I'm posting on behalf of my 89-year-old Dad, who is seeing an enlightened endo. Even though his Vitamin D levels are within range, they are at the lower end: 60 (50 - 125) and the endo would like him to supplement with 1,000iu.
The surgery is yet to receive the letter from the endo and therefore to implement the endo's instructions.
I'm not sure whether or not the prescription will include Vit K, but I notice that Dad is already taking 100% recommended Vit K within the multivitamin he takes daily.
The question is: if the Vit D preparation in the prescription does include Vit K, is there a risk of overdose and adverse effects?
There is conflicting information on the website (and within the NHS webpage).
Unfortunately, Dad doesn't eat anywhere near the amount of veggies he should, so is unlikely to be ingesting enough Vit K from his diet. He has had a tendency towards kidney problems in the past (however, this has been stable for around three years).
I realise that this is slightly off topic, but it has wider application, given that Vit D crops up on a regular basis on the forum.
Many thanks
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AmandaK
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I'm not sure whether or not the prescription will include Vit K, but I notice that Dad is already taking 100% recommended Vit K within the multivitamin he takes daily.
You need to be more precise. There are two K vitamins - 1 and 2. It's K2 that gets calcium into bones and teeth, and therefore needs to be taken with vit D. And, as far as I know, NHS doctors have no idea it's necessary to take it, so really won't prescribe it.
From what I've seen on here, NHS doctors will not prescribe more than 800 iu vit D, which is of no help to anyone. It's not even a maintenance dose. I therefore doubt that 1000 iu would do him much good either. He's be better off buying his own vit D3 with vit K2-MK7 - you can get them combined.
I really don't think he should be taking a multi-vit. At best they are just a waste of money. At worst they are dangerous, containing things he probably doesn't need, like iodine. They are not recommended on here. Far better to get individual nutrients tested and just supplement with what is needed. More is never better.
You shouldn't be taking a multivitamin anyway for all sorts of reasons.
* If your multi contains iron, it will block the absorption of all the vitamins - you won't absorb a single one! Iron should be taken at least two hours away from any other supplement except vit C, which is necessary to aid absorption of iron, and protect the stomach.
* If your multi also contains calcium, the iron and calcium will bind together and you won't be able to absorb either of them.
* Multi's often contain things you shouldn't take or don't need : calcium, iodine, copper. These things should be tested before supplementing.
* Multi's often contain the cheapest, least absorbable form of the supplement : magnesium oxide, instead of magnesium citrate or one of the other good forms; cyanocobalamin instead of methylcobalamin; folic acid instead of methylfolate; etc. etc. etc.
* Multi's do not contain enough of anything to help a true deficiency, even if you could absorb them.
* When taking several supplements, you should start them individually at two weekly intervals, not all at once as you would with a multi. Because, if you start them all at once, and something doesn't agree with you, you won't know which one it is and you'll be back to square one.
With a multivitamin, you are just throwing your money down the drain, at best, and doing actual harm at worst. Far better to get tested for vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin, and build up your supplementation program based on the results. A vitamin or a mineral is only going to help you if you need it, anyway. More of something you don’t need is either pointless or even dangerous, as with calcium, iron or vit D.
Crumbs! This is worrying. My Dad, like me, has low in-range folate levels when not supplementing. However, since he has been taking multi vits and mins his folate levels have risen substantially, so something is working.
He started on the supplements as his diet isn't great, so it might be difficult encouraging him to wean off them, but I'll see how he responds.
Many thanks for your very informative post. I'll check out all the other 'ingredients'.
So, perhaps his multi doesn't contain iron? If you could post the ingredients I would be better able to advise you on it. There could be other things wrong with it even though it's helping his folate levels. But, as SlowDragon said, it might be better to get him a B complex instead, one that had methylfolate in it.
PS: interesting that there is 200% of Vit D here, but Dad's levels remain low in range - which suggests they were deficient before supplementing. This would actually chime with his symptoms.
As I said, it's totally unbalanced. And, there is iron in it, I missed that first reading. So, he won't have absorbed much of the vitamins, even if his folate has risen. Then, the iron will bind with the calcium, so he won't get the benefit of the iron, either. It's a mess, frankly. I don't know how they get away with it!
It doesn't say which vit K it is. Which is bad and shows that it's not a good quality supplement.
Vitamin C - 80 mg 100%
It may say that it is 100% RDA, but it's a very low dose.
Folic Acid - 200 µg 100%
Again, a low dose. And folic acid is the cheaper option, not the best absorbed.
Vitamin B12 - 2.5 µg 100%
I'm not an expert by any means, but I find it difficult to believe that that is 100% RDA. It's a very, very small amount. And, it doesn't say which form it is, so it's probably the cheaper, less easily absorbed form.
Calcium - 200 mg 25%
That's a lot of calcium on top of what he's getting from his food. And, if you're taking that much calcium, you really need the K2 to get it into the bones, so that it doesn't build up in the arteries. Probably not even necessary.
Magnesium - 100 mg 27%
Small dose and it doesn't say which form of magnesium.
Zinc - 10 mg 100%
Copper - 1000 µg 100%
You shouldn't take copper without getting tested first if you are hypo. Hypos usually have high copper levels and low zinc. Adding more copper is not a good idea, and that is a lot of copper!
Iodine - 150 µg 100%
If he's taking thyroid hormone replacement, he will be getting 68 mcg iodine for every 100 mcg T4 he's taking. It's so easy to over-dose on iodine. He doesn't want that.
So, it just looks like this supplement has been thrown together just any old how. Totally unbalanced. Not enough of something but 100% RDA of others, And, not enough of anything to treat a deficiency. I don't know how much he pays for this but it's not worth it! Perhaps he could see what he has left on eBay and get tested for nutrients and buy some decent supplements.
Many thanks - the supplements are from a well-known supermarket. He doesn't have a thyroid problem (in fact his thyroid levels are perfect, as is his blood pressure) but he does have lowish B12 as at 4 June 2019:
B12: 441 (223-1132)
Folate: 18.8 (3.9-20) - this is after supplementation for 20 months, so a massive increase as he had folate deficiency in Oct 2017:
Folate: 3.3 (3.9-20) i.e. deficient (before supplementation)
I was thinking of passing over my Nutri Thyroid B12 with intrinsic factor and folate to him (I'm coming off them as I want to see what my levels are naturally without supplementation when I have homocysteine levels tested).
I could order the following for him from Nutri Thyroid:
- Liquid Vitamin D3 formula with vitamin K2 as MK-7
- Vitamin C Time Release tablets (quote: 'provides 1000mg of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) delivered over several hours to maximise the absorption of vitamin C').
Supermarket supplements are always rubbish. Best to buy on-line.
I was thinking of passing over my Nutri Thyroid B12 with intrinsic factor and folate to him
What he needs is a good B complex. The Bs all work together so need to be kept balanced, not just taking one or two. A good B complex is one with methylcobalamin - 1000 mcg should do it - and methylfolate, 400 mcg. Igennus do a good one.
I could order the following for him from Nutri Thyroid:
- Liquid Vitamin D3 formula with vitamin K2 as MK-7
If he's going to take vit D3, he also needs to take magnesium, as they work together and the D3 will lower magnesium levels. Which one he takes depends on what he wants it to do:
Magnesium citrate: mild laxative, best for constipation.
Magnesium taurate: best for cardiovascular health.
Magnesium malate: best for fatigue – helps make ATP energy.
Magnesium glycinate: most bioavailable and absorbable form, non-laxative.
Magnesium chloride: for detoxing the cells and tissues, aids kidney function and can boost a sluggish metabolism.
Magnesium carbonate: good for people suffering with indigestion and acid reflux as it contains antacid properties.
Worst forms of magnesium: oxide, sulphate, glutamate and aspartate.
I don't know about time-released vit C. I've never tried that. Do you take that yourself?
I've started taking it and already take magnesium glycinate, along with numerous other supplements.
Didn't realise magnesium lowered Vit D levels - there's so much to learn! Apart from Vit C, all the supplements I take were on the advice of a naturopath (as discussed in another, recent post).
No, I didn't say magnesium lowered vit D levels, I said taking vit D supplements would lower magnesium levels - and most people are already deficient in magnesium. So, you need to take magnesium along with vit D.
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Some advice would be greatly appreciated
Overwhelmed, any advice would be appreciated. 
Advice re vitamin D supplementation
Test advice appreciated please, it's the dodgy D!?
ADVICE WOULD BE APPRECIATED...I'LL
KEEP IT BRIEF
