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 if taking tablets/capsules/softgels, no necessity if using an oral spray
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.
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 if taking tablets/capsules, no necessity if using topical forms of magnesium.
Check out the other cofactors too (some of which can be obtained from food).
If you have Hashi's, then for best absorption an oral D3 spray, eg BetterYou, or sublingual drops, eg Vitabay Organics, are recommended. If you don't have Hashi's then a good supplement would be an oil based softgel with minimal ingredients, eg Doctor's Best.
As for an iron supplement, as mentioned in reply to your previous post, iron is complicated. Low ferritin doesn't necessarily mean low serum iron. It was suggested that you ask for an iron panel and full blood count to see if you have iron deficiency anaemia which low ferritin can suggest.
You’ve taught me so much honestly thank you. You seem so knowledgeable about all of this and such a help having those recommendations also.
Yes I’ll be asking the doctor for an iron panel as suggested when I’m next there. I just wasn’t sure if it’d harm to start on a supplement for now. I’ve been logging my food on cronometer for a while now and I get such little iron in my diet.
If you have Hashi's, then for best absorption an oral D3 spray, eg BetterYou, or sublingual drops, eg Vitabay Organics, are recommended. If you don't have Hashi's then a good supplement would be an oil based softgel with minimal ingredients, eg Doctor's Best.
Oh also May I ask why this is? Why the different forms for Hashi’s or not. Thanks!
When Hashi's is present, there are often gut/absorption problems as well which affects absorption of nutrients. An oral spray and sublingual drops are absorbed directly through the mucous membranes in the oral cavity, so they bypass the gut.
This paper suggests there may be competition for fat soluble vitamins for absorption into the body.
It was a mouse study (humans won't volunteer to participate in research where being euthanized and dissected are required) so may not apply to humans and as many people use combined vitamin d/vitamin k supplements competition for uptake may not be a problem.
Personally as vitamin k is relatively expensive and vitamin d relatively cheap I take my vitamin d first thing in the morning with a cooked (fatty) breakfast and my vitamin k2 with a meal later in the day.
As most people require more vitamin d3 daily than is generally provided in the mixed vitamin d+vitamin k options readily available it is probably more econimic to buy a decent dose of vitamin d separately from and a reasonable amount of vitamin k.
When using effective amounts of vitamin d3 daily
(see the charts here to work out how much is generally required to reach 50ng/ml 125nmol/l.
grassrootshealth.net/wp-con... the first thing that happens is calcium absorption from dietary and water sources usually DOUBLES.
Most people are currently below the level of optimal calcium absorption and when 25(OH)D gets over 100nmol/l 40ng/ml they will be better able to absorb the calcium present in the foods they eat than the water they drink.
It should be possible for all of us to eat a diet that meets our calcium requirement which may be overstated.
Most of us however don't consume adequate amounts of magnesium (or vitamin k) and these are required to counterbalance the actions of excess calcium.
Magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker and vitamin k helps keep calcium locked in bones and reduces it's potential for calcifying tissue (kidney stone)
It is therefore best to supplement with magnesium and vitamin k when using vitamin d3 however magnesium is best absorbed from smaller doses with food through the day and it's potentially better to take vitamin k at a different meal than the vitamin d3.
Thank you TedHutch for taking the time to write such an in-depth reply! I’ve given the video a scan and will def give it more time when I can. It’s great to learn!
Taking the D3 and K2 separately is also interesting! I prime’d the spray recommended above but will consider splitting the Two when that runs out.
Aaa it’s so much to consider isn’t it!!
At this stage I may volunteer to be euthanised and dissected 🤣🤣.
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