How much vitamin D to take?

I was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency (<30 ng/mL) a few years ago, and told to take vitamin D during the autumn and winter months. However, that only raised my levels to 30.9 ng/mL which is just above the deficiency threshold. So I switched to taking 5000 IU (brand: Doctor´s Best) daily and have for the past six months. New labs show levels of 52 ng/mL. I have read that they should be >50, but what I am wondering is if they should be even higher and, if so, how high? I have seen doctors recommend 10.000 IU daily. But, since it´s a fat soluble vitamin, is there no risk of toxicity as with vitamin A?

[Mostew]

5000 is good but I was recommended d3 plus which includes a and K 2 and e

You are going in right direction slow and steady?!

[Marz]

60ng/L is a good level and you are almost there. Easy to confuse results and doses with a different measurement used in the UK. I would maintain your dose throughout the winter along with VitK2-MK7 and Magnesium.

[knitwitty]

I found it very difficult to raise my vitamin D level with tablets. I now take 3000iu daily ,I take this dose throughout the year as I didn't seem to be able to make Vitamin D very efficiently with sunlight exposure either . I use Better you vitamin sprays as I found I was able to absorb the vitamin D much more efficiently using them. ( I also take K2 with it)

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Low vitamin D is very strongly linked to Hashimoto’s

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.

Vitamin D

GP will often only prescribe to bring levels to 50nmol.

Some areas will prescribe to bring levels to 75nmol

leedsformulary.nhs.uk/docs/...

GP should advise on self supplementing if over 50nmol, but under 75nmol (but they rarely do)

mm.wirral.nhs.uk/document_u...

NHS Guidelines on dose vitamin D required

ouh.nhs.uk/osteoporosis/use...

But with Hashimoto’s, improving to around 80nmol or 100nmol by self supplementing may be better

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/218...

vitamindsociety.org/pdf/Vit...

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

Test twice yearly via vitamindtest.org.uk

Vitamin D mouth spray by Better You is very effective as it avoids poor gut function. There’s a version made that also contains vitamin K2 Mk7

It’s trial and error what dose we need, with hashimoto’s we frequently need higher dose than average

Calculator for working out dose you may need to get level to

40ng/ml = 100nmol

grassrootshealth.net/projec...

Government recommends everyone supplement October to April

gov.uk/government/news/phe-...

With your Vit D, are you also taking it's important cofactors - magnesium and Vit K2-MK7?

Magnesium best taken in the afternoon or evening, but must be four hours away from levothyroxine

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

medicalnewstoday.com/articl...

livescience.com/61866-magne...

sciencedaily.com/releases/2...

Vitamin K2 mk7

betterbones.com/bone-nutrit...

healthline.com/nutrition/vi...

Important to regularly retest folate, ferritin and B12 too

When were these last tested

[Hidden in reply to SlowDragon]

I take all vitamins and minerals (yes, including vit K MK-7 and magnesium citrate) in the evening as I take thyroid meds in the morning, with the exception of iron (beef liver capsules) and 1000 mg of vitamin C which I take in the mid-afternoon away from lunch and dinner.

I added beef liver capsules as I have always had low ferritin (my doctor does not test iron or TIBC). When I was tested earlier this year, my levels came back at 41 ng/mL (ref 10-205). I have even been on prescription iron without much success.

I eat a mostly vegetarian diet and prefer fish to red meat, so I guess it would be difficult to get all the iron I need from food.

My doctor does not test folate (I will have to order tests privately to get that), but my latest vit B12 levels looked ok: 1050 pg/mL (ref 189-883). An earlier test showed levels of 372 which is why I added Igennus Super B complex which is often recommended here. I understand it´s not a problem to have above range vit B12 levels, and that it may even be preferable...?

Doctors are completely clueless about vitamins and minerals, and seem to order tests without knowing how to interpret them. They are happy as long as results are anywhere in range, which is why I use the advice on this form to get my levels optimal.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

PurpleCat71

I was diagnosed with vitamin D deficiency (<30 ng/mL) a few years ago, and told to take vitamin D during the autumn and winter months.

You were very badly advised at the time. Vit D deficiency needs loading doses followed by a maintenance dose once the recommended level is reached.

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

vitamindsociety.org/

grassrootshealth.net/

With your current level of 52ng/ml you don't need 5,000iu D3 any more, you need a lower dose to maintain the level, maybe lifting it to 60ng/ml.

When supplementing Vit D, we need to retest twice a year to check levels and adjust dose if necessary.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thank, you SeasideSusie! I saw that the spray recommended here (with vit D + K) contains 3000 IU of vit D which may be an adequate maintenance dose.