D3 inactivates thyroid hormone?

[Flynzer]

I have just read on an old post (5 years ago) that D3 inactivates thyroid hormone. Can this be true? I have been prescribed D3 for many years to help prevent osteoporosis. I take it well away from my thyroid medication. I have severe joint and muscle pain though. To stop or not to stop, that is the question. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[greygoose]

Can you not link us to the old post so that we can get a better idea what it's all about?

[Flynzer in reply to greygoose]

Sorry greygoose I don't know how to send you the link. The post was entitled 'Stopped thyroxine for 3 weeks! Sparkly in Thyroid UK 5 years ago.

Clutter to Sparkly: D3 inactivates thyroid hormone by converting T4 to rT3 and T3 to T2. D3 is enhanced in the presence of high T3. So, working together D2 and D3 respond to local hormone levels to regulate cellular T3 levels.

My poor brain can only understand the first few words of that!

[greygoose in reply to Flynzer]

OK! So, Clutter is not talking about Vit D3, she's talking about Type-3 deiodinase, as jim says below. So, don't stop your vit D, you need that.

[Flynzer in reply to greygoose]

Oh thanks. That's cleared that up!

[greygoose in reply to Flynzer]

You're welcome.

[MaisieGray]

This recent paper concluded that

"Overall, the current study demonstrated that vitamin D supplementation among hypothyroid patients for 12 weeks improved serum TSH and calcium concentrations compared with the placebo, but it did not alter serum T3, T4, ALP, PTH, and albumin levels."

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[jimh111]

Depends which 'D3' they are talking about!

Vitamin D3 is fine, there's nothing to suggest it impairs thyroid hormone production or action, it might even be good for thyroid hormone action.

Type-3 deiodinase, also referred to as 'D3' converts T3 to T2 and T4 to rT3. This is natural, it's how the brain and placenta prevent thyrotoxicosis.

Only stop taking vitamin D3 if your vitamin D levels start to go too high.

[MaisieGray in reply to jimh111]

Good bit of looking at the question through a different lens. 🙂

It will be interesting to see exactly what was meant when Flynzer posts more detail about what she read.

[Flynzer in reply to jimh111]

Thank you. I have never been monitored for levels of D3. I think it's time I was. I wonder what is too high?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Flynzer

As you are prescribed D3, does your GP test your level twice a year to ensure you are taking an appropriate dose and adjusting it if necessary?

How much are you prescribed?

Do you take it at least 4 hours away from your thyroid replacement hormone?

What is your current Vit D level? If it's too low this could be the cause of your joint and muscle pain (a common symptom of low Vit D).

The Vit D Council recommends a level of 125nmol/L (50ng/ml) and the Vit D Society recommends a level of 100-150nmol/L (40-60ng/ml).

Unfortunately doctors think that just being in range is good enough, they seem to have no understanding of optimal levels.

Your GP may not know, because they're not taught much about nutrients, but there are important cofactors needed when taking D3 as recommended by the Vit D Council

vitamindcouncil.org/about-v...

Are you taking these?

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.

Oil based softgels give superior absorption over tablets and capsules. If you have autoimmune thyroid disease (aka Hashimoto's) then it's recommended that for best absorption an oral spray is used, or sublingual liquid, as these are absorbed through the mucous membranes in the oral cavity and bypass the stomach.

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.

naturalnews.com/046401_magn...

drjockers.com/best-magnesiu...

afibbers.org/magnesium.html

Check out the other cofactors too (some of which can be obtained from food).

[Flynzer in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank you Seaside Susie for your reply.

I have never been tested.

I am taking 1500mg Adcal D3 and calcium carbonate in tablet form and also use an oral spray. (Not prescribed).

Yes I take at least 4 hours away.

I don't know my vitamin D level, I will try to persuade my GP to test.

Great links re magnesium thanks - would prefer to get what I need from food but note from the naturalnews article that sadly it's not easy nowadays.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Flynzer]

I have been prescribed D3 for many years to help prevent osteoporosis

I have never been tested.

I am taking 1500mg Adcal D3 and calcium carbonate in tablet form and also use an oral spray. (Not prescribed).

These three statements are worrying.

You haven't been tested yet your GP prescribes Adcal?

First of all, we shouldn't take D3 without first being tested to get our level and then we take a dose appropriate to our level, if we need it.

Adcal contains 1500mg calcium and 400iu D3. Calcium should not be taken unless tested and found to be deficient. The 400iu D3 is not even a maintenance dose so if you are low in D3 it's not going to help raise your level, and it's not even a decent maintenance level.

How much D3 in the oral spray? Again, you need to know your level so you can take an appropriate dose.

I will try to persuade my GP to test.

You need D3 and calcium testing, insist due to taking the Adcal. You may not even need the calcium.

And Vit K2 is essential. All that calcium you are taking, as well as the enhanced amount of calcium being absorbed from food due to taking D3, has to be directed away from soft tissues and towards bones and teeth. Don't expect your GP to know this. You will need to buy it yourself.

[Flynzer in reply to SeasideSusie]

Sorry I wasn't very clear with my answers. I broke a leg several years ago. As far as I recall, I was tested for osteoporosis then and that's when I was prescribed Adcal D3. After reading a post on here I realized I needed to top up the D3 and so I bought the oral spray.

I was answering your first question in your original post as to whether I'm tested twice yearly. I should have said: I've not been tested at all since it was first prescribed. I will insist.

The oral spray is vitamin D3 50 Plus (2,000iu) which I take daily at the same time as the Adcal.

I note your advice on magnesium and K2.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer.

[bantam12 in reply to Flynzer]

Adcal is not an appropriate D3, it's usually prescribed for kidney patients. Unless deficient calcium supplements are not needed and can be harmful.

[Flynzer in reply to bantam12]

Thank you for your advice.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

How much Levothyroxine are you currently taking, what were last Thyroid and vitamin test results and ranges

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also extremely important to regularly retest vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if Thyroid antibodies are raised

Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)

Last Levothyroxine dose should be 24 hours prior to test, (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).

If/when also on T3, make sure to take last dose 8-12 hours prior to test, even if this means adjusting time or splitting of dose day before test

Is this how you do your tests?

Private tests are available. Thousands on here forced to do this as NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies or all vitamins

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have special offers, Medichecks usually have offers on Thursdays, Blue Horizon its more random

Joint pain is often low vitamin D

But can also be a symptom of gluten intolerance, common with autoimmune disease

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/286...

Vitamin D deficiency is frequent in Hashimoto's thyroiditis and treatment of patients with this condition with Vitamin D may slow down the course of development of hypothyroidism and also decrease cardiovascular risks in these patients. Vitamin D measurement and replacement may be critical in these patients.

endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/...

Evidence of a link between increased level of antithyroid antibodies in hypothyroid patients with HT and 25OHD3 deficiency may suggest that this group is particularly prone to the vitamin D deficiency and can benefit from its alignment.

[Flynzer in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank you for your detailed reply SlowDragon.