I have had two vitamin D readings, one in Sept last year (60) and one early this month (68). I am taking Vitabiotics brand at the moment but for reasons I don’t yet, they now give me acid reflux (along with other foods and possible some brands ofT4).
If I am suffering acid reflux after taking them, could this be making the vitamin D levels low? Also, more importantly, is this low vitamin D causing poor conversion of T4 to T3?
Thank you for any possible advice on this.
What strength are they? Must admit it's not a brand that I rate as they do add many excipients the strongest they do seems to be 3000iu which probably isn't enough anyway and doesn't contain K2.... I'd suggest swapping to a sublingual like Nature Provides
Pop your details into this... grassrootshealth.net/projec...
Thank you very much for your reply and advice. I am looking at an alternative due to the fillers but can the low vitamin D affect conversion of T4?
Yes, it is one of the key factors along will iron, B12 and folate
Speaking for myself low vitd doesn’t have any effect on my conversion, my vitd levels rarely go above 20 usually below 12 in the winter, I’m not able to tolerate vitd in any form other than the sun, it has no effect on thyroid levels.
Thank you. It is interesting to hear this and it obviously works well for you.
However, could you confirm in what way you can’t tolerate the vitamin?
You must feel constantly dreadful with vit d that low. I know how bad I felt and how wonderful after loading dose. I know gp's aren't really genned up on vit d, but with your thyroid issue you'd think them more concerned and try to help you
I don’t feel constantly dreadful thank goodness ! I do have a multitude of health issues so yes some days I don’t feel up to much but it’s not the lack vitd causing it. I think as I’ve been like this for so long my body has either adjusted or maybe that’s just what my normal vitd is meant to be.
I personally don’t believe we must all aim for the same high levels, we all have our own set points and just maybe some of us are well on much lower levels.
acid reflux is hypo symptom
How much levothyroxine are you taking
What were most recent TSH, Ft4 and Ft3 results
Suggest you try different vitamin D
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.
One spray = 1000iu
amazon.co.uk/BetterYou-Dlux...
It’s trial and error what dose we need, with thyroid issues we frequently need higher dose than average
Suggest you try 2000-3000iu daily
Retest in 2-3 months
Aim for vitamin D at least 80-100nmol
Test twice yearly when supplementing
Can test via NHS private testing service
What are folate, B12 and ferritin results
What other supplements are you taking
Thank you very much. I am holding out for a thyroid panel test at the GP (two weeks to go) as I have moved it up and down over the last few months prior to this.. I do have T3 and don’t want to add this without knowing my levels at 100 mcg (I have been on this over a year). I have had very helpful advice about my T3 from this forum but I feel I need to know how my levels are on the T4 (by staying on 100 mcg for 8 weeks).
It has been gruelling and a long long time spent being unwell because my GP refused a blood test in August last year so I tried putting T4 up and then down and got in a mess. I have had private tests but I like to stay with NHS ones as this is how I tracked my levels in the past and private results are differing and confusing me. I really don’t know if private results are more accurate or the NHS ones. It is the T4 that differs the most and is over range (always) on private but within range on NHS testing.
B12, folate and ferritin have all been okay. I take vitamin D only at the moment. The mouth spray gave me very bad acid reflux so I couldn’t take that unfortunately but I am trying to source one without fillers as TiggerMe advised.
Thank again
I really don’t know if private results are more accurate or the NHS ones. It is the T4 that differs the most and is over range (always) on private but within range on NHS testing.
Private tests are often processed at same laboratory as NHS
Timing of testing is crucial. ….all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
And many people find different brands of levothyroxine are not interchangeable
Bloods should be retested 6-8 weeks after each dose change or brand change in levothyroxine
When comparing different test results from different labs with different ranges ….use the % calculator
Eg
NHS test
Ft4 16 (9-19)
Ft4 is 70% through range
Private test
Ft4 19 (12-22)
Ft4 is 70% through range
Correcting low vitamin levels can reveal how hypo you are …..making hypo symptoms more likely
So correcting low vitamin D is necessary
B12, folate and ferritin have all been okay.
Can you add actual results
Vitamin D tablets or gels need to be at least 4 hours away from Levo
Best taken with high fat meal to improve absorption. So that’s usually evening meal
Thanks a lot. I will try this when I receive the new ones I have ordered.
Looking at previous posts
You recently started on T3 alongside Levo
How much Levo are you now taking
Dropping from 100mcg to 50mcg was huge reduction
Have you retested since starting
Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)
T3 ….day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day, with last dose approximately 8-12 hours before test
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins
Post all about what time of day to test
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing
Medichecks Thyroid plus BOTH TPO and TG antibodies and vitamins
medichecks.com/products/adv...
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes BOTH TPO and TG antibodies, cortisol and vitamins
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee
Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.
Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test
support.medichecks.com/hc/e...
If you normally take levothyroxine at bedtime/in night ...adjust timings as follows prior to blood test
If testing Monday morning, delay Saturday evening dose levothyroxine until Sunday morning. Delay Sunday evening dose levothyroxine until after blood test on Monday morning. Take Monday evening dose levothyroxine as per normal
Monitor My Health (NHS private test service) offer thyroid and vitamin testing, plus cholesterol and HBA1C for £65
(Doesn’t include thyroid antibodies)
monitormyhealth.org.uk/full...
10% off code here
thyroiduk.org/testing/priva...
Randox FULL thyroid test including both thyroid antibodies just £31
Test at home or in clinic
Also available via Amazon
I can recommend these Vitamin D capsules, very small and easy to take, no fillers or other artificial stuff, available on Amazon. They also do 4000IU, if you need a stronger one for a while.
Thank you. I will have a look at these. They look a good supplement and without the fillers too.
I have been taking them for over a couple of years now and find them really good. I was able to increase my Vitamin D from 64nmol/l to 126nmol/l and I have not noticed any side effects with them. The capsules are fairly small, so a real bonus if you have difficulties swallowing big capsules!😉
' is this low vitamin D causing poor conversion of T4 to T3?'
Just adding my own experience here. I am 99.5% intolerant of vitamin D supplements. To the extent that I also need to be careful about vitamin D that's been added to commercial food/drinks etc.
My T4 to T3 conversion has never been affected by my blood level of vitamin D as far as I can tell. My vitamin D level naturally drops over the winter, and rises over the summer when I can expose my skin to the sun. This has never made a notable difference to my FT3 blood levels.
There is never going to be a 'one size fits all' answer to these things!
A good place for me to post a link to a recently published paper:
Effects of vitamin D supplementation on TSH and thyroid hormones: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials
Efectos de la suplementación con vitamina D sobre la TSH y las hormonas tiroideas: una revisión sistemática de ensayos controlados aleatorizados
Abstract
Objective
Approximately 200 million people have been diagnosed with thyroid disease worldwide. Associations between thyroid disorders and nutritional factors have been established in former studies.
Methods
The Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus databases and Google Scholar were searched without date restriction until June 2023 by using relevant keywords. All original articles written in English that studied the effects of vitamin D supplementation on TSH and thyroid hormones were eligible for the present review.
Results
The present review included a total of 16 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 1127 participants (intervention group, 630; control group, 497). Based on the findings made, vitamin D supplementation had no significant effects on serum TSH levels in 9 cases (56.2%) reported in the trials. However, TSH levels were elevated in 4 studies (26.6%) and low in 3 (18.7%) cases after vitamin D administration. Four cases reported in 6 RCTs and 4 cases reported in 5 trials indicated no significant effects on thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) levels after vitamin D supplementation, respectively. Moreover, 8 cases of 11 included RCTs reported that vitamin D intake had no significant effects on fT4, and 5 cases of 7 RCTs demonstrated no significant effects on fT3 levels after vitamin D supplementation.
Conclusion
Most findings suggest that vitamin D supplementation had no significant effects on thyroid hormones and more than half indicated no significant effect on TSH levels. Nevertheless, high-quality research is further required to prove these achievements and evaluate vitamin D effects on other markers of thyroid function.
sciencedirect.com/science/a...
Yes, I know it is a tiny cohort. But if the effect were dramatic, we might have expected a significant effect.
Vitamin help needed!
New vitamin levels
Vitamin D, B12, ferritin, folate blood test results
Vitamin D difficiency
Vitamin And Nutrients plus Thyroid Health
