit of a boost.

I did think it a bit strange when the pharmacist suggested I take less than I had already been on for 6 months then retest. I'll see how it goes and test myself in 3 months to see if there is any improvement.

It's a bit ironic, but there is an article in todays paper about people not really needing Vit D supplements at all.

Thanks for your comment, it's reassuring to know that I'm probably doing the right thing by taking more than they suggested.

[Susieibbo301]

I know how you feel. Re the article in todays paper, they don't mention taking D3 with K2 MK7 which directs the vitamin to the bones. All very confusing - I feel as though people on this forum know more than the hyped pieces in the press!!

Best of luck.

[knitwitty]

Thank you, best of luck with your health too.