Low Vit D and possibly Calcium

[caroash]

Hi I know it's that time of year when Vit D goes low, I've had prescription loading dose every year for last 4 years if 40.000iug a week for seven weeks. This time GP refused my repeat prescription request and asked for blood test. Vit D came back 34.2 and calcium was 2.25. My mum has severe osteoporosis so am worried about getting this. I'm also surprised why D so low considering have high annual dose and take D3 every day too. Does anybody know why D can drop so low even when supplementing. I know it affects thyroid function in winter too.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Caroash

How high does your Vit D level go after the loading doses?

What dose do you use after the loading doses?

Do you also take Vit D's important cofactors when supplementing - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

What is the range for the calcium?

[caroash in reply to SeasideSusie]

Hi thanks for your reply I don't know what my levels are after high loading dose as they don't test. I've only been asked to have one because I think they thought I might not nerd loading dose. I'm so glad they checked. I take 1.000 for rest of the year, but just gone up to 2000.I take magnesium glycinate from nutri, but not vit K. The ref range for calcium was 2.20-2.60, but the GP hasn't seen all my results yet. I'm thinking I should get a good bone supplement on top of the D and take a K as you say. I do t even know if this high loadung dose works, although I usually feel better after 7 week course.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to caroash]

Caroash

It's important to test Vit D after loading doses to ascertain how much maintenance dose to take, and when supplementing it's important to retest once or twice a year to maintain a good level. Unfortunately, doctors don't like spending money on Vit D test, which is rather stupid.

The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L

vitamindcouncil.org/for-hea...

With your current level of 34.2nmol/L (I assume that is the unit of measurement, it usually is in the UK), the Vit D Council recommends taking 4,900iu D3 daily (so take 5000iu as it's sold in multiples of 1000iu). It's important to retest after 3 months to check your level then adjust your dose if necessary. Most of us do private home fingerprick tests for Vit D.

Once you've reached the recommended level (125nmol/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/

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 such as hardening of the arteries, kidney stones, etc.

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. We need Magnesium so that the body utilises D3, it's required to convert Vit D into it's active form. So it's important we ensure we take magnesium when supplementing with D3.

If you have Hashi's, it's recommended to take an oral D3 spray - BetterYou. They also do a combined D3/K2 spray.

If you don't have Hashi's you will be fine with a good quality softgel containing D3 and extra virgin olive oil for absorption - I rate Doctor's Best very highly.

An excellent K2-MK7 is Healthy Origins, not easily available as it's a US brand but at the moment it's cheapest here amazon.co.uk/Vitamin-MK-7-N... (their prices do seem to change quite a bit).

Your calcium is within range, and taking D3 will raise your calcium level so it may not be anything to worry about if you start taking the appropriate dose of D3 regularly.

It's not a good idea to supplement with calcium unless deficient so I wouldn't buy a supplement that contains it.

[caroash in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thankyou so much seaside Suzie I will follow your advice, I was completely unaware you could get fingerprick test and didn't realise a high dose was okay regularly. I'm going to mention the osteoporosis risk and see if they'll retest me at least twice a year so I know my levels. This must be a common problem for many. I'm going to keep a much closer eye on levels from now on. Been feeling so tired and aching, knew it had gone low again. Also gums were bleeding and blurry morning vision which read was a lesser known low D symptom.

Thanks again. X

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to caroash]

I was severely deficient (15nmol/L), found out myself and corrected it myself. I need 5000iuD3 daily in winter and for a few months in the summer I can go down to 5000iu about 4 times a week - I don't sit out in the sun because even through trousers my legs start to feel a burn after 5 minutes.

[caroash in reply to SeasideSusie]

Gosh that was low, its such a risk to health not knowing. I'm going to go on to 5.000 after loading dose. I bet I've never gone up to 125.Thanks again.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to caroash]

Please check your level after the loading dose. We're all different, you may not need that much.

[caroash in reply to SeasideSusie]

Will do thanks, yes your right it could be too much all in one go. However feel so much better each year when have had it.

[caroash in reply to SeasideSusie]

Seaside suzie I hope you don't mind me asking you, but what was the difference in your health and symptoms once you got your levels up to 125,i can't wait to feel betterx

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to caroash]

I can't pinpoint them I'm afraid. I found lots of problems all at the same time and was working on poor T4 to T3 conversion, low adrenal reserve, extremely low sex hormones, low Ferritin, low Folate and severe Vit D deficiency.

[caroash]

Just found nutri do Osteo P which has k, mag, D, boron, calcium and a few other things. Maybe this will help.

[greygoose in reply to caroash]

As Susie said above, it's best to avoid supplements that have calcium in them. It's not the most important nutrient for bones.

[caroash in reply to greygoose]

Thanks Greygoose, it's easy to see why we think calcium is so important as it was the one we were taught was good for bones, but there was no education about the other important vitamins and minerals. My mum was told from a young age that her body didn't retain calcium and it was obviously a vit D issue, but they didn't know back then.

[greygoose in reply to caroash]

I think the calcium thing was a marketing strategy, from the Milk Marketing Board!

[syednc]

Sunlight might help to restore the Vitamin D. Try the natural way!

[caroash in reply to syednc]

Hi syednc I do get as much sunlight as I can in summer, but the trouble is rest of the year. I am planning a trip to Canaries in January, purely medicinal

[Josiesmum]

You can buy them together, e.g.:

amazon.co.uk/Nutri-Advanced...

[caroash in reply to Josiesmum]

Thanks josiesmum I have an account with nutri so just ordered x

[Hidden]

You have not put in the ranges this would help.

[caroash in reply to Hidden]

Hi Bunny Jean I literally had to get doctors receptionist to read a couple out over phone which she was reluctant to do, but knew D was low as 4 years ago was 32,um going to go in and get print out then post them, thanks.

[Hidden]

Great, post the ranges and you will get the help you need on here, I did just that 2.5 years ago and now I am feeling well again.