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<p>I just had blood work and wasn’t diagnosed with low Vitamin D. But I almost always bike instead of driving, so I’m in the sun a lot. My Vitamin D is seemingly fine, but I’m sure I’m at enormously elevated risk of skin cancer. There’s no way to avoid every risk, sigh.</p>
<p>Seems everyone I know (including my H and myself) have been found to have low vitamin D. What is this about? Maybe the range for normal is set too high.</p>
<p>It isn’t the range for “normal” It is the range for “healthy”.
Difference.</p>
<p>i am outside year round for about 8 hrs a day ( landscaper and volunteer tracker)
Everyone at this latitude that I have heard of- is low in Vit D.</p>
<p>Not sure I really see the distinction that you make, EK, other than perhaps saying that for some, for eg, lower than nl might still be healthy for some, like someone whose body temp is low?</p>
<p>And to clarify, yes it <em>is</em> the range for “normal”, not “healthy”. The ranges given on labs reports are the expected normal ranges. A score outside that expected score (high or low) is considered abnormal. It is a separate concept from “healthy”. It is a statisitical reference range. Here’s a good explanation. Yes, a person can have scores outside the normal range and still be “healthy” (have no medical condition) but the llab scores, such as low Vit D, might still be considered outside the normal range. <a href=“http://organizedwisdom.com/How_to_Read_and_Understand_Medical_Blood_Lab_Test_Results[/url]”>http://organizedwisdom.com/How_to_Read_and_Understand_Medical_Blood_Lab_Test_Results</a> Hope thats not confusing.</p>
<p>Ranges on labs- the way they have been explained to me- are practically meaningless- would you say the normal range of shoe size for an adult woman is 5-10, so any shoe in that range is good?</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>I hear " normal" and I think " average" but “average” doesn’t mean healthy and if 70% of Americans are deficient in VitD, I wonder are they all outside the " normal" range? or is there some other indicator?</p>
<p>It sounds like much depends on the test that was used and there doesn’t seem to be a consensus on what level is wanted.
[December</a> 2009 Clinical Laboratory News: Vitamin D Testing](<a href=“http://www.aacc.org/publications/cln/2009/December/Pages/series1209.aspx]December”>Page Not Found | myADLM.org)</p>
<p>No, labs are not meaningless, nor even practically meaningless. If they were, no one would run them. Without ranges of normal labs, how would they decide when a person has high cholesterol or diabetes or hypertension, etc. An analogy to an average shoe size isn’t meaningful because there is no “unhealthy” (ie good/bad, safe/dangerous) shoe size. Now some lab results may be more critical than others, and a low Vitamin D may or may not correlate with increased risk for health problems, but if it is advisable to take extra vitamin D or calcium as an osteoprotective measure, that isnt a bad thing, even of the person is “healthy”.</p>
<p>A link from Biospace:</p>
<p>[Diet</a> cola drains calcium in women Paging Dr. Gupta - CNN.com Blogs](<a href=“http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/07/diet-cola-drains-calcium-in-women/]Diet”>http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/07/diet-cola-drains-calcium-in-women/)</p>
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<p>I’m sure a bigger, well-controlled study will follow.</p>
<p>I rarely drink soda although wasn’t this shown years ago?
I have read reports that cola for some reason was more destructive than other pop- but perhaps that study was funded by * Fresca*.
Or was it something to do with the combination of caffiene and phosphoric acid?</p>
<p>My H drinks soda out of an aluminum can- & his family had a separate fridge in the basement for soda and beer :rolleyes:, so I can only imagine what his bones look like.</p>
<p>It’s the cola/carbonation combination and this information has been out for many years. I gave up my diet colas but then gradually slipped back. I usually only have one a day in the morning- on trips maybe one more. I know I should give them up, but I really enjoy them and I am NOT a coffee drinker so this is my morning caffeine. I try to subsitute iced tea whenever possible (and whenever I can pass up my Diet Pepsi…) My doctor wasn’t that concerned about my cola drinking. I guess there are people who drink 6-10 colas a day. That’s not me.</p>
<p>The difference between this study and the previously known fact that people who drink diet colas have lower bone density is that instead of measuring bone density, this study measured the rate of loss of bone-forming minerals and has shown that even in young people. It is one step towards pinpointing the mechanism by which the bone loss occurs. Maybe in the future there will be special colas with inhibitors of such processes for hopeless cola addicts 
Just kidding.</p>
<p>The post should read “…even in young people with no osteoporosis who love such sodas the rate of mineral loss is higher that in non-cola drinkers” Grrr, iPhone!</p>
<p>Anyone have toe and/or calf cramps while on Boniva or similar drug? I’m having that problem now.</p>
<p>^^^I just saw this thread today for the first time. You know, they always say you must do weight bearing exercise when you are young to aid in laying down plenty of solid bone tissue, and to continue weight bearing exercise in adulthood to prevent bone loss. With your history of long distance running, I’m surprised (and a little disheartened, truth be known) that this has happened to you. I try to exercise daily for this reason (among others), but I’ve got nowhere near the athletic history you have. It’s a little scary.</p>
<p>I hope your treatment is successful.</p>
<p>SO much of bone density is genetic. That’s the problem. I am seriously considering ditching the Boniva and taking my chances.</p>
<p>MOWC, don’t do that. You can’t undo it years from now. An ounce of prevention and all that.</p>
<p>Sorry if we covered this ground already, but do you lift weights?? My gyn told me years ago that that is the best thing to do for your entire skeleton – it really stresses all your bones. As I’ve bragged on CC several times, I started doing that five years ago and have reversed my osteoporosis. (I also use an estrogen patch and take gobs of calcium and Vit D.)</p>
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<p>Either that or pick new mothers</p>
<p>Just saw this! Had blood work a couple of weeks ago from my cardiologist!
Called me & told me to take 2,000 IU’s of Vitamin D a day, so I am!
Drinking OJ with Calcium as well! If you are watching your cholesterol you can’t load up on cheese, milk, etc! This ought to teach me for religiously using Sun Screen & shutting out the Vitamin D, eh? </p>
<p>If you are over 50, it seems like there is always something new to worry about!</p>
<p>I do lift weights and do pushups. Not as much weight training as some, because I am focused on my competitive running (well-except when I’m injured like now).
Jury is out on the whole Vit D/calcium thing, although I AM taking it.</p>
<p>I’m not going to keep taking Boniva if it is giving me cramps. I just need to make sure that is what it is.</p>
<p>I never had cramps with Boniva, but I decided to take a med holiday given the increased risk of femur fractures and weird jaw issues. I am also taking extra Vit D and calcium… when I rememeber!</p>
<p>I tend to get foot and calf cramps when I point my toes, and I’m not taking any medication. I am taking extra calcium and vit D though. I have noticed the cramping hasn’t happened since I started doing more stretching after exercise. Or maybe it’s because I haven’t worn heels in 2 months.</p>