Hope all are doing the best you can in the current climate. I had some questions on vitamin D and would appreciate some advise.
Over 6 months back, my vit. D levels were 40nmol/L and I was put on high dose of 40,000IU/week by my Dr. for 7 weeks. After 7 weeks, I carried on with 2000-3000IU and after a total of 3 months, I finally reached to 80nmol/L (minimum of range).
Post this period, since we were trying for a child, I was (and still am) taking pre-conception multivitamins and that provides 800-1000IU of vit. D per day.
I wanted to increase this to 2000-3000IU of vit. D but was advised against it by my GP, head nurse and pharmacist (all were consistent in advise). Reason provided was that this daily dosage itself should already be considered sufficient and is within the recommended dosage.
I was beginning to feel light palpitations and nervousness/fear and tested my vit. D last week and found the reading has again dropped to 57nmol/L.
While I understand that nutrient dosages/studies on nutrient interaction is not covered extensively at all in the field of medicine or pharmacology, I am not exactly sure the hesitation in recommending a higher dose.
My questions are:
1)Are there actually concerns around taking say a dose of 2000-3000IU per day if coupled with a meal that contain fats, and supplements of vitamin K2 and magnesium? Has anyone read any scientific articles that recommend otherwise? I feel especially when trying for a child, one’s nutrients levels should be above minimum but I am not sure why there is so much hesitation in recommending a higher dose.
2)Does anyone understand why hypothyroidism patients have low levels of vit. D, ferritin, iron and B12. Is this entirely based on the gut not being to absorb the nutrients from food? If yes, is the solution entirely based on healing the gut and then this issue gets rectified?
3)Is the vit. D issue primarily in countries like UK with low amounts of sun. Do hypothyroidism patients in hotter countries such as Latin America, Spain, South East Asia also have issues with vit. D? Has anyone migrated and found a drastic improvement in their health?
4)Has anyone used a SAD light and found that their vit. D level increases? I know it helps fight ‘winter blues’ but does it actually help in vit. D absorption/increase in some way?
5)I’ve read that the recommended dose of magnesium is 380-400mg/day. Do you recommend this dosage/half as you do get some magnesium from food?
I would appreciate if any of you can advise me on the above or areas that you are familiar on. As always, love this group and the support it provides.
Thank you very much for your time.
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S2017
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I currently take 75mcg 4 days a week and 100 mcg 3 days a week. My weight is about 66kg.
I've recently experienced facial numbness so they are checking my B12 and thyroid levels and I should hopefully know my results tomorrow.
I have read a articles on low stomach acid so I tried taking 1 tbps of apple cider vinegar but I found that it gave me reflux symptoms (eg: belching and stomach feels uncomfortable, very bloated) so I stopped .
I also tried gluten free diet but gave up after 2 weeks. Strictly gluten free is not something I have tried ever as to be honest, I find it hard to give up bread. Not sure if there is any way around this but no, I haven't tried this for a good duration of 3 months to see if it makes a difference. If you are on a gluten free diet, do you take bread alternatives like sourdough (less gluten) or not at all?
I am so very bloated and I feel that every since I got hypothyrodism, my gut health is absolutely miserable (always heavily bloated after a meal, food takes a long time to digest, stomach pain & discomfort, sides hurt).
Going gluten free is something I will need to bring himself to to accept. To be honest, right now its hard for me, cause I feel like my health is sort out taking away things I enjoy at a fairly young age.
Anyhow, I will digest this and thank you for your feedback. Much appreciated.
66 x 1.6mcg suggests at least 100mcg daily as likely dose levothyroxine you would need
Slightly over 100mcg per day at 739mcg per week
guidelines on dose levothyroxine by weight
Even if we frequently don’t start on full replacement dose, most people need to increase levothyroxine dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until eventually on, or near full replacement dose
Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 1.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (rounded to the nearest 25 micrograms) for adults under 65 with primary hypothyroidism and no history of cardiovascular disease.
Traditionally we have tended to start patients on a low dose of levothyroxine and titrate it up over a period of months. RCT evidence suggests that for the majority of patients this is not necessary and may waste resources.
For patients aged >60y or with ischaemic heart disease, start levothyroxine at 25–50μg daily and titrate up every 3 to 6 weeks as tolerated.
For ALL other patients start at full replacement dose. For most this will equate to 1.6 μg/kg/day (approximately 100μg for a 60kg woman and 125μg for a 75kg man).
If you are starting treatment for subclinical hypothyroidism, this article advises starting at a dose close to the full treatment dose on the basis that it is difficult to assess symptom response unless a therapeutic dose has been trialled.
4)Has anyone used a SAD light and found that their vit. D level increases? I know it helps fight ‘winter blues’ but does it actually help in vit. D absorption/increase in some way?
No a SAD light won’t help
You can get vitamin D lamp....very expensive and doesn’t raise vitamin D hardly at all. Also burns skin if expose too long
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